Memory lane

[Ale-8(1)]

I was rooting thru my stuff and came across two full boxes of Markell 148-gr wadcutters. Man, that takes me back, I started serious reloading about forty years ago with a brand-new Ruger Security Six, a very used Lee Loader, and a hammer. :wink:

Those little Markells were simply wonderful bullets, loaded over a small dollop of Unique or Bullseye for 50-ft bullseye work. Shot a zillion of them. Was just wondering if anybody else remembered them. Can't even find a link to them in a brief 'net search. How long have they been gone?

I posted this here instead of in the reloading section because it's intended as a look back rather than an actual reloading consideration.

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Bob Wright]

I remember Markell bullets very well. First bullets I ever loaded, but using the Lyman 310 tong tool. I bought them from Stoeger's ordering out of the Shooter's Bible. That was about the only source for store bought cast bullets. Incidentally, orders could be 'phoned in, but that was a Long Distance call, there being no toll-free numbers nor internet in those primitive days. So the order form was filled out, a check was written, and off it went in the US Mail.

The ones I bought were the .44 Keith style bullet, a copy of the Lyman 429421. They were packed 100 to the box, and neatly arranged in two layers, separated by a cardboard spacer. And they had the true flat base.

And primers: I bought "Cascade" brand primers. They came in a white sleeve with the primers packed in grooved redwood trays.

And powder came in those squat squarish cans with the "pop tops" opening. To open the can, press the middle of the cap until it sprang away from the neck. To close, squeeze it around the perimeter. For a long time, the only powder in stock locally was Hercules powders, then dealers began stocking DuPont powders.

Sorry to trounce on your post, but you opened a flood of memories.

Bob Wright

 

[Bob Wright]

And,if you don't mind my usurping your post:

I sat at the kitchen table to load, using the Lyman 310 tool. First die sized the lubricated case neck, then second die de-primed. Then neck expanding. Clean all the lube off the cases and prime. The priming tool is still a good method, but a one-at-a-time deal.

I had a Redding powder scale, and used kitchen measuring spoons to dump powder into the pan. The spoon dumped a little less than the desired charge, so I dribbled a little at a time to bring the scale up to weight. Insert a bullet into the case mouth and seat and crimp with the seating die.

This was slow, but I didn't shoot as much then as later years.

Thanks for starting this thread.

Bob Wright

 

[loaded round]

I started loading Markell 158 gr LHPSWC bullets in my OM Ruger 357 Mag Blackhawk back in the mid 1960's. Ale-8 and Bob, you're both right, they were great bullets to reload back then. I think I still have a half box of these Markell bullets somewhere in my reloading room.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

This was intended to stir up some memories.

Please carry on.

 

[exavid]

My first reloading was also done with the hammer-driven Lee dies. I bought my first one in 1963.

 

[nvbirdman]

This brings memories of buying 100 bullets and 100 primers at a time.
Now I cast my bullets and never buy less than 5000 primers at a time.

 

[gunzo]

Sporting goods stores in my area would have powder in 15 or 20 pound kegs. You could get a pound, some would sell a half pound, they would just weight it out, put it in a paper sack, & close it with a piece of scotch tape.

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Sporting goods stores in my area would have powder in 15 or 20 pound kegs. You could get a pound, some would sell a half pound, they would just weight it out, put it in a paper sack, & close it with a piece of scotch tape.

Same here. My dealer even wrote what kind of powder it was on the sack.

:wink:

 

[DGW1949]

I don't remember exactly what year I began reloading, but I got my feet wet back when Winchester primers used a rounded cup, Unique came in a can, and the old-school LEE "load one primer at a time" hand priming tool was considered "high tech".
What I do distinctly remember though, is the first time I accidently set a primer off while using my LEE "hammer 'em together" reloading kit :shock: ...yeah, I remember that like it was yesterday, hence the LEE priming tool :lol:...which BTW, I'm still using this very day. Every now and then, I'm come across a few pieces of old brass that I've been reloading since who knows when too. Peters-38Spl, WRA-45 Colt, BHA, Western, Browning, Midway...a lot of it so tarnished that my tumbler won't even clean it, it just shines-up the tarnish...but hey, it's still usable...so...

DGW

 

[loaded round]

Still remember buying surplus IMR4895 in brown paper lunch bags stapled shut for a buck a pound. Those were the good old days.

 

[Paul B]

"The ones I bought were the .44 Keith style bullet, a copy of the Lyman 429421."

They weren't a copy. Markell used the #429241 four cavity Lyman molds for his cast bullets. Depending on when you bought those bullets there is the possibility I made them. I worked there in66 through 67. BTW all his bullets were hand cast by people, not some machine at least while I was there. Alloy was commercial Lyman #2.
Paul B.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Sporting goods stores in my area would have powder in 15 or 20 pound kegs. You could get a pound, some would sell a half pound, they would just weight it out, put it in a paper sack, & close it with a piece of scotch tape.

