Roundball Mold Source

[Regular Joe]

I'm looking for a .542 mold. Looks like I'll have to have one made. What's a good source? Thanks!

[docone31]

If you take a Lee, .54 cal, then smear Clover on the casting, with a sheetrock screw in the sprue, and rotate it, then, you might get there pretty quickly.
Might try it, who knows?

[mooman76]

The Lee RB moulds for me come out a couple thousandth large anyway. You might try one and see.

[StolzerandSons]

Jeff Tanner
http://www.jt-bullet-moulds.co.uk/
He's as good as it gets for custom round ball molds and his quality and service are second to none.

[oldracer]

I agree with the Lee mold as my .490 mold makes .495 diameter pure lead balls. I called them about it and they sent me one a tad smaller that makes .490 size ones, for no cost.

[mooman76]

A touch of tin will make the ball come out a little larger without adding much hardness at all.

[indian joe]

get a piece of five thou shim steel and fit it between the cavity faces of your 535 mold - dont have to fit it neat to the ball cavities - just fix it so it holds the two halves apart - this worked great for me with an oddsized pistol and a pedersoli mold ---- before that I would try fat patches on the undersize ball - you can get linen upholstery material that measures 20+ thou compared to ticking at 12 to 15 thou - if the rifling is deep (lots of ball guns are) thick patch material should work ok. If its a proper round ball barrel (1: 66 to 1:72 twist) - lots of stuff you can try that should work - dont need a mallet to get a load down for starters !

[Regular Joe]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I may try to tweak my .535 a little. I already use a 20+ thou patch. Green Mountain recommends a .542 ball for target shooting with their .54 cal barrel. I going to play around a little. That's part of the fun of my black powder addiction!!

[rfd]

indian joe's got the ticket if the ball size is that important, just beagle that mould out a tad. i'd rather just go to a thicker, well lubed patch cloth.

[copdills]

alot of good information here I didn't know about the Lee molds coming out a little larger

[rfd]

some do, some don't - as i've noted with no less than 16 lee ball moulds.

[mooman76]

All mine come out bigger for me but I don't shoot pure lead. It is soft but not quite pure.

[rfd]

All mine come out bigger for me but I don't shoot pure lead. It is soft but not quite pure.

and therein lies the reason for a larger ball.

[indian joe]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I may try to tweak my .535 a little. I already use a 20+ thou patch. Green Mountain recommends a .542 ball for target shooting with their .54 cal barrel. I going to play around a little. That's part of the fun of my black powder addiction!!

Hmmph I read that post and I was gonna be madder than a cut snake if you wuz right - I bought a Green Mountain 54 barrel fer a project years ago (yeah some of my projects take a while) just tried it now - thank the powers that be - it takes a Hornady 530 ball on a ticking patch quite firm - same ball on calico will be where I start and it will load slick and quick but firm enough to shoot - this is a Green Mountain 54 round ball barrel 1:72 twist (I believe) - sounds like they put some computer nerd kid in charge long enough fer him to stuff things up - either that OR you need to re assess your measurements some ? r u sure aboot that 542 measure? nobody (commercial) makes a mold that size - its got to be custom?

[indian joe]

indian joe's got the ticket if the ball size is that important, just beagle that mould out a tad. i'd rather just go to a thicker, well lubed patch cloth.

me too !!

[Regular Joe]

Hmmph I read that post and I was gonna be madder than a cut snake if you wuz right - I bought a Green Mountain 54 barrel fer a project years ago (yeah some of my projects take a while) just tried it now - thank the powers that be - it takes a Hornady 530 ball on a ticking patch quite firm - same ball on calico will be where I start and it will load slick and quick but firm enough to shoot - this is a Green Mountain 54 round ball barrel 1:72 twist (I believe) - sounds like they put some computer nerd kid in charge long enough fer him to stuff things up - either that OR you need to re assess your measurements some ? r u sure aboot that 542 measure? nobody (commercial) makes a mold that size - its got to be custom?

Their load data chart they sent me says to use a .535 for hunting and a .542 for target. I confirmed this with a phone call to them. Thought it might be a typo too. I mostly shoot target. I haven't shot my .54 GM yet. I will try the .535 first and see how it performs with my tight patches. I just thought about trying a .542 to see if it works better. I need all the help I can get!

[Regular Joe]

Joe, if you PM me your email address, I'll send you GM's load data chart they sent to me. Joe

[59sharps]

i'm looking for a .542 mold. Looks like i'll have to have one made. What's a good source? Thanks!

moose mold. Great people to work with.

[indian joe]

Joe, if you PM me your email address, I'll send you GM's load data chart they sent to me. Joe

Joe - howsabout posting it here where everbody can see ?
My GM barl is 20 years old (been sittin in a closet corner waiting for me to wear out two CVA 54's)..... GM musta bored em bigger of late - no I didnt measure mine and its plugged so I cant slug it (I bet I did that when I got it tho) ... I just took a Hornady ball and a ticking patch and tapped im partway down wid me knife handle - "man that gonna be tight - lets try a calico one - yup that about right for starters " .....I dont like tight loading ... if ya gotta use a mallet to get a ball started - somethin wrong! .. GM rifling is generous depth so ya dont want a tiny little thin patch - my barl I reckon would need a very large mallet to get a 542 ball down it with anything more than a really thin patch. I will be pissed if that is what it takes to make it shoot! Have shot old CVA barrels (1985 to 1990vintage) all my ML career and they are easy to load. If GM cant make that mark then I have got a very expensive tomato stake/ fence dropper.

[Buzzard II]

moose mold. Great people to work with.

X2 on the Moose mold. They are a sutler on the n-ssa.org site. They have made molds for me and I'm happy with them.
Bob
1st NJ Light Arty