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Author Topic: bullet moulds for smooth bores  (Read 2024 times)

Online RobD

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Re: bullet moulds for smooth bores
« Reply #15 on: August 06, 2013, 09:24:43 AM »
i've got lee .530 and .535 moulds a'coming.  thanx!

Offline Hanshi

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Re: bullet moulds for smooth bores
« Reply #16 on: August 06, 2013, 05:32:09 PM »
Try Jeff Tanner; I did and got a .590" mold in a few days for about the price of a Lee.  His are made of brass, too.  My .62 smoothbore is tight and even thin patching a .600 ball is super difficult to next to impossible.  The .590" (actually cast from WW metal) easily accepts a lubed .016" ticking patch and hits where its aimed.  A "nekked" .600" (lead) or a .605" (WW) ball settin' on a wad wit a card or "stuffin" over it shoots pretty darn good, too.
Young guys should hang out with old guys; old guys know stuff.

Offline mario

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Re: bullet moulds for smooth bores
« Reply #17 on: August 06, 2013, 06:23:52 PM »
Quote from: "rfd"
no patches, eh?  what holds the ball down onto the magic black dust - a wad?

Yup. Historically speaking, patched round balls in a rifle, bare ball with wad (or no wad) in smoothbores.

Patching a ball for a smoothbore is a fairly modern concept.

I use wadding of paper, grass, wasp's nest, etc. In certain situations I load powder and drop the ball down the barrel. A tap of the butt on the ground and you can feel the ball seat. Done.

The light fouling helps keep it down. Only lasts for about 10 shots, though. Once the fouling builds up, you need to ram the ball down so it doesn't get hung up.

In local matches, I place upper middle of the pack shooting this way. I DON'T use this method for times when I am moving (hunting, etc) with a loaded gun. That's when I use a wad.

Mario

Offline mario

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Re: bullet moulds for smooth bores
« Reply #18 on: August 06, 2013, 06:24:32 PM »
Oh. You can try Larry Callahan for a bag mold.

Callahan Bagmolds & Accoutrements

Mario

Online RobD

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Re: bullet moulds for smooth bores
« Reply #19 on: August 07, 2013, 08:58:11 PM »
Quote from: "mario"
Oh. You can try Larry Callahan for a bag mold.

Callahan Bagmolds & Accoutrements

Mario

yeah, thought about those "mel gibson patriot bag moulds", but have no use for their hot handles and have heard they're not all that "perfectly" round.  as mentioned, i have a coupla lee d/c moulds coming and have just ordered out a pair of jeff tanner brass moulds.  life's still good .....  8)

Offline Sir Michael

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Re: bullet moulds for smooth bores
« Reply #20 on: August 08, 2013, 02:05:13 PM »
I hope you will post the results of your casting with this collection of moulds.
Sir Michael
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Online RobD

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Re: bullet moulds for smooth bores
« Reply #21 on: August 08, 2013, 02:54:48 PM »
i shall, sir!

Offline Uncle Russ

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Re: bullet moulds for smooth bores
« Reply #22 on: August 08, 2013, 06:37:36 PM »
Quote from: "rfd"
Quote from: "mario"
Oh. You can try Larry Callahan for a bag mold.

Callahan Bagmolds & Accoutrements

Mario

yeah, thought about those "mel gibson patriot bag moulds", but have no use for their hot handles and have heard they're not all that "perfectly" round.  as mentioned, i have a coupla lee d/c moulds coming and have just ordered out a pair of jeff tanner brass moulds.  life's still good .....  8)

I have to agree with you on the scissor type moulds, or "bag-moulds" as they are sometimes called.

FWIW; I've never, after years and years of casting, owned one that performed even half way as good as a JT or lowly Lee mould.
The Jeff Tanner moulds, on the other hand, are as good as money can buy, even when you pay three and sometimes four times as much for a Lyman, RCBS, or SAECO mould....plus you are getting a "custom" size at a very competitive price.

Even with a nice leather wrapped handle and using a glove, the cavity of most bag-moulds get to hot to fast, which in turn breaks your rhythm, or timing, for turning out decent "same weight" or near same weight round ball, and if you're interested in consistent accuracy, using the same weight ball is a necessity.  

Of course this is just one persons thoughts and your own mileage may vary a bit.

Uncle Russ...
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Online RobD

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Re: bullet moulds for smooth bores
« Reply #23 on: August 08, 2013, 06:51:01 PM »
those jt moulds look mighty nice ... hope they'll arrive in a week or so ...

Offline rickevans

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Re: bullet moulds for smooth bores
« Reply #24 on: December 31, 2013, 01:33:04 PM »
Have you gents had difficulty contacting Jeff Tanner? I send an e-mail late November and got a quick reply. I send an e-mail last week to order a couple moulds (as they say over there...) and got an e-mail not accepted bounced back message.
R. C. (Rick) Evans
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Offline ridjrunr

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Re: bullet moulds for smooth bores
« Reply #25 on: December 31, 2013, 02:10:41 PM »
Rick , I had correspondence with Jeff T on the 11th of Nov. back and forth  couple times w/o a problem. Double check or rewrite yer mail. He was fairly quick to respond.And quick delivery on my mold.
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Offline Captchee

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Re: bullet moulds for smooth bores
« Reply #26 on: December 31, 2013, 04:54:02 PM »
also with the 62 cal , you might want to Mic the bore first . alot of times its not .620 but range from .613-.616
 while at the same time the barrel on my hudson valley mics out at .548

Offline rickevans

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Re: bullet moulds for smooth bores
« Reply #27 on: January 09, 2014, 10:13:56 AM »
Got a hold of Jeff and moulds are on the way.
R. C. (Rick) Evans
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Offline Uncle Russ

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Re: bullet moulds for smooth bores
« Reply #28 on: January 09, 2014, 12:02:52 PM »
Quote from: "rickevans"
Got a hold of Jeff and moulds are on the way.
Good on ya Rick!
I feel confident you will like the JT Moulds. I have been using his moulds for years and I have found no fault whatsoever.



Uncle Russ...
It's the many things we don't do that totally sets us apart.
TMA Co-Founder / Charter Member# 4

Offline rickevans

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Re: bullet moulds for smooth bores
« Reply #29 on: January 10, 2014, 09:43:36 AM »
Russ...what handles do you use with them? I got 137# of lead just a waiting...
R. C. (Rick) Evans
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