Just bought a very old .36 round ball mold online

[dogngun]

I have several modern copy BP revolvers, including 2 unfired Colt Navies in a presentation box. I wanted the mold as an accessory to go in there with the revolvers, an old Remington cap box and a few lead balls. No pics yet. It has a shape like an old pliers, curved handles, single ball, and a sprue cutter. NO makers mark, but it has the number 100, which seems to mean 100 balls per pound of lead, about .364 " diameter. I have no intention of using it to cast, just as a display piece. I want to clean of SOME of the rust, but not all of it.

It is a VERY SIMPLE rugged design, and I wonder if anyone has some idea of the age or maker...I am afraid there were many, and I know it would be mid 19th century...

I bought it shipped for under $30, so I think that was decent...it is all there and opening/closing, and the mold looks in good shape except for a little rust.

Thoughts or experience with these?
Thanks.

Pics when it gets here.

 

[gwpercle]

I've got a few of the old ones. The first one came with a Manhatten, 36 cal. cap and ball revolver. ( Family pass down). A good long soak in kerosene with a light scrubbing with a green 3-M fiber scrub pad will clean up the rust and leave the patina on it. Soak it a few days , scrub lightly and let soak some more. The trick is a lot of soak time with light rubbing in between. Don't use steel wool ( you can , but only 0000, and be very gentle ) Don't use sand paper or a dremel motor tool.
Once the aged patina is gone, you are down to bare steel and you can't get it back.
I bought an old Lyman bullet mould loading tool combo that I soaked and scrubbed for three months before all the built up rust, crud , grime and grease all came off, but it cleaned up and looks good now.
Hurricane lamp oil and the oil for Patio torches are nothing but refined odorless kerosene and easy to find at any big box store.
Go slow, show us some before and after photo's.
Gary

 

[dogngun]

Thanks. This is what I will do, and I have some lamp oil here...I got it for $20, plus shipping, and I see them for much more.

This is the cased set of unfired Uberti Navy's I put together...



I have an appropriate new repro pistol powder flask coming and an old Remington cap box, plus the mould. I think that will fill it in pretty nicely...

Thanks again.

ADDED - NOTHING is so well built that it can't be totally ruined by a Dremel.

Added - this is what it is made like...but stamped 100 . Thanks.

64 Caliber Single Cavity Iron Bullet Mold - Items for Sale - J & J Military Antiques

 

[Skeet 028]

I have an old mold almost exactly like that but no markings. It casts a ball that fits a Little Colt Baby Dragoon pistol. It is an original old Colt. Got the mold in a bunch of cra..er... stuff at an estate auction. Lots of years agoOnly balls I ever used in that little Colt were bought'n ones. Then I found out how much that little gun is worth. It resides in a safety deposit box in a bank back east with a few other collectible guns. I have an Uberti like your set in a case somewhere round here. Almost like new. Navy Colt Copy and while I have shot it..just takes too much cleaning. Your set looks nice and that mold will just make that set look complete. Congrats on finding an original old mold.

 

[dogngun]

Skeet - Thank you! I have 2 other percussion revolvers that I sometimes shoot, an old Remington Navy .36 and a Uberti Colt Sheriff's Model, also .36.

 

[dogngun]

Here is the set with the new/ old items in it...



Seems the mould is a .32, but it will be in there until I can find a correct caliber and period piece. The Remington cap box is old, the powder flask is Pedersoli.

 

[gwpercle]

Here is the set with the new/ old items in it...



Seems the mould is a .32, but it will be in there until I can find a correct caliber and period piece. The Remington cap box is old, the powder flask is Pedersoli.

The original Manhatten Navy mould I have casts a round ball and conical bullet. I also bought one that looks exactly like yours. Totally unmarked also. And it appears old, not a reproduction. Have no idea how to date them. must be common because they aren't expensive.
Have heard of these as bag moulds, they were small enough to carry in you kit or possibles bag. They must have been made in the yeas cap and ball arms were predominant.
Right behind the hinge pin, built into the handles, is a small scissors like device that is supposed to clip off the sprue.
From experience, those little buggers get hot fast and that nipper doesn't do a great job of sprue trimming, but it does look good in a display, and that's where I put mine along with the other 2 cavity mould. Nice addition to your box.
That's a mighty fine looking cased set of navies.
Gary

 

[dogngun]

Thank you gwpercle! I read some were sold as undrilled units and blacksmiths or gunsmiths would use a cherry to drill out the correct size of the mould cavity for a specific caliber revolver, and some would add a number to one of the handles and some would not. Mine has 100 on it, which I think indicates 100 balls to the ounce of lead, certainly just a general indicator...

Thanks again.