Old Mould Question.

[birddog1520]

An older gentleman that lives down the road from me loaned me his fathers .311 spire point mould when he found out I was starting to cast my own boolits.

It says it was made by Modern-Bond Corp. of Wilmington Del. has anyone ever heard of them? He mentioned to me that he would like some boolits to shoot like his dad used to make and I told him I would be glad to give it a try for him.

Randy, The Birddog.

[floodgate]

birddog:

The Modern-Bond moulds, made from about 1920 until a few years after WWII are fine ones. I believe there is a chart identifying them on CASTPICS. If not, post here or PM me the letter/numbers stamped on your mould and I will provide further ID.

floodgate

[birddog1520]

Floodgate,

The side of the mould has D-311 and under that it has 955.
any info would be appreciated.

I also sent you a PM just in case.

Thank You Much.

Randy, The Birddog.

[floodgate]

birddog:

I responded via PM, but will paste it here, so others can share it:

"Randy:

OK, that is - as you can see - a plain-base Spitzer, one grease groove and a slight step to a bore-ride nose. D means it is the fourth design in the .30 caliber series, to be sized 0.311" diameter, and (here's the "kicker' that baffled everyone until a couple of us figured out the system) 0.955" long from base to tip. It was first released in the 2-groove 1.145" length in their first catalog from about 1920*, and was subsequently (about 1924) also offered in the shorter, one-groove form, by running the cutting cherry a bit less deeply into the mould. If I remember correctly (too late and dark to go out to my shop and check), I have this mould with one cavity of each length, marked "D-311-955-1145". Just as a matter of interest, the Modern-Bond sprue-plates - though of slightly different shape, and with different sized pivot and hold-down screws - will usually interchange with those for the 2-cavity Hensley and Gibbs moulds. I hope this information is of interest to you and the owner.

Doug Elliott/"floodgate"

* The Ideal line was out of production from the end of December 1915 (at the run-up to WW I) until October 1925, when Lyman bought up their tool and mould line. The NRA persuaded the Bond family, who were in the business of making bottling equipment and other machinery, to tool up to provide loading tools and moulds to fill the postwar demand. They also made a couple of varieties of massive, bronze tong tools, a couple of light-duty bench presses, a powder measure, bullet sizers, etc. until they faded away in the mid-1950s. DE/Fg"

[birddog1520]

Doug,

Thank You very much the info is greatly appreciated and most interesting.
I like to know as much as I can about the tools I am using and this helped me out greatly.

Randy, The Birddog.

[floodgate]

Randy:

Yer' welcome.

Doug

[jameslovesjammie]

floodgate,

Thanks for sharing the info with the rest of us too! Always nice to learn something new!

James

[NoDakJak]

Good morning Floodgate, The description of your mold matches the one that I purchased up at the last Glendive Gunshow. That is the second Modern Bond mold that I have bought from the gent. I am impressed with the quality, especially with the two hole 158 grain round nose hollowpoint that a friend loaned me. The 158 grain Hollowpoint slug is the most accurate boolit that I have tried in the 38 S&W. People talk about Swiss quality but the Swiss would be hard put to equal these molds. My first M-B mould casts the same boolit as a solid with the other hole having the driving band removed and casting a 145 grain version. The 158 grainer is the second most accurate in the 38 S&W. Haven't tried it in the 38 Special at this time. I have not tested the 145 grain version yet but have severe doubts about it. When they removed the driving band it left a very narrow band at the rear of the grease groove as its replacement. Maybe it will work at 38 S&W pressures. If it doesnt work I will try cardboard wads and if that fails will try gaschecks seated backwards in the case. That would be for test purposes only as the extra cost and labor would exceed the value of the boolit.
Do you have any information on how this 30 caliber combination shoots? I passed up the purchase of this mold two years ago and bought the 38 mold due to doubts about the spitzer nose and naked base. I intend to try them in the CZ527 chambered for 7.62x39. Will let you know the results.
I first began reading Elmer Keith in the early fifties and can remember him extolling both the Modern -Bond and Hensley & Gibbs molds. At that time I was not interested in casting and it was just black magic as far as I was concerned. I saw my first H&G mold in 1969 when Itazuke AFB, Japan was closing down following the Pueblo incident. At an auction at the gun club I bought this well hammered, four hole mould for the grand sum of fifteen dollars. It had been purchased for the use of the base pistol team in the early fifties and finally passed into my hands. I just don't have any idea how many tons of lead the pistol team cast through it but it launched my casting mania and I have put almost 1,500 pounds through it. It still casts as well as it ever did. By far my most satisfactory mold.
The M-D molds have exquisite machining, but their short handles and square cut greass grooves which make bullet release hard make them second to the H&G molds.
Neil

[floodgate]

NoDakJack:

Glad you're enjoying your M-B moulds. But I haven't done any reloading with the D-311 bullet; as a plain-base (and a Spitzer to boot)I'd expect it'd be too limited in velocity for maximum effect on game. but should be OK on paper at 100 or maybe 200. Try it and let us know.

Fg