The very- excellent Remington re-and de-capper is strong-, simplu and ef fective. It is made for io, 12, 14 and zo gauges. The Remington reloading tools (.45 SParlish, .45- 70 Marlin, .45-7o and .50- 70 Government complete) consist of bullet mould, ball seater, re-capper, de-capper, powder measure and u ad cutter.
An ingenious tool for reloading empty cartridge shells has been recently patented by Walter H. Gripman, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. By means of this tool the old primer is rapidly expelled, a new primer accurately inserted, the shell and bullet resized, the mouth of the cartridge expanded, and the bullet securely fastened in the charged shell. Ata excellent brass shot shell loading tool, shown in the drawing is made for loading brass shot shells Nos, to and 12 gauge. It is made entirely of iron, nicely polished and nickel plated, and will last a life-time. It is a capper. de-capper and rammer.
Winchester reloading tools are made in two styles—the lever tool and the Model 1894 tool. The lever reloading tool removes the exploded primer, straightens the shell at the mouth, inserts the new primer, and fastens the ball in the shell. The Winchester Model 1894 reloading tool was devised to make the reloading and resizing of large sporting ammunition more easy. By a strong lever, a small motion (not more than .03 of an inch) is imparted to the slide. The cartridge is contained in the die. The clic screws into the frame. The shell, with its charge and bullet, is put tog-ether by hand and put into the ' die. The die is screwed into the frame as far as it will go readily. A motion of the lever toward the die will force the cartridge into the die through a short distance. The backward motion of the lever releases the pressure on the cartridge, and the die can then be screwed up through a part of one turn. The repeated motion of the lever and the continued screwing up -)f the die bring, the cartridge its full length into the die, insert the bullet to the right distance, crimp the cartridge around the bullet, and reduce the shell to its original size, so that it will go freely into the gun. With this tool it will be found possible to easily reload the largest cartridges, compressing the powder, putting the bullet to place, and reducing the shell on the outside to its original form. By the reverse rnotion—that is, by lifting the handle of the lever away from the die—the slide is lifted, and the cartridge, by means of the extractor, is drawn a slight distance out of the die. When the handle is returned to the die, the latter can be unscrewed a corresponding, distance. Another motion
of the lever draws the cartridge still further out of the die, and wIth a few motions it becomes so loosened in the die that the latter may be easily un screwed. As soon as the cartridg.,Ye isloosened in the die, the extractor loses its grip, and the (lie and cartridge are taken from the frame together. This tool permits, with the use of little force, the most exact reloading„ including the resizing of the shell.
Extensive experiment has shown that the best possible' results arc ob tained x%ith rifle, powder and bullet when the bullet is seated into the barrel about 1-32 of an inch ahead of the shell. The bullet is thus well in the rifling, before the explosion takes place, obviating any possible chance of its being started in a tipping or crosswise manner. The shell is then filled with powder (a wad on top or not as desired), and inserted in the chamber after the bul let. The Ideal bullet seater has an adjustable plunger that can be set with a check nut to seat the ball any depth desired, and they will be absolutely the same depth, which must be, to insure uniform shooting. The implement weighs but four ounces, and is made for all calibers from .22 up. It is sup posed by sonic that the chamber of a reloading tool should be shaped so as to re-form a shell that is swollen or expanded, and at the same time force the bullet in, pack the powder and crimp the shell. This process is impracticable for several reasons. First—The shells are made of elastic metal, and must be compressed beyond the desired size, so as to allow for the springing back of the metal. To do this requires more power than is consistent with the con struction of a practical, portable hand tool. Second.—As the shell is primed and the powder is in, there ;s more or less danger attending this operation. Third.—The bullet is composed of non-elastic metal, and as the shell is being compressed with the bullet in, it, of course, compresses the bullet which be ing non-elastic, remains to the size comprssed, and the accurate diameter of the bullet is lost, and it would be loose in the shell were it not for the crimping of the shell into it, and the powder pressing the bullet up against the crimp. Experience has proven that the shell, if expanded, should be reformed while empty, and in a separate tool. Fortunately the majority of shells do not ex pand so as to interfere, and loading tools as constructed are all that is required.