What is it ?

[Bret GRAVELINE Graveline]

He was a friend and retired gunsmith, he made and sold his own brand of reloading dies , brochure and all, I'll post a pic of brochure someday when I'm up at cabin, I still have a whol stack of them.
Anyway some crazy to me stuff ,I have found around there.
Thanks for the reply.
Here's another pic of a press I think he made it ?
Thanks

Wow I'd say Christmas arrived early for you, this guy was more than a gunsmith, he was a artist and true journeyman, with the additional information that he was making his own reloading press im thinking that jig was used in the manufacturer for that press, if possible I'd check to see if the thru hole in the main shaft of the press ligns up with jig,

 

[UncleDano]

Definitely what it looks like, but the holes in the ends are too far away to be for action screws to locate the receiver.
Doesn't have a block to fit in the raceway to orient it (like the Forster jig) either.
Couldn't be used in that application as I see it, there's no way to precisely orient a round action "up".

It is not for a round action but for round stock or pipe. It's a drill jig, that's all.

 

[cornshank]

It is not for a round action but for round stock or pipe. It's a drill jig, that's all.

Oh but she's a heavy duty one !

 

[shortgrass]

Can't say enough of them old timers, did come up with some great ideas- and they worked !

In days past, the tools you needed weren't available commercially. You had to make what you need. During my 2yrs getting formal training at MCC, we made many tools. Many were "required" to pass the basic machine shop semester. Barrel vise, action wrench, heat sinks for bolt handle welding, guide pins and "T" handled screws for stockmaking, the list was long, 50 'required' tools in all. 30yrs later, I still use many of them, and have made many more for specific tasks. These days, you can get on the web and buy what it is you might want. Good or bad, that's debatable. On one hand, your time has to be worth something. On the other, designing and making what you need can carry over as 'previous experience' to another task you encounter. There is no real "end" to learning.

 

[cornshank]

In days past, the tools you needed weren't available commercially. You had to make what you need. During my 2yrs getting formal training at MCC, we made many tools. Many were "required" to pass the basic machine shop semester. Barrel vise, action wrench, heat sinks for bolt handle welding, guide pins and "T" handled screws for stockmaking, the list was long, 50 'required' tools in all. 30yrs later, I still use many of them, and have made many more for specific tasks. These days, you can get on the web and buy what it is you might want. Good or bad, that's debatable. On one hand, your time has to be worth something. On the other, designing and making what you need can carry over as 'precious experience' to another task you encounter. There is no real "end" to learning.

Still using some of your handmade tools

 

[shortgrass]

Still using some of your handmade tools

Shop made tools, made on the mills and lathe. I'd suppose the 'handmade' would be the scrapers, chisels and gouges,,,, as those were hand forged, shaped with hand files, and sharpened by hand with stones and heat treated with a torch and a can of oil for quenching.

 

[ntsqd]

I've a friend who accuses me of selecting projects based on how many Special Tools I'll need to make to complete the project. He's not wrong, though I've never looked at it quite like that.

 

[cornshank]

He made his own brand of dies , you could be right !

Found my friends price list from the 1960's

Wow I'd say Christmas arrived early for you, this guy was more than a gunsmith, he was a artist and true journeyman, with the additional information that he was making his own reloading press im thinking that jig was used in the manufacturer for that press, if possible I'd check to see if the thru hole in the main shaft of the press ligns up with jig,

He was a friend and retired gunsmith, he made and sold his own brand of reloading dies , brochure and all, I'll post a pic of brochure someday when I'm up at cabin, I still have a whol stack of them.
Anyway some crazy to me stuff ,I have found around there.
Thanks for the reply.
Here's another pic of a press I think he made it ?
Thanks

Found his old price list from the 1960's, this is the top half of page

 

[cornshank]

Found my friends price list from the 1960's


Found his old price list from the 1960's, this is the top half of pageView attachment 346775

Bottom half of page

 

[cornshank]

Bottom half of page

Bottom half of pageView attachment 346776

Looks like he also did some custom reloading

 

[shortgrass]

I

I've a friend who accuses me of selecting projects based on how many Special Tools I'll need to make to complete the project. He's not wrong, though I've never looked at it quite like that.

I turn down lots of jobs that are gonna' require tools I'm gonna' have to buy or make. If I'm only gonna' use 'um once or twice, there's no sense in it! Lots of people have the "all ya' gotta' do" lingo, and have absolutely no idea of what's going to be needed or what kinda' time it's gonna' take. I'm a real ***! I end up telling 'um, "if it's easy and the cost of the tools isn't factored in, why are you bothering me with it! Do it yourself!" I can and do a lot of different gunsmithing tasks, but I have zero interest in doing anything and every crazy idea that get thrown my way.

 

[ntsqd]

I hear you, I doubt that anyone would pay me to do half of the projects that I take on. Certainly not enough to make them worth my time. Most are for myself, very few are for others.

OP, Camptonville is a really nice part of a really nice State that's too full of carpet baggers. Used to be in that general area semi-frequently and I miss it.

 

[cornshank]

I hear you, I doubt that anyone would pay me to do half of the projects that I take on. Certainly not enough to make them worth my time. Most are for myself, very few are for others.

OP, Camptonville is a really nice part of a really nice State that's too full of carpet baggers. Used to be in that general area semi-frequently and I miss it.

If you are ever coming over this direction , pm me .