Latest Acquisition!

[Mark Landskov]

Hoot Mon! I recently purchased this neat 'Bench Roller' from Bridgeport Gun Implement Co. Unlike the run-of-the-mill units out there, this one is designed to handle 2" shells and up! As my 2nd retirement progresses, I will carefully clean my loading tools and figure out a way to display them. I also acquired one of their top o' the line cleaning rods, but have not received it yet. Cheers!

[Keith Parrish]

thats awesome!!! I am very pleased with my BGI roller. As you will be with yours either in use or just admiring the quality of the machine.

Ours look very similar but yours has a different holder for the brass and the tube the hull slides in seems to cover the full shell where as mine is a bit smaller but the rolling machenizm is the same style brass.

VERY NICE nice grab!!

[Dave Suponski]

Mark, An interesting side note here on your new "turnover'. That is the exact style listed in Parker Bros. catalogs of the late 1800's. The only difference is that the ones's sold by Parker have no name on them at all.

[charlie cleveland]

lucky lucky lucky... nice find... im amazed at the quality of these things.... charlie

[Keith Parrish]

Mark,

A fella at deer camp told me a nice trick a couple of weeks ago after rolling a few of those by hand he learned to sneak in the wife's stuff and take her hair dryer. Then he would heat the mouth of the hull just before rolling it and the hull would roll like butter and hold the crimp very nice after cooling down. I tried this trick and learned to set up a dozen or so shells and heat the mouths like this. It really did the trick...

[Mark Landskov]

Dave, I always wondered about the various products listed by Parker and Winchester in their catalogs. Did they actually 'tool up' to manufacture the items, or have someone else make them with their name on them? WRA Co's 1928 hardware catalog is very extensive. I would think that a whole new factory would have been built just to make the hardware and other items.

[Mark Landskov]

Keith, that sounds like an interesting idea. I plan on using a 'no-name' roller when I start loading short tens!

[Dave Suponski]

Mark, We know that many of the loading tools that Parker Bros. sold were made by other companys and marketed by Parker. Some items such as shot dippers,barclay loaders and cappers had Parker Bros. cast or stamped on them. Some other items such as combination tools simply were shipped in box's with the Parker Bros. label on them. There is a great chapter on this subject in the "Parker Story"

[charlie cleveland]

you still see famous names attached to items they did not make but add there names and market them... and for a goodly sum most companys will let you put there name on your product.... charlie

[Jack Kuzepski]

Mark,

Great buy! That looks similar to one I picked up about 2 years ago. What is the model number on the handle? Does the screw driver slotted piece in the middle of the handle have a spike on the bottom where it would hit the brass on the hull?
Let us know when you get the cleaning rod

Jack Kuzepski

[Mark Landskov]

Yes it does, Jack. I will get back with the model number. I already have a 'standard' BGI cleaning rod with a Budd-Petmecky bore cleaner. I also have a mint Union Hardware cleaning rod, still in the package. I just need to find a nice way to display my stuff so people can enjoy it. My wife probably won't be too excited about using the oak hutch and mantel, though!

[Jack Kuzepski]

What is the patent date on your BGI cleaning rod? There are 2 or 3 (can't recall right now) different patent dates. The different patents have to do with how the ferrules were made. I have a used Union Hardware cleaning rod missing one piece. Have been checking out the gun shows looking for a complete one. I also have a Budd Petmecky cleaning implement, a 10 ga in the box.

Jack Kuzepski

[Mark Landskov]

Jack, the patent date on my reg'lar BGI rod is 'FEB.9.92.' The wood is a lighter colored variety than the one I just bought. The little accoutrements like slotted tips, etc., are really hard to find. Here are the auction photos:

[Jack Kuzepski]

Mark,

That little slotted tip is rarely seen. What auctions are you using?

Jack Kuzepski

[Mark Landskov]

Jack, I have gathered that eBay is usually 'black-balled' by firearms enthusiasts due to their policies. Well, I have amassed quite a collection of loading tools and other various accoutrements over the past year with them. The BGI roller pictured above sold at $15.00. I bid much higher because I really wanted it. Sometimes the bidding gets really stupid (not a nice word!) and I do have to set my limits. What annoys me is the bidder that hits the 'bid' button with 1-2 seconds left. Really nice when you are watching and think you have it in the bag. Sour grapes, I guess. I bid what I am willing to spend. They need a 15 minute rule like Gun Broker. Here is a BGI loader I got on eBay. I paid way too much for it, but really wanted it. I still don't know which is correct for these loaders, 'Barclay' or 'Barkley'. I see both used with equal frequency. I have been pretty lucky, though. For the most part, I don't have to get into any major bidding battles. Cheers!

[Jack Kuzepski]

Mark,

If most firearm enthusiasts dismiss Ebay for those collectibles then that means fewer people bidding and holds the prices down for you. Have you tried Wards Collectibles? They have an auction starting August 1st, but if you go the website today or tomorrow you can see what was in the last one and the prices. Look in the "Miscellaneous (Marbles & Winchester)" section to find antique reloading tools and cleaning rods. One area that really draws the money are some of the shotshell boxes, even empty ones!

Jack

[Mark Landskov]

Jack, it has been awhile, but I actually had Wards sell a large collection of Remington-UMC and UMC cartridges for me. They did well! I have found a few boxes on Gun Broker. If I am lucky, I get them for low bids. Very rarely have I lost out on an English box, which is what I collect (as far as boxes, that is).

[Jack Kuzepski]

Just for giggles, I just looked thru my repro 1902 M. Hartley Company catalog for your Barkley Loader. I found it as a Eureka Gun Implements.-Improved Quality: item #147 Barclay pattern, inside spring, polished nickel tube, apple head. It was available in 10, 12, 14, 16 and 20 gauges. It sold for $6.35 per dozen. Basically the same item as your pic with the difference being yours is not nickel plated and the spelling of the item.

Jack

[Mark Landskov]

The 'Eureka' name is a mystery to me. I have a complete 20 gauge loading outfit label 'Eureka' and Union Hardware. My Eureka Tomlinson cleaner is stamped 'BGI'. The 1901 BGI catalog has a section for their Eureka implements. Did BGI acquire Union Hardware? Was there a connection between the two?

[Jack Kuzepski]

Mark,

To start with there were 4 different companies totally owned by the same man Marcellus Hartley. When he died, his grandson Marcellus Hartley Dodge took over M. Hartley Co and after a period of time, the other 3. I don't know what happenend to BGIC or M Hartley Co. after Dupont got into the picture buying into Remington Arms and Union Metallic Cartridge. Dupont got controlling interest (60%) in 1933 during the Depression. It may be that BGIC was sold to Union Hardware. If anyone would have the answer it would be the Hagley Museum and Library. I'll pose the question to them.

Jack

[Mark Landskov]

Jack, I forgot to get you the model number of my new BGI roller (above). It is '1011'.

[Mark Landskov]

I just bought a very nice 10 gauge roller/closer marked 'J.L. Rawbone'. It is of high quality and finished much nicer than my BGI and Union Hardware tools. There are some Rawbones listed as gunmakers in England, but no reference to 'J.L.'

[Jack Kuzepski]

Mark,

The one I have is 1011 also, same tool. And it does work very well. I just have to watch out for that spike or I'll be punching holes in the brass.

Jack Kuzepski

[Bill Murphy]

Parker Brothers marked Barclay loaders are getting hard to find. Anyone see one lately? By the way, ebay is not dead, only dying. I bought a Model 21 Winchester factory cutaway on ebay less than a year ago. Once in a while something slips by the censors.