Not cheap but owning this would put you in a very small club.

Is this in Tom Rowe's book?
(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links)

This tool was produced in commercial quantities by Marlin, but even those can easily cost several hundred dollars if complete and usable.

An equally scarce and nowadays costly all-in-one tool was made by Savage.  Like others with a loose decapping pin, it's seldom found complete, plus it's (nearly?) only found in chamberings that were available in the Savage 1895 and early 99 rifles.

I don't have Rowe's book; but if I remember correctly, both tools are in Chamberlin's.

Bill Lawrence

10K ?? is someone throwing something on the wall and seeing if it sticks. is it worth that much.

kensmachine wrote on Dec 18^th, 2019 at 10:11am:


Considering most advanced antique tool collectors have never seen the original Browning version I'd think it's impossible to dictate a price. I doubt there's more than a handful in existence with the Browning Bros. mark today. So tough to put a price estimate on what it should bring. But $10k may be a fishing expedition, and my gut tells me it should be about half that.

Tom Q could tells the $$

Plagerized: "The Marlin Fire Arms Reloading Tool was patented by John M. Browning and his brother Matthew (U.S. 247,881). It deprimed Boxer primers, as well as the Berdan ones, but typically those decapping pins are lost. It would seat either type. According to Chamberlain's book, the second hole in the handle with the big plunger was a wad cutter rather than a boolit sizer. The book also has a copy of Marlin's instructions for use. All the tools were serial numbered."

I owned one when I was into tool collecting.  Had a large collection and I believe mine was numbered 281 and was in 45-70.  I did an article for one of the mags back then (1980's) and still have the pics somewhere.  I used the tool and it still had the pin.  When my close friend passed, who was my mentor in collecting, I lost interest and sold my entire collection.

John in PA wrote on Dec 21^st, 2019 at 8:47am:


The Marlin tool Browning designed did not have his name or his patent number on it. And after doing some research I'm not certain the tool that initially started this thread is a Browning made tool either. I got out my copy of "Cartridge Reloading Tools of the Past" by Dick Chamberlain and Tom Quigley, and according to their fine book the patent Browning applied for was immediately granted and then immediately purchased by John Marlin. So any tools marked "JM Browning" were Marlin tools made by Marlin, and simply sold in the Browning shop. Like everything Browning Bros. sold from their shop, the tools and guns got the Browning Bros. stamp.
Now to add further to the question of whether the auction was a Browning tool. On page 56 Chamberlain/Quigley show an image of a pre patent Browning tool that was made by Browning Bros. and is the basis of the patent. That tool is much more blocky looking, and not as refined as the Marlin version. It has the same lower handle shape, and the same mold at the top. Functions are the same, but I'd guess the weight is a bit heavier with all the extra metal on it.
So probably a good thing nobody won the bid as they'd have gotten a Marlin tool sold from Browning's shop, and not a Browning made tool.