My Obsession Continues

Charles Graff

Charles Graff

Moderator Emeritus
I have a good number of old RCBS 38 Special die and just added one more. This is a 1951 "C" set and the oldest I have encountered. RCBS began to sell dies in 1949 with the letter date "A". Each year thereafter the next letter date was stamped. I won't quit until I have an "A" set.
 
CZ93X62

CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
IIRC, the oldest RCBS die I have is year-stamped "75". When did RCBS shift to year-stamping from the letters? I have a BUNCH of "79" and "80" dies, corresponding to huge growth of my hobby interest at that time. I took up casting about that same era.
 
RBHarter

RBHarter

West Central AR
Wonder if they used B L A C K P O W D E R . I didn't pay much attention to dates on dies until I went looking at pattern changes in pistol dies .
 
Charles Graff

Charles Graff

Moderator Emeritus
According to RCBS the last letter date was L (1960). But I have run across some "one off" dies with later letters. I also have a set of 30-06 "N" (1962). While I am not certain when the last letter was used, I am fairly certain they didn't run the whole alphabet.
 
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RicinYakima

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Found "C" and "E" this morning. Plus a set of .455 Colt dies in the box, "code 55000", SPECIAL, and marked 69, .455 C..
 
RicinYakima

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
The "C" is 450 Watts. A wildcat made by Harvey Anderson of a 375 H&H case necked up to .458". Was popularized by P. Lott and commercialize under that name.

"E" is 250 Savage
 
Charles Graff

Charles Graff

Moderator Emeritus
Fred Huntington first shop (1948) was 20 X 20 foot. He only made bullet swaging tools the first year. When he started making reloading dies he had to used his garage as well. In 1954 he built a 40 X 60 shop and his production ramped up. Dies from 1955 on are frequently encountered, but the earlier ones are not seen often. I have not seen hide nor hair of A and B dies.
Hawk said:
Are you looking for a set of .38 SPL stamped A or anything stamped A?
Click to expand...
Just about any A
 
RicinYakima

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington

Official RCBS history of Fred Jr. He got started merchandizing with the help of Walter Sutton and Robert Miller, owners of Pacific reloading tools in San Francisco and their gun shop on Hays Avenue. His big break came with selling dies to Vernon Speer and Joyce Hornady when than began making bullets in WW2. Huntington was too old for the draft, so was able to run his business all thru WW2, and was able to buy materials to keep his laundry business running.

Clarification; Men were required to register for the draft from ages 18 to 45 in 1940, extended to age 60 by 1945. However, the normal upper age limit was 25 until about 1942 and then upped to 27 and then 35 and these were all single men. Fred Jr. was always just a couple of years older than the top of the men being drafted besides being a father and business owner.
 
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