Euroarms Brass Mold

[jonp]

I got a little mold on Ebay with a Lee Pot and some other stuff and went looking for information on it. It is a brass mold with bullet and round ball. Made of brass with a kinda odd sprue. Looks to me like a pair of brass pliers with a mold on the end.

I found an old thread here on the mold but it mentions wooden handles which I dont have. Does anyone have this mold and if so could you post a little more information and a picture of the wooden handles so I can copy them?

Would it be too much to ask for makers of molds like this to post the darn size on it? I have no idea what it is and I guess I'll have to cast a soft boolit and round ball and measure. Would it be best to do it dead soft or WW or what does anyone suggest for an accurate size and weight as the most likely candidate. Probably used for black powder so dead soft?

[bob208]

if it is the mold I think it is. it was made for the cap and ball pistols. so that would be a .31,36 or a .44. they look good in a cased set. but not that good for casting. you may come across one that will cast to size and round enough to use. then you have the problem of holding on to it. a cheap lee mold is way better then one of those.

[Mk42gunner]

I think bob nailed the answer. I have seen quite a few of those molds and never had the first inclination to try casting with one. I think even the old Ideal tong tool would be easier to get good boolits from.

If I had to guess, they probably are meant to use pure lead.

Robert

[bedbugbilly]

They were made to go with C & B revolvrs made by Euroarms such as the Navy models in .36 - i.e. 1851 & 1861Navy, any C & B that was .36 or the Army caliber - .44 such as the Remington NMA, Colt 1861 Army and .31 caliber models such as the 1849 Pocket, etc.

They will of course be oversize of those calibers since those pistols had barrels that were bored .310, .360 and .44o AND THEN rifled. The projectile has to be oversized enough so that when pressed into the chamber, it gives a tight fit and a small ring of lead is swaged off.

Example: If you mold is for the "Navy Caliber" - i.e. 36 - it should cast a round ball and a conical that are around .375.

Molds of this nature were originally made for the Colts and were included in "cased sets" - i.e. Pistol, mold, flask, cap tin, etc. As mentioned . . they are not the best "casters". Sometimes you luck out but most times, they cast either off-set or the wrong diameter - it's the "luck of the draw".

I have shot a wide variety of makes of 1851 Navies for 50 some years. I just recently got around to getting one of these molds with the intent of just having it to display with my pistol. I'm going to try casting in it this week but I'm not expecting a whole lot out of it. In my Uberti '51, .375 round balls have always given the best accuracy and it's a whole lot more fun producing them in a nice double cavity Lyman. :-)

Side note: The last time I cast, I took the mold and laid it on my propane hot plate to run it through several heat cycles before I try casting in it this week. I'm thinking it's not going to be too pleasant to use once it gets heated up - small and those handles get HOT!

[toot]

after they get up to temperature and after about 6+ pours they are too hot to hold onto even with leather gloves.

[gwpercle]

The wooden handles were usually made and put on by the owner , I haven't seen any for sale commercially , Dixie Gun works might be a source. They really don't work all that well, if it's the one I'm thinking of, too small and the sprue cutter isn't that good. Just buy a Lee RB mould in the size you need. Keep the old one for display.
Gary