Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Antique Reloading Tools

I have had this tool for a while. I pretty much grab anything that is 303 sav. After seeing Jed's post on Joe's 1895 SRC it got me wondering about this tool. Does anyone here know the vintages / history of the Ideal reloading tools? I know at one point there is some relationship with Marlin, but is that early or late? I have what I believe is an Ideal No 3 tool in 303 sav marked Marlin Firearms Co. New Haven Conn. U.S.A. IDEAL TOOLS. Is this the 1895 tool?






Any help would be appreciated.

Blair

Hi Blair
Not sure of the markings on this but this is a page out of the 1895 Cat with the No 3 Ideal loading tool

Cheers Graham

Blair, It looks like thats the correct tool for the 1895 !!! i had never given the marlin stamping a thought on the ideal tools untill now. I think i have one of those also somewhere in my junk ,now i got to go find it !!! thanks Don

I think the #6 tool may have been 1st, as it was a one pic. tool, I have one here somewhere! and I have one Marked marlin like yours, also have a #3 in 22hP

I have several Ideal tools one in the box I belive to be the early one is marked ONE IDEAL No.3 SPECIAL 303 SAVAGE also have one with a bulletmold built on it SAVAGE 303!!There is no Marlin
mark on these at all.

That is correct
the No 6 comes before the No 3 in the 1895 Cat
as showen

Cheers

KIWI
The 303 Savage SPECIAL TOOL is on page 64 of the same catalog
do you think they are for the same job or different???

Gulp. I remember selling one of those tools with the built in mold at a gun show, maybe 20 years ago. Didn't have a .303, I bought it for the attached mold thinking it would make a neat addition to my mold selections. It cast crappy bullets, so I sold it for $20 as I recall. C'est la guerre.

there was one on e-bay not long ago, in 303 with the mold, I dont think it went to high, I almost bid but dont cast, well not yet!

I guess this link answers some of my question.

Marlin History

The tools were marked Marlin Firearms Company from 1910 until 1916, then the Marlin Arms Company from 1916 until 1925 when Ideal was sold to Lyman. I believe I have another one in the box that I will have to check out.

Blair

I think the only thing that will identify an early Ideal reloading tool as being Savage is the box it was sold in.