Uberti 1860 Army?

[barnabus]

The Italian made BP stuff is just starting to come back into the United States since covid hit over seas. This 1860 Army is a 2020 model.Right now i cant find a .454 round ball mould so im thinking of maybe a conical by a custom bullet mould company. Anyone here ever shot them out of a 1860 Army and what was your experience?
Pic for attention.

https://i.imgur.com/kPvVJAV.jpg

[Black Powder Bill]

If you are going to have a custom mould made, make it a 6 cavity RB mould.



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[Castaway]

I have some conicals but don’t use them. They’re hard to start straight even with a rounded base.

[charlie b]

I had the same problem many years ago. If you want to shoot conical then measure cyl closely and have a 'heel' put on the bullet that just barely slips in chamber. Then make sure the 'dimple' in the ram is centered perfectly over the cylinder.

I just like round balls in C&B revolvers. Simple to load and shoot. Great velocity for the ranges of interest.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

That sure is a purty piece, barnabus. My experience with conicals has mirrored Castaway's.

DG

[Caswell Ranch]

https://erasgonebullets.webstarts.com/

[Thundermaker]

You're most likely going to have to do some work on the gun to get conicals to clear for loading, unless you load them off the gun.

I've had good luck with Lee .375 conicals in my Uberti 1851 navies. I haven't really recorded groups, but I can knock 12ga hulls off a log at 10 yards.

I also used to shoot .452 200g SWCs in my old ASM 1860. Accuracy was acceptable for tin cans and medium critters, if not as good as RB.

Are you sure you need a .454 round ball for that gun? As long as you shave off a continuous ring of lead, you're good to go. I'd buy a box of .451s and try them if you can get them locally. I can cast you some .454s to try, but they'll be WW, because that's all I have. Just let me know. That way, you can choose your mold accordingly.

[Nobade]

I have the eras gone Kerr mould, it works beautifully in a '58 Rem and the '60 Army. After all it was designed for them to begin with. About equal accuracy and way more penetration compared to a ball. Just dip lube and load, works great.

[Thundermaker]

I have the eras gone Kerr mould, it works beautifully in a '58 Rem and the '60 Army. After all it was designed for them to begin with. About equal accuracy and way more penetration compared to a ball. Just dip lube and load, works great.

Good to know. I was thinking about their molds.

[FLINTNFIRE]

My 1860 revolvers all shave a ring off with 451 , I do have a lee 454 mold on shelf just never needed to use it .

[Battis]

There's a Lee .454 roundball two cavity mold on ebay for $68.00, free shipping. Ouch...but available.

[Caswell Ranch]

There's a Lee .454 roundball two cavity mold on ebay for $68.00, free shipping. Ouch...but available.

And an RCBS double cavity .454 that is now at $202.50 CRAZY

[Caswell Ranch]

Barnabus,
I have a good condition .451 Lyman single cavity mold (mould) without handles you can have if that helps, PM if you want it. I have new production Uberti's that are .450 charge hole and .450 rifling groove (I have other molds so I'm good).

[pietro]

.

FWIW, I had N.P. shooting .457" RB's in my 1860 - but T.O.T.W. has .454" RB's in stock (part number BALL-454-X ) for $12.99/100

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(hu4jr2rmo22tri45s0kwbeiz%20))/List/Item.aspx/127/2

.

[bedbugbilly]

As mentioned, check out eras gone. I use both one of their .36 and .44 designs (conical) and they shoot well out of my pistols.

I still prefer to shoot round ball most of the time though. If you can't find a .454 round ball mold, a .457 round ball will work as well. You're casting out of pure soft lead and the Uberti will provide a good shear ring in both sizes. Right now, everything is short and folks are goin nuts when it comes to mold prices. Try putting a WTB in the classifieds on this site for a mold and perhaps someone will have one that won't colt you an arm and a leg.

With a conical - it depends on you pistol (make and model) if a conical will clear the loading window under the loading ram. Sometimes it needs to be opened up some and there are several videos on-line showing how to do it. As an example - I have the .36 eras gone Colt design conical. I recently bought a new Pietta 1858 Remington Navy caliber (.36) revolver to use with a conversion cylinder. I bought it from Dixie and they referred to it as the "Belt Pistol". Basically it is a Pietta '588 Navy model but with a shorter 6 1/2" barrel (a marketing ploy). Pietta, however, used the same loading ram as on the Navy model with the 7 1/2" ? barrel and the ram extends into the loading window. There is now way to load a conical as there is no clearance. A round ball will work but that's it. Not a concern for me as I use the conversion cylinder to 38 Colt Long in it.

I have the Lee conical molds for both the .36 and .44 and use them once in a while but I much prefer the eras gone molds as the conical is "heeled" and the heel easily sits down into the chamber mouth so that when rotated under the loading ram, it seats easily and square. Due to the shape fo the nose of the original style conicals (eras gone), you may need to do some work on the end of the loading ram - i.e. if it is flat, slightly countersink to fit the nose better and not deform it.

[derek45]

I have the LEE rn mold and it’s a bitch to seat

i carefully relieved the opening and reblued it, but they want to tilt when seating

i gave up and went back to 454” or 457” roundballs

interested in the eras gone mold, but last time i checked he was out of stock

.

[Caswell Ranch]

I have the LEE rn mold and it’s a bitch to seat

i carefully relieved the opening and reblued it, but they want to tilt when seating

i gave up and went back to 454” or 457” roundballs

interested in the eras gone mold, but last time i checked he was out of stock

.

Link I posted yesterday notes they are in stock. Post #6

[Caswell Ranch]

I just got a Lee .44 R.E.A.L. mold, fit is right on the money for revolvers.

[Hellgate]

I can shoot the LEE 200gr conical in my older ASM HArtford 1860 Army but it takes some jiggling to get it started right. If the Uberti has more room then it should be OK. I would not recommend any C&B projectiles cast from wheel weights. They are way too hard and will strain the ram lever as well as pull quite hard on the cylinder pin. Using WW lead in a brass framed gun is asking to shoot it loose.

[charlie b]

I also used a .451 mold (RCBS) for my Remington replica back in the 80's. Shaved off a good ring. Either measure your cylinder or try some .451's before you buy a .454 mold.

[reloader4410]

accurate molds have some molds you might like

[Woodnbow]

Here are two that I use. My .45’s are all .456” and these work very well.