bullet moulds for smooth bores

[RobD]

tip's working on a .54 smoothbore for me and i'm thinking a .530 mould would be appropriate.  every vendor i've checked so far is out of their .530 mould, anyone have a good source for a decent .530 ball mould?

[rollingb]

I know what you mean, I've had a mould on order from Track of the Wolf since April,.... they sent me an email the 1st. of July to say they hadn't forotten about me.  :rt th

[Sir Michael]

My experience with smoothbores is that .020 clearance is needed at the least to load with a patch.  I have a .620 bore and have never found a patch thin enough to load a .610 ball.  I have to use a .600 ball with a thin patch.  It seems to be lack of grooves for the patching to squeeze into when loading.

I'd recommend a .520 ball.

Have you tried Jeff Tanner via e-mail at  jeff@ballmoulds.co.uk

[RobD]

interesting point, sir michael.

[rollingb]

My experience with smoothbores is that .020 clearance is needed at the least to load with a patch.  I have a .620 bore and have never found a patch thin enough to load a .610 ball.  I have to use a .600 ball with a thin patch.  It seems to be lack of grooves for the patching to squeeze into when loading.

I'd recommend a .520 ball.

Have you tried Jeff Tanner via e-mail at  jeff@ballmoulds.co.uk

I don't know about rfd,..... but I don't use patches in my smoothbores, so roundballs that are .010's "under bore size" work fine for me.  

[Riley/MN]

but I don't use patches in my smoothbores, so roundballs that are .010's "under bore size" work fine for me.

Patchez? We don't need no steenking patchez!

[rollingb]

but I don't use patches in my smoothbores, so roundballs that are .010's "under bore size" work fine for me.

Patchez? We don't need no steenking patchez!  

[RobD]

no patches, eh?  what holds the ball down onto the magic black dust - a wad?

[rollingb]

no patches, eh?  what holds the ball down onto the magic black dust - a wad?

Yep,.... you can pretty much let your imagination run wild when it comes to "wadding",... commercial wads are always available (for a price), or you can use paper, grass, leaves, moss, wasp nests, and etc.  

[RobD]

i dunno about sticking neked lead down the pipe.  i feel more comfy swaddling it in a cotton diaper.  

[RobD]

how 'bout those totw primitive scissors mold?

[rollingb]

how 'bout those totw primitive scissors mold?

I have one of those moulds in .440,.... use leather gloves, those handles get [size=200]HOT[/size] fast.

[MedicineSoldier]

A Lee mold from Track of the Wolf would be my normal recommendation but as has been said they are out of stock.  

Believe it or not Amazon has Lyman Muzzleloading 0.53 Round Ball 54 -Caliber Mould

Amazon.com: Lyman Muzzleloading 0.53 Round Ball 54 -Caliber Mould: Sports & Outdoors

Not my first choice of supplier or brand for molds but they say they have it.

But I think your better choice would be a Lee 2-Cavity Bullet Mold (530 Diameter) Round Ball from Midway USA

Lee 2-Cavity Bullet Mold (530 Diameter) Round Ball    

$45+ cheaper than Lyman, double mold so casting is close to twice as fast, and my Lee molds have always worked just as well as my Lyman.

I do use balls from my .530 mold in my 54 smoothbore cast using wheel weights which tend to cast a bit larger than pure lead.  But I tend to use a thinner patch than a lot of folks.  

Medicine Soldier

[Two Steps]

rfd...You might want to experiment  shooting Rb of different sizes before ya settle on one mold to order.  Just a thought...

[rollingb]

rfd...You might want to experiment  shooting Rb of different sizes before ya settle on one mold to order.  Just a thought...

That's darn good advice Al.