Mold Ques. for Floodgate

[Maven]

Doug, I just acquired a single cav. .44cal. wadcutter mold with integral handles and a thick sprue plate. It is stamped #429260 with B & M Iron below the number. Was this mold produced by Belding & Mull? Btw, it drops a .4345" WC from my alloy. Thanks in advance for your assistance!

[floodgate]

Maven:

Yes, that is a Belding & Mull mould (they started making moulds in 1924,
while the Ideal line was off the market), and from the "IRON" stamping, it is a fairly early one; at that time they were also making moulds with blocks of pure nickel, and so-marked (nickel held the heat better, did not rust, and did not retain lead smears) but dropped them because of excessive tool wear, and because the buyers were reluctant to spend the extra for them ($7.50 vs. $4.00 in their 1927 price list; the last year the nickel moulds were listed). Thereafter, the "IRON" stamping was omitted. The #429260 designation is a combination of caliber (.429") and nominal weight (260 grs.), and - as you state - this is a full wadcutter design with three very narrow grease grooves above a broad base band, and a deep crimp groove; it shows up in their first illustrated bullet list in 1926. Your measurement agrees pretty closely with their 0.434", in their "No. 1 Bullet Metal" (10 parts lead to 1 of tin), and 255 grs +/-.

As you will note, the blocks are separate from the handles, but are semi-permanently pinned in place, like the 1- and 2-cavity Lees. Some very early moulds had bronze handles, but cast iron/steel was the later standard; the earliest sprueplates were a scant 1/8" thick (0.112" on a measured example) but they soon went to 1/4" (0.230" measured). These B & M moulds are very nicely made; I have a couple, but have not as yet cast from them.

Doug Elliott

[Maven]

Doug, Thanks for the information, which was right on the money! The blocks are indeed pinned to the handles and the mold surfaces & sprue cutter had a light coating of rust. After casting a few WC's to use as laps, I polished the somewhat rusty cavity with LBT lap and then a paste of Comet & ATF. It cleaned up beautifully and casts very easily. You sir, are a national treasure, a compendium of knowledge, and I do appreciate your help.