WANTED .485 Round Ball Mold

[Flintlock Whiskey]

Does anyone have one they want to let go of? Short of that does anyone know of a custom mold maker?

 

[mustanger]

If you can't find what you want, you can beagle a .480 mold to get there.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

If you can't find what you want, you can beagle a .480 mold to get there.

Beagle one?

 

[mustanger]

Take a .480 mold and put a piece of shim stock between the mold halves. The process for some reason is called "beagle"

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

Take a .480 mold and put a piece of shim stock between the mold halves. The process for some reason is called "beagle"

Actually, if I can find a .480 RB mold, that would be even better.

 

[mooman76]

Take a .480 mold and put a piece of shim stock between the mold halves. The process for some reason is called "beagle"

Beagal was the guy that cam up with the idea. He used aluminum tape.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

Got a multi cavity mold coming from this guy:
Buckshot Slingshot and Fishing Molds – Marty's Arms (martysarms.com)

 

[mustanger]

I did that, but my experience was not so great. The lead times are horrendous. Months not weeks. At least they were when I finally got mine. He has invested in a lot of new equipment so he may have improved on that. The mold itself was disappointing. Cutting off the sprue tends to cause some problems if you want round balls. Might be ok for buckshot, but lopsided round balls is what I got. The mold was not worth the price or the wait for it.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

It was not cheap. Hopefully things have improved. I went into this knowing that there wasn't a sprue cutter, so sometimes you have to take the good with the bad.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

I did that, but my experience was not so great. The lead times are horrendous. Months not weeks. At least they were when I finally got mine. He has invested in a lot of new equipment so he may have improved on that. The mold itself was disappointing. Cutting off the sprue tends to cause some problems if you want round balls. Might be ok for buckshot, but lopsided round balls is what I got. The mold was not worth the price or the wait for it.

How long ago did you order it?

 

[skwerleater]

Larry Callahan made me a 480 bag mold

 

[mustanger]

I ordered my mold and paid over a hundred for it the first of April. I got it near the end of August. With no response to email queries. I won't buy another from him. My mold flashes and the sprue is hard to get off the balls without seriously deforming them.

I think you could get a better ball by taking a Lee .490 mold and shaving it so that it poured a smaller cavity. It wouldn't be quite round, but it would be better than you could ever hope to get out of a Marty's Arms mold.

 

[Black Powder Guy]

I agree with skwerleater. Larry Callahan is great.

 

[skwerleater]

I have two of Larry Callahan’s molds. They are top notch.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

I have two of Larry Callahan’s molds. They are top notch.

I took a hard look at them. What has been your experience with heat conducting up the handles and making it difficult to manipulate the handles? I don't know how they did it in the "old days" without it becoming a problem.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

I have two of Larry Callahan’s molds. They are top notch.

I see he sells mainspring vises. Do you know if he makes them also?

 

[skwerleater]

I don’t know about the mainspring vises.
The bag molds do conduct heat up the handles. I can cast several, then I wait a few minutes while the handles cool and cast a few more. It’s not as fast as say a lee mold with wood handles, but I can cast a hundred in a session with no problems

 

[skwerleater]

You can also wrap the handles with strips of leather

 

[Notchy Bob]

I took a hard look at them [Callahan bag moulds]. What has been your experience with heat conducting up the handles and making it difficult to manipulate the handles? I don't know how they did it in the "old days" without it becoming a problem.

The handles do get hot. Old-timers in the field would wrap them with layers of buckskin. My dad had a bunch of old moulds, and some had the handles straightened and shoved into wood dowels that were bored to accept them. He had one or two old moulds with handles made from corn cobs.

I don't own a Callahan mould but I probably will eventually, and I've only heard positive reports. I did do a lot of casting with dad's old moulds and an iron pot on the camp stove years ago, and can say that old-fashioned type worked fine. You cut the sprue with nippers, and whittle off the nub with a knife. It takes a little longer than churning out balls with an electric pot and a mould with heavy blocks and a sprue-cutter, but that's part of the fun.

I think we shoot a lot more now than people used to shoot. I've read multiple historical accounts of people sitting around the fire after supper "running ball," or casting bullets. I think they only expected to cast a few at a time, and would sometimes use an old spoon for both melting and pouring the lead. They always tried to recover bullets from shot game, and it was probably no big deal to drop a few used bullets in the ladle and pour a half-dozen new balls before turning in for the night. After breech-loaders came into use, it is documented that they would reload cartridges in camp.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

The handles do get hot. Old-timers in the field would wrap them with layers of buckskin. My dad had a bunch of old moulds, and some had the handles straightened and shoved into wood dowels that were bored to accept them. He had one or two old moulds with handles made from corn cobs.

I don't own a Callahan mould but I probably will eventually, and I've only heard positive reports. I did do a lot of casting with dad's old moulds and an iron pot on the camp stove years ago, and can say that old-fashioned type worked fine. You cut the sprue with nippers, and whittle off the nub with a knife. It takes a little longer than churning out balls with an electric pot and a mould with heavy blocks and a sprue-cutter, but that's part of the fun.

I think we shoot a lot more now than people used to shoot. I've read multiple historical accounts of people sitting around the fire after supper "running ball," or casting bullets. I think they only expected to cast a few at a time, and would sometimes use an old spoon for both melting and pouring the lead. They always tried to recover bullets from shot game, and it was probably no big deal to drop a few used bullets in the ladle and pour a half-dozen new balls before turning in for the night. After breech-loaders came into use, it is documented that they would reload cartridges in camp.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

Being a bladesmith, I have the necessaries to straighten them out and fashion handles for them. Thank you for that suggestion.
As far as the sprue is concerned, couldn't one just make sure it is facing up or down when loading and get away with it?