Mould ID HELP!!!

[Yance]

OK, somebody out there has one of these and knows what it is. I'd sure like to know. At least none of my smarta$$ "friends" are on here so I don't have to read "It's a bullet mould dummy" or the like. <G>

Anyway, this one was in a bunch of casting/loading equipment I bought today including an original SAECO M-24 pot, a little 5 lb (looks to be 5 lb) Potter bottom pour pot (looks like a baby SAECO), a couple of old (orange metal cornered cardboard box) Lyman 4 cav moulds, a 2 cavity Geo, Hensley 200 gr SWC 45 ACP, a Star sizer/luber and a Star Universal loader with three complete toolheads, plus several thousand rounds of .38 and .45 brass, plus some miscellanious brass and bullets.

Anyway, back to the BIG mould. It's a 148 gr button nose wadcutter. 5X2 setup on three blocks that open kinda like a butterfly knife. Those are brass inserts fitted and the cavities are cut into the brass. Vent lines are cut directly from the "corners" and form a crosshatch pattern through the body of the mould. Lotta engineering went into this one. Notice the "cooling fins" at the front of the lower handle in photo #3. There are no numbers or name anywhere on the blocks, and only a tiny stylized "S" with a banner through it in a circle over "Made in USA". The thing weighs over 5 lbs and I can't wait to see just how much heat it puts off when I get it up to casting temp. I can see having both 10 lb pots going, letting one come back up to temp while draining the other.

Enough yapping, here's some pics.

[Buckshot]

............I sure have no idea a-tall, but I did want to say that that looks to be a heckuva mould to have made. A statement to someones engineering and machining skills.

I'll also have to say that the thing looks like it'd be a elbow and wrist wreaker to have to heave that anchor around in casting. It must be for a machine casting situation. While it's an amazing thing to look at, I doubt if it was anybodys favorite mould to cast with.

I think I'll stick with an aluminum Lee 6 cavity if I need quantity and forego the hernia :-)

....................Buckshot

[Yance]

Thanks to Ken Walters this one has been identified as a Hall, probably made in the late 30's. Counting mine, this makes 3 of these Hall gang moulds he's seen in his collecting/research carreer. Pretty neat piece of bullet casting history to have, even if I can't hold it up. <G> 7 1/2 lb of iron is gonna make for "interesting" casting sessions.<G>

[Bret4207]

yeah, but think of the biceps you'll have! Nice design, saw one at a gun show once years ago.

[kodiak1]

That would be as bad casting with that as going to a dance with an ugly wife!!
You just wouldn't be able to forgive your self.
Lee 6 barrel moulds rule compared to that bad boy.
Ken.

[FISH4BUGS]

I cast for my submachineguns with a 10 cavity 9mm and a 10 cavity 380 H&G. Try lugging one of those around for a full day of casting on Sunday! You learn the value of a mould guide very quickly! The first time I did it without the mould guide, my left elbow was sore for two months.

[Glen]

That sure looks like a Cramer 10-cavity mould to me. Cramer made some really nice moulds back in the 1930s. They were bouhgt out by Saeco in 1951.

[Yance]

That sure looks like a Cramer 10-cavity mould to me. Cramer made some really nice moulds back in the 1930s. They were bouhgt out by Saeco in 1951.

Glen;

While it bears great resemblance to the Cramers, there are some marked differences. Here's two Cramer 10 cavities.

http://www.antiquereloadingtools.com/miscellaneousframes.html

When the page opens click on "Cramer Gang Mold" from the menu on the LH side. Notice especially the hinge end of the blocks.

Hall moulds were the only ones made with brass inserts.

[beagle]

Definitely Cramer handles. Just like the ones that I have on a 6 banger Cramer .38 wadcutter./beagle

[Glen]

Beagle -- and just like the handles on my 5 cavity Cramer .38 wadcutter mould.

PS -- the brass inserts could be due to an after-market conversion, I've seen that done before.