Mystery Bullet Mold

[jerryaustin]

Can anyone identify this .44 bullet mold. I thought it was a Colt, but perhaps it's a Remington. It has too much corrosion to see any markings. The feature that I find unusual, at least different from a Colt, is the bump where the conical mold is. Any info would be appreciated.

 

[Seduzal]

Sorry but I can't help yo. Perhaps I can get you some help! Paging @ucvrelics @Package4

 

[jerryaustin]

It might be a Remington revolving rifle mold.

 

[UCVRelics]

It appears that it a standard 44 cal pistol bullet mold that would fit any 44 cal revolver. If it was a Colt bullet mold, the mold would be mark Colt.

 

[Mark A]

Allen & Wheelock mold for their Army revolver.

 

[Pollaco]

They were all standard .44 weren't they, as in interchangeable?

 

[jerryaustin]

They were all standard .44 weren't they, as in interchangeable?

I think they were interchangeable. I just don't think this particular mold was made by Colt. I'm thinking Remington.

 

[UCVRelics]

They were all standard .44 weren't they, as in interchangeable?

They were as 44 cal is 44 cal.

I just don't think this particular mold was made by Colt

It wasn't as all Colt bullet molds were marked.

 

[Old Soldier]

They were all standard .44 weren't they, as in interchangeable?

No. Sad to say, they were not. Yes, any other would work, but accuracy was often affected. Many arms manufacturers had their own version, patented, of course, and any competition had to pay - or make minor alterations. In any case, any good casting company would make up a bullet mold when there was a need - and money to be made.
The British revolvers (.442/54-bore) were different from the various US ones and the bullets were usually over-bore (.47-ish - you removed the outer surface as you rammed home!). The molds generally did not have a 'ball' option.

 

[Jeff in Ohio]

This is what I've been told is the Remington .44 Army revolver mold.

 

[Mark A]

Perhaps I should not have been so terribly brief when I wrote: Allen & Wheelock mold for their Army revolver. (My post #5)

The "drop" in the block that facilitates the conical bullet is only found on the Allen & Wheelock mold. All other makers, including Colt, Freeman, Manhattan, Mass Arms Co., Remington and Whitney had blocks that had a straight contour across the bottom.

(L to R) Allen & Wheelock - Colt - Freeman - Manhattan - Mass Arms Co. - Whitney

The mold in the original post can easily be discounted as a Remington mold for two obvious reasons. 1) Remington used a screw to hold their block halfs together. The mold in the original post uses a rivet. 2) Remington sprue cutters are full rounded at their top.

The other makers cut notches on both sides of the top of their sprue cutters to match the notches cut into their blocks.

The Remington sprue cutter hangs over the notches cut into their blocks.

Remington did not make a mold for their revolving rifle. In short the photos in the original post are of an Allen and Wheelock 44 caliber mold.

 

[Pollaco]

What is the purpose of that "drop"?

 

[Mark A]

The drop or elongation made room for the conical (pointed) bullet. I can only surmise that Allen and Wheelock wanted to make a lighter mold than its competitors.

 

[Pollaco]

The drop or elongation made room for the conical (pointed) bullet. I can only surmise that Allen and Wheelock wanted to make a lighter mold than its competitors.
View attachment 472298

That was some clever engineering.

 

[Old Soldier]

We forget about the old method of working by small companies and individuals. If a part needed replacing, they made one. They didn't always keep 'spares' - even if there were any available. No. It wasn't 'the American way' of interchangability and mass-production, but many of them were darn good shapers of metal mainly using just hand tools and the occasional lathe.

That is always the arguement against the British and Belgian arms of the Civil War period. They were 'fitted' together. If it worked first time, fine, if it didn't, out comes the file and rasp. That was the way they had always worked. Pistols, in particular were each made as an individual piece, either by the 'maker' or using parts supplied by the maker/patentee. Most were 'rough finish' - straight out of the mold.

So, back to subject, if you lost your bullet-mold (easily done on compaign) and miles from the nearest town, the local gunsmith or even the unit armorer, would make one for you. He would use any available mold as a pattern - just the one, or the patents people would be on their tail!