copper bullet mold ??

[DEF23]

So, today I was digging around in a bunch of old casting stuff that was given to me recently and I came across something that got my attention --- a copper bodied bullet casting mold !!??

I am trying to find out any info about who and when this would have been made. And what type of rifle it might be for, along with it's relative worth.

It is a single cavity, plain base mold with a removable hollow point plug in one end. It mics out at .242" (?) and looks to be about 90 to 100gr. It has three evenly spaced lube grooves, one small groove at the top (it looks to be too big for crimping groove) and it is of a flat point design.

The mold body is rough cast around the hinge and handles. But finely machined on the mold body itself. The screws, pins and sprue plate are all rusted up --- but they all look to be made of steel and of fairly modern manufacture (post-WWII ?). The handles look to be factory manufactured (though they are being held on by small wires ties) and there is nothing written or stamped on it anywhere.

I looked everywhere for any info on any other copper bullet molds and have drawn a blank. So, I figured I would try this forum out as there seems to be a bunch of knowledgeable fellows here with a lot of casting experience (I have been lurking for a while).

This is only my first post here, so excuse me if it is in the wrong section. Mods, feel free to move it, if indeed it is.

[DEF23]

another picture

[StrawHat]

... It is a single cavity, plain base mold with a removable hollow point plug in one end. It mics out at .242" (?) and looks to be about 90 to 100gr. It has three evenly spaced lube grooves, one small groove at the top (it looks to be too big for crimping groove) and it is of a flat point design...

Did you cast a boolit and measure it or just measure the mold cavity? You might want to cast a couple of boolits to weigh and measure.

Also, how are the blocks attached to the mold?

[Wayne Smith]

Copper or Bronze? I have an old bronze mold that is probably around the turn of the last century or maybe before.

[texassako]

Probably a Yankee mold, but I am no expert. They came in bronze and brass. I think I recall a recent thread with a HP pin setup in them like that as well. http://www.castpics.net/subsite/Hist...e%20Moulds.pdf

[osteodoc08]

Interesting to say the least. Cast a few and take some measurements if possible.

[DEF23]

Sorry, guys --- I haven't started to cast any bullets yet (I'm still reading up on it and gathering up old hand-me-down equipment). In fact, I have only been reloading for less than a year now but I have done over 5000 rds thus far (for a dozen or so calibers) and I am just starting to get into some of the really fun stuff now (like annealing, fire-forming and loading cast projectiles).

So, yes --- I only measured the cavity with calipers. Maybe later on today, I will go out and try to cast something roughly enough to get better measurements off of the projectile for you guys.

Read the above article on Yankee molds and by the descriptions & pictures -- That is what it looks to be. I can see now that it probably is cast bronze and the descriptions for the handles is spot-on. I am still cleaning it up, so maybe some sort of marking will appear in the near future.

Thanks for all of the help, guys. If I do get something cast --- I will post some pictures of it, get some measurements and weights off of it for ya'll.

[StratsMan]

Probably a Yankee mold, but I am no expert. They came in bronze and brass. I think I recall a recent thread with a HP pin setup in them like that as well. http://www.castpics.net/subsite/Hist...e%20Moulds.pdf

Wow.... good call on that URL.... figure #9 looks just like the OP's picture...

[madsenshooter]

Some guys got all the luck, not even casting yet and found a collectible.

[DEF23]

Apparently, I am casting as of now.....LOL !!!

So, I went out to the shop, grabbed a cast iron ladle I had lying around, dropped in a couple plain base .38 spl bullets I had, a few random balls of buckshot, put on a welding glove and started heating it up on a torch.

I tried to scrape all of the dirty **** off of the top before I poured it in. And it did take me a few tries (3) before I got something good enough to get measurements off of. First I forgot to close the sprue plate and pour thru the top hole, next I forgot to let it cool down before I pulled the bullet out and the last one had some large voids in it.

But here is the finshed product, guys. They mic out at .258"/9" and weight 108.5 grs. (+/- .03 grs). And they have a very wide and deep hollow point.

Don't be too over critical of me on these. I have absolutely no 'real' casting equipment yet, no experience whatsoever and was just trying to keep in mind all of the stuff that I read out of some old Lyman book that I have in my reloading room.

But thanks for asking me to cast a few up, guys. I would have never guessed them to be .25 cal. I am thinking now that based on the time period of the mold and the bullets it produces -- these must be for a .25-35 or something right along those lines.

Unless, it is worth a large amount of $$$ --- I am thinking that I will keep this mold for when I do start casting for real (some day). Since, I already have some .25-20, .25-35, .250 and .257 Bob dies that I got from a friend a while back. And I can always use another excuse to buy a new gun.......LOL !!!

And thanks for getting me hooked on casting. It was something that I had put off for years (like reloading), due to my own fears. And now, I realize that I should have started doing this years ago !!!

Now, I guess I better start saving my pennies for some real equipment.........

[texassako]

Wow, and it is a .25 cal hollow point to boot. Don't worry about the lack of equipment. I used a Palmer Hot Pot II for several years before upgrading last fall, and even used its pour spout for a year before breaking down and getting a ladle. I still use it for some molds.

[StrawHat]

Congrgatulations on your first pouring! Now you see why I asked if the measuremnets were from a cast or just from the mold. Quite a difference. If you have a 25 caliber rifle (or pistol) you now have a good mold. From now on, it just gets better!

[Beagle333]

Dang. I had a little bit more modern equipment than that for my first pouring and my boolits didn't look anywhere near that good.
Great job!

[TXGunNut]

Nice! Welcome and good job on first post/thread/cast. Cool mould to boot!

[Bullshop Junior]

Those look pretty good. My first casting outside of my dads was done similar to what you did. Those look really good considering everything and that it was a HP mold. They can be a pain.

[Wayne Smith]

Yup, it looks as if there is a 257Bob in your future. Or, you could sell it to me cause I will soon have a 25 KragAI in my hot little hands!