Ideal 365514 round ball mould

[Barnowl]

Howdy,
I have the above mould which casts a measured .365" round ball. Any idea what it was used for?

Kevin

[crandall crank]

Possibly a 36 caliber, black powder revolver? The ball is slightly oversized, so when seated in the cylinder, it "shaves" the cast ball slightly.

[Mk42gunner]

At .365" it is a bit too small for most ".36 cal" cap and ball revolvers. Most of them take a .375-.380" ball.

It also seems a bit large for most .36 cal rifles, which again mostly take a .350" ball. But it could work for some. This is where I think it belongs.

It could be used to cast large buckshot, but I don't really think so.

Robert

[Barnowl]

It is close to OOO buckshot, which is listed at .360" in some sources but I am not confident that is the purpose. I have searched online for this Ideal mould number but found nothing.

[jrmartin1964]

If the number "514" is on both block halves, which I suspect, that number is not part of the mould number. Rather, it is a " match" number used to keep the two halves together during manufacture. Ideal moulds for round balls were made in a myriad of sizes to suit almost any shooter's whim, and after 1951 were identified only by diameter rather than by diameter and cherry number.

FWIW, cherry number 514 was assigned in 1957 to a short-lived semi-wadcutter design by Jim Harvey which used a zinc washer cast into the base to act as a gas check / crud scraper... Ideal No.357514 for .38 Special and .357 Magnum.

Jim

[Barnowl]

If the number "514" is on both block halves, which I suspect, that number is not part of the mould number. Rather, it is a " match" number used to keep the two halves together during manufacture.

Jim

You are correct. Both halves have the 514 stamping, I did not catch that. Since posting I have come across a cherry chart with the 354514 info.
In all my searching I have not come across a round ball mould, recent catalogs or old, in that diameter. This has been a curiosity pursuit.

Thanks for the info.

Kevin

[hoodat]

I'd be interested if you want to sell it. jd

[Barnowl]

I'd be interested if you want to sell it. jd

Holding on to it for now.

kwt