Shiloh Products Mold ID

[dondiego]

Years ago I bought a 50 caliber, 0.515 diameter mold to be used in a Smith Carbine replica rifle. The mold is marked as a Shiloh product but does anyone know if they actually manufactured this mold or not. It has aluminum blocks and came with aluminum handles. I also have one in a 58 Minnie design. I am sure some of you knowledgeable gents will know the answer. Thanks

[fouronesix]

Shiloh Products- not to be confused with the current Shiloh Sharps Company.

I have a 1976 Lyman ML handbook that lists Shiloh Products casting supplies- molds, pots, dippers, sizers, etc. I have seen their ads in other publications from about that time. It's interesting that the Shiloh Products molds bear a strong and striking resemblance to the T/C molds of the same era. Did Shiloh Products also make the T/C molds? Did T/C make the Shiloh Products molds? Did a third party contractor make both? Good question. :)

[Bent Ramrod]

Shiloh Products was the progenitor of the original Farmingdale Shiloh Sharps Company, but a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then. They started off making moulds and accessories for Civil War reenactors, and then decided in the 1970's to make a replica Sharps rifle. When the rifle production started, they ceased manufacture of the moulds and accessories.

There was a writeup about this in the Shiloh Sharps Rifle Catalog of a couple years ago. Can't find it now; probably packed away.

[fouronesix]

Yes, I think that is right. IIRC the date of the change was 1976- which also would be the latest manufacture of a Shiloh Products mold. I have always suspected that some T/C molds were made by Shiloh Products or at least by the same maker. I've also read that Ohaus even made some of the T/C molds for a short time. But never locked either likelihood in stone.

[dondiego]

I have seven of the TC molds and 3 of the Shiloh molds. They have different sprue plates and finishes but are both aluminum. Thanks for the replies.

[fouronesix]

The original Shiloh Products company was in Farmingdale, (LI) NY with a partner connection in NJ. From what I gather, it was in business as such producing limited muzzleloader-BP casting and accoutrements from the (early-mid 70s?) through 1976, when the focus of the company changed and the mold, casting equipment line of products was dropped. Given the background of the ownership, I would imagine the in-house machining of cherries and molds, etc. would have been logical, so a presumption could be made that they did make them in-house. Looking at their old catalog ads from that pre-76 time, it's obvious they were somewhat different from other comparable products on the market then (with the exception of the T/C molds likely made by Shiloh). That supports the idea that most if not all their products were fairly unique and most likely made in-house.

So much focus has been on the evolution of the (modern) Sharps single shot rifle business history after that 1976 change and on through the move to Montana, added to the formation of the 2 Big Timber Montana rifle companies, it's hard to find detailed info on the exact nature of the business in those earliest days.

In the end, it matters little now as those early Shiloh Products mold and casting items are what they are and most assuredly date to 1976 or a little earlier.

Here's a pretty good, more detailed article about the various companies involved in that evolution and history. It does mention the Shiloh Products molds.
http://www.gundigest.com/gun-collecting-firearm-collecting/collecting-the-old-reliable-sharps-rifle