Hi,

Same here, $3/lb and marked neatly on the paper bag "Red Dot 1#." The guy in our shop would fold the bag over twice and put a couple of staples in on top of the tape just to "make sure" there was no leakage on the way home.

I got started with shotshells and loaded them for many years before getting into metallic stuff, so I missed the bullets you guys are talking about. Primers were sold by the 100, shot was available in five or 25 lb bags. The idea of buying primers 1000 at a time, let alone multiple 1000s, or powder in 4-5 lb containers (or larger: Hercules packed their shotgun/pistol favorites in cardboard drums at 15# each) was just so foreign to me you'd have been crazy to tell me that in not so many years I'd forget I ever bought components in such small quantities! I knew trapshooters who did buy in what I thought were crazy quantitiess, but the bunnies around here didn't cost me that many shells...

Rick C

 

[6GUNSONLY]

I remember all of that. I never bought Markell bullets because I had a buddy who cast and sold bullets ($4/100 for hard cast 429421 .44s). My first reloading outfit was a Lee loader for my first rifle, a .243. a year or two later, I got my first sixgun, an Old Model Ruger .45 Colt 7 1/2". Soon after, I sprang for a Lyman Spartan press, a Lyman #55 powder measure, and Lyman scales. Primed with one of the mentioned Lee one-at-a-time priming tools. Mass production, compared to the Lee loader.

 

[32magfan]

I began loading in 1985 when Dad bought a SBH for himself and a Single Six in 32H&R for me. Ammo was not available everywhere then and he was on the tight side so we loaded our own. I bought Speer HBWC 98 gr, Sierra 90gr JHC and we cast 93 gr RN bullets from an RCBS mold. I also bought some WC bullets in a green box from some already defunct company. They were cheap and shot ok.

Later, we got a 115gr RNFP mold meant for the 32-20. This makes the old 32 a bit more of a thumper. I want to get some of the 130 to 135 gr SWC bullets to try in the 327 revolvers and Henry rifles.

Reloading was one of the activities that Dad and I could do together anytime. I am still shooting shells he loaded before he died in 2014.

Thanks for the walk down memory lane...

32Magfan

 

[Toyman]

I started in 1978 with a RCBS rock chucker loading 38 special and 44 magnum.
I don't remember what I used in 44 magnum I think 2400.
I loaded an awful lot of 2.7 grains of Bullseye with a Star 148 grain bullet.
I had a FFl order primers along with other items from suppliers like Ellet Brothers.
I eventually loaded 45 ACP, 223 220 Swift and 308 on that press.
I bought one of the first RCBS progressive press and never could get it to work.

 

[Bob Wright]

"The ones I bought were the .44 Keith style bullet, a copy of the Lyman 429421."

They weren't a copy. Markell used the #429241 four cavity Lyman molds for his cast bullets. Depending on when you bought those bullets there is the possibility I made them. I worked there in66 through 67. BTW all his bullets were hand cast by people, not some machine at least while I was there. Alloy was commercial Lyman #2.
Paul B.

This was around 1954 ~ 1960. Didn't know anything about the molds then, or now, for that matter. Where was Markel? My order went to Stoeger's in New York.

They were very good bullets.

Bob Wright

 

[Paul B]

Markell was located in San Francisco on Judah Street. IIRC it was at the intersection of 46th Ave. and Judah. Sorry, I don't remember the address. Back there there was a fair trade law in effect and Markell got his tail in a sling for selling the brass plated Winchester commemoratives below the fair trade price. Winchester wouldn't let him have guns to sell for again IIRC about a year. The conditions in the bullet casting area were horrible and if OSHA existed back then there would have been merry old hell to pay.
Paul B.

 

[blackhawknj]

Started reloading in 1975, Lee Loader, 38 Special, then a Lyman 310 tool. Quickly realized the importance of full length resizing, bought an RCBS JR press, now an RCBS 4x4.

 

[Bob Wright]

Markell was located in San Francisco on Judah Street. IIRC it was at the intersection of 46th Ave. and Judah. Sorry, I don't remember the address. Back there there was a fair trade law in effect and Markell got his tail in a sling for selling the brass plated Winchester commemoratives below the fair trade price. Winchester wouldn't let him have guns to sell for again IIRC about a year. The conditions in the bullet casting area were horrible and if OSHA existed back then there would have been merry old hell to pay.
Paul B.

Well, I reckon I never paid attention to any address that might have been on the box. Since Stoegers was in New York, I just assumed Markell was in that vicinity.

Thanks for the information.

Bob Wright