[John Farrell, Charter Member #33]

Paul - the tool in the photo that looks like a pair of pliers is the de-capping tool which was used to remove the primer from the shotgun hulls of days gone by. The hull was placed in the half round ring with the rim level with the edge of the ring. The tool had a icepick kind of finger that punctured the primer and then removed it as the tool was operated.

As you look at the picker, just below it in the photo is where a hull was placed to reprime. (You can see the indication of a half round ring where the hull was placed). While the hull was in the tool a new primer was pressed in by that little tit shown. Then the handles were opened fully and the re-primed hull was removed and the next dropped into the tool.