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The #6 Tool (rimless cartridges with an attached bullet mould).
The Ideal Tool #6 was a very good seller. It was larger than the #4 Tool, and could reload larger cartridges ranging from .32-35 Stevens and Maynard up to .50-95 and .50-100-450 Winchester. To accommodate this range, the handles were made in two sizes. A non-adjustable seating
chamber was standard, but single or double adjustable chambers were
available as an option. Ideal #6 Description from Gerald O. Kelver "Ideal #6 - mold blocks were attached to the handles. There was a non-adjustable chamber. The re-capper and bullet sizing hole with plunger were on the handles. The tool was made for grooved bullets. Made for rimmed black powder cartridges from .25-35 to .50-100-450. One cartridge was the .42-77-370 Berdan Russian. Cartridges over 2 1/2 inches in length had adjustable chambers, since this was the limit on the length of the fixed chamber." Reloading Tools, Sights and Telescopes for Single Shot Rifles, page 8, ISBN 1-877704-21-0 Transitional #6 Tool A variation of this tool was marketed in the 1930's for pistol size cartridges. They had removable mould blocks, and were actually marketed as a #4 tool.
Frank Ore wrote: This is a #6 type tool maked 25/35. It's threaded for the 310 tools and has a capper in it but, no sizer. Near the hinge it's stamped DX. The thing thats different is it's for removeable mold blocks. It's in excellent condition and nickle plated. I looked at the #4 tool, it's shaped a bit different than mine and there is no rifle calibers listed for them.In Gerald Kelvers book, Reloading Tools, Sights and Telescopes for Single Shot Rifles. He talks of transition mold handles that were made for a very short time and has a picture of it on page 19. It is marked 25/35 like mine. That is all that I know about it. I asked about it on my ASSRA forum and even Doug Elliott didn't know much about it.
This is a right-handed .50 calibre tool
Another tool that came out at the same time,
actually a variant to the #6 tool was the "mirror image" or "left
handed" tool. This tool was manufactured in both sizes and in
Colt, Marlin, Sharps, Stevens and Winchester calibres ranging from
.32-40 to .45-90. It is quite rare.
This is a left-handed .50 calibre tool
Here is a composite image showing two 50 caliber large frame Ideal #6 tools. Can you see the difference in the way the tools are configured? Obviously, the top tool has an adjustable seating chamber and the older 50 Gov tool has no bullet sizer, but can you see the more fundamental difference?....The tools appear to be mirror images of each other. The reason is that the casting chamber has been cut on the opposite side of the blocks, and the sprue cutter has been placed on the opposite side too. Notice that the sprue cutter swings toward the seating die on most Ideal #6 tools, but the "left handed" variant (illustrated by the bottom tool) has the sprue cutter swinging away from the seating chamber.
The #6 Tool in .38-55 caliber.
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