• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

Lyman .648 mould

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

flintlock54

32 Cal.
Joined
Nov 26, 2004
Messages
30
Reaction score
1
I have a new in the box Lyman round ball mould marked .650 diameter. Did Lyman make a .648 and .650?
 
Hey Flintlock54,

I'm going to keep an eye on this topic....I'm also looking for a .648 or there abouts for my Artillery Model bess...it measures out at just under .650....the only production RB's I've been able to find are .610 and .648's and nothing in between....what I would like to find is a .630/35 that way I can patch it for better accuracy in smoothbore matches...a .648 works, but with out a patch...and the .610 are just to small, even with a heavy patch...
 
Contact the commercial casters, like Rush Creek, or Eddie May. They may have the molds in the diameters you need, and just don't advertise it because there is not enough demand. Or, they may know someone who DOES have the molds to cast balls your size. Call LYMAN directly, and ask them about such molds. I read some time back that Lyman still will make custom sized molds. Tanner, who advertises in Muzzle Blasts, also seems to be able to make brass molds in any caliber size you need.
 
Rush Creek is in Ohio, so I would recommend calling them first. I happen to know from a very good source that Randy has all kinds of sizes of molds he has bought over the years. I suspect he can fix you up.
 
Contacted Lyman: "We have found listings for a .648" round ball but not for the .650". We did
however make many, many different size moulds through the years and a number of them where not cataloged, so a .650" is possible."

After searching around on the net it would seem that .650 size might be better for a smoothbore musket. I did purchase some .648 balls to get a sense of what my smooth might need. In a clean bore .013 patch was just to tight. .010 was tight but would go down the bore if swabbed between shots. Looks like I will shelf the .650 mould since it is new in the box until I can invest in a a .648 or slightly smaller for a thicker patch.
 
In a smooth bore, you want a ball diameter than is at least .020" SMALLER than your bore diameter. Some find going down to .030" and using a thicker patch material gives a better working load. The balls will seat easier in the muzzle, and all that lube in the thicker patch material helps to keep the bore clean. The big caliber smooth bores, like yours, offer a lot of lead to UPSET and expand, quickly, and enough to fill these large bores to provide the needed gas seals. If not sealed well enough, use an OP wad over the powder to do the sealing, and use that undersized ball and thick patch to make loading easier. You are basically making a gun to shoot a RB accurately enough to kill a deer out to 60-75 yards, Tops. Using a tighter ball and patch combination might tighten groups up a bit, but with that large, heavy ball, the deer is Not going to know the difference. "Accuracy" And Smooth bores are terms not normally associated within the same sentence. If you can get a load that will group 5 shots in a 3 inch circle at 50 yds, you are ready to go hunting.

And, stay away from the massive powder charges, and the fast burning powders. They aren't needed. An ACCURATELY PLACED .58 cal. RB will kill the deer just as well as a faster ball, that may not be so accurately placed. In that caliber, its the huge weight of the ball, and the caliber sized hole that does all the "killin'". At the short range these guns are accurate, you don't need lots of velocity. An 80 grain load of 2Fg powder is going to kill a deer just as much as 100 grains of 3Fg, but it won't hurt your shoulder. :hmm: :thumbsup:
 
Paul,

My barrel is a 16 gauge made by Getz. My semi-crude measurement with a caliper is .665. That seems to be consistent with another member’s post that his Getz barrel is .665.

So far the only patch that I can get down the bore with a .648 ball measures .008/.009, and then I have to swab between shots. My home brew .014 Linen patches are a no-go.

Doing the math, if I want to use my .014 patches a .637/.638 mould would be something to consider. Then again .635 if I really want to bump up to a .015 or thinker cotton patch.

Thanks for the helpful tips.
 
Again, you want to use a ball that is at least .020" and as much as .030" smaller than bore diameter. Rush Creek has all kinds of molds he has bought over the years and some he hasn't even inventoried to know exactly what he has, or how many. He would be the first guy to call, IMHO.

I am just not thinking that a .648" ball in a .665 bore is small enough. You should use something in the order of .645", down to .635" in diameter in that barrel. A .640" ball would be a happy compromise, IMHO. :thumbsup:
 
If dixie is still making the old sissor moulds they can cut a .640 for ya. call them.
santa bob
 
If you need a unusual size mold go to Jeff Tanner. He will custom cut you any size. Last I ordered one it cost me $35 and had it in less than a week. From England to the U.S. no less. They work really nicely and cast a round ball within .002 in roundnes. Thats better than my Lyman mould.
 
I have a .636 round ball mold from Jeff Tanner for my 16ga canoe gun and am very happy with it. I use pillow ticking patch and can shoot all day without cleaning.
P
 
Back
Top