Mould i.d. help sought?

[georgerkahn]

A very close friend passed away, and his widow entrusted me with the task of listing and evaluating the moulds in his collection. I've done pretty well (for me ;)) 'cept for one mould I can not in any way identify. I took, and have here attached three photos, and am really hoping one of you knowledgeable mould experts might enlighten me to who, perhaps, manufactured it -- plus, of course, anything you may add to it.

Thanks much in advance!277902277903277905

[Mk42gunner]

Don't know, but it ought to be a thumper on game with that nose.

The pictures make me think the nose was modified after manufacture, because of the slight color variation in the cavities.

Robert

[georgerkahn]

I took a closer look, using a hand-held magnifier, and albeit you made a great point vis colour variation, it surely looks to me, "as initially manufactured". The craftsmanship employed by maker is quite awesome -- minus-head brass screws are used to secure handles to the mould, and their heads show zero deformities; the milling of the mould sides to handles shows an invisible clearance and even the unusual, to me, vent lines are milled with unrivaled precision.
One "faraway" thought I had is perhaps it being made by a skilled machinist -- a one of a kind? -- but, in reality my thoughts shifted to it being of olllllld manufacture -- maybe from a long obsolete manufacturer?
BEST!
geo

[35isit]

I have several old Ideal molds that are eerily similar to that one. But they are not exact matches to the handles or sprue plates. Perhaps they are real early Ideals or someone made their own one off.

[georgerkahn]

Thanks for your suggestion. The interesting (to me) means of affixing handles to the mould, not excluding the metal to wood attachment I have never seen before. I just reexamined mould using a bright light and magnifier and still cannot find any trace of a manufacturer, size, or for that matter -- any marks at all. The278014 mystery goes on...
geo

[Mk42gunner]

I think I'd heat it up and see what the boolit weighs and measures. Just guessing, but it looks to be a fairly heavy ~.45 caliber.

Robert

[georgerkahn]

Mk42gunner -- I have similar thoughts as you, with my guess it being for a .45/70(?). However, albeit I have it included in several moulds in the box I was entrusted by a recent widow's friend for "i.d. and fair pricing" -- primarily due to it's uniqueness I may add it to my want list from the moulds in said box ;). I was entrusted to research and report, and as the mould is *not* (yet?) mine, I would not feel comfortable doing even a test use/pour with it. (Besides, I do all casting outdoors in garage, and between the 16"-18" of desolation dust (aka snow) on the ground, and temps *not* having even gotten into the +20*F range for several weeks -- it surely looks like my casting shan't be able to resume for at least two more lonng months!) Hence my quest on this site from one of the super-knowledgeable persons who hopefully will be able to i.d. it.
geo

[jim147]

Just a thought could you do a wax casting just to get a closer ID on what it might be?

I agree with Robert that it looks like a thumper of a .45 round but not sure what it is.

[Mk42gunner]

Georgekahn, I understand what you are saying.

One thing that I do not understand, not just about this mold, but also most pictures of four cavity Lyman molds; is why the sprue pivot is at the front of the mold handles. I have tried casting this way and it doesn't work very well for me, I turned my 4C 452460 around so the striking end of the sprue plate hangs over the end of the mold. It seems much more ergonomic to me.

Robert

[georgerkahn]

Georgekahn, I understand what you are saying.

One thing that I do not understand, not just about this mold, but also most pictures of four cavity Lyman molds; is why the sprue pivot is at the front of the mold handles. I have tried casting this way and it doesn't work very well for me, I turned my 4C 452460 around so the striking end of the sprue plate hangs over the end of the mold. It seems much more ergonomic to me.

Robert

Robert -- you brought up two very good notes. This mould in question is of the "nutcracker" handle variety, which I had not correlated with early Ideal/Lyman moulds, having similar. Years back, a then-aged fellow shooter had told me the nutcracker design was all he'd use, as only a mildly firm grip on handles insured the mould halves would be tightly closed -- with your second note re the sprue striker towards handles to also not compromise positions of mould halves.
I, too, have all my moulds oriented with sprue extension in front of the respective mould. But -- I am still without an answer :( as to the i.d. of this mould.
Again, thanks for the Ideal/Lyman sprue plate orientation suggestion. Later I may don some winter raiments and descend to my unheated basement to check out some early Lyman/Ideal books for illustrations (if any) of their early mould handles.
geo

[Bazoo]

Casting with it to get an ID of the bullet size and weight would help sell it if you don't buy it.

[georgerkahn]

Casting with it to get an ID of the bullet size and weight would help sell it if you don't buy it.

"A fool and his money..." Thanks! This "mystery mould", albeit presently in my possession, will be officially mine pending my giving a bit of cash to fellow who is handling widow's mould sales, God willing, tomorrow. If it ever stops snowing here ;), and warms up -- probably mid-April (?) -- casting a few bullets from this mould will be one of my first for 2021! My two "possibles" include a mould for black-powder, and/or .45-70 government?
Anyhoos -- I'll now have a mould in my wee collection labeled as, "????????". :)
geo