Oct 22, 2016 3 min read

The Phoenix rose from the ashes and so it seems has an old Pennsylvania firearms-related company. It’s been some time since the Belding and Mull Co. of Phillipsburg has made its great cleaning rod or turned out a loading press or powder measure.

While the Belding and Mull of today is not turning out much of the equipment that made it famous, it is producing parts for the powder measures and, more importantly, the drop tubes that are adjustable for powder weight.

The visible powder measure was and is head and shoulders above most factory-produced measures, even those made today. The accuracy of this loading tool charge is amazing although it is a bit slower than others.

Accuracy is enhanced by the double hopper holding the powder charge. The large powder hopper drops its powder charge into a smaller one which moves over and feeds the cartridge case. This method keeps the weight on the powder to be fed into the case constant helping accuracy. In the average measure as it is used, the level of the powder gets smaller and places less weight on the powder in the reservoir leading to a lighter charge. Belding and Mull solved that problem.

I have seen many of these old powder measures at gun shows available at a reasonable price but many of them have a common problem. The drop tube is missing and without one, the measure is useless for anything but an example of early reloading equipment.

I understand the new Belding and Mull Company is making and selling these drop tubes at a reasonable price. I like to own more than one of these tubes for it prevents the need to constantly adjust a single one when loading for more than one cartridge.

To the owners of these measures now is your chance to get one, contact Belding and Mull at 1878 Port Matilda Highway, Phillipsburg, Pa. 16866 or e-mail them at http://www.beldingandmull.com.

Now if we could only resurrect the old scope making firm created by John Unertl. Wouldn’t that be something?

• I mentioned two avid squirrel hunters last week, one from West Virginia, Tom Bloom, and the other from Scenery Hill, Mike Weber. Along with their hunting skills I mentioned Mike’s squirrel pot pie.

I just finished a part of a pot pie made by Weber and I didn’t exaggerate. It was wonderful.

• I went along with some friends to Lesleh Precision at their plant near the Rostraver Airport last week and the group enjoyed touring their operations. Lesleh makes most of the working parts, which include the receivers, of centerfire Henry rifles.

Most sporting firearms are languishing on dealer shelves but Henry is booming. This is an indication of producing a good product coupled with a good sales approach.

Henry certainly does both well and perhaps its motto, “If it’s not made in America it won’t be made,” is an example of why the company is successful. Maybe other manufacturers should take heed to Henry’s motto and quit sending jobs abroad.

Pretty soon the new offering by Henry will start appearing on dealers shelves. Time will tell how it is accepted. It might seem strange but it is nothing more than a single-barrel shotgun and/or rifle.

At one time, almost every gun maker offered such a shotgun but today they are few and far between. Knowing the history of Henry I wouldn’t bet against it selling well.

George H. Block writes a Sunday Outdoors column for the Observer-Reporter.