Can this mould be saved?

Boolit Mold Join DateMar 2006Posts10

Last edited by chiggerbyt; Yesterday at 01:45 PM. Reason: added picture of sprue plate and screw

The overall look is the early Winchester mould, before they added the wooden handles. The sprue plate and screw is, of course, missing. They were made without vent lines and the cavity was sized so no supplemental sizing was necessary to shoot the boolit in Winchester rifles.

It looks like somebody either ordered a blank mould from Winchester and put a .45 caliber cherry a driving band and a half deep into the blocks, or they recherried a smaller caliber Winchester mould in the same manner. Generally a factory mould (even a factory special) from Winchester should have a fairly deep caliber/weight stamp on the left-hand handle, looking down from the top. I've seen a fair number of recherried examples of these moulds, and I can't recall that anybody has ever taken the trouble to grind, weld over or otherwise remove the stamp from the handle. Given the detail left of the cavity, I can't imagine the mould rusted enough to take the stamp away, so my best guess is the gunsmith-cherried blank Winchester mould.

Looks like somebody wanted a boollit for a .45 express of one sort or another. All you need is to drill and file to shape a new sprue plate, make a screw any you're in business.

Boolit Mold Join DateMar 2006Posts10

Hi Bent Ramrod,
I have uploaded the sprue plate and screw picture as well since your reply. Thank you for the info so far. Chig

Sure. Cast a few and see how the size comes out. You may be surprised if the
size is reasonably close to what you need.

Bill

If it was easy, anybody could do it.

Boolit Master Join DateNov 2006Posts933

looks tapered, which isn't my favorite, but a very old mold none the less.

Boolit Mold Join DateMar 2006Posts10

The closest thing I see to it is the Lyman 452630 without the final taper at the base. There also appears to be some #'s (very small but evenly spaced) stamped along the edge of the left side facing up under where the left of the sprue plate would be if closed. I cannot make them out clearly or at this point just imagining as my wife see's nothing but marks of some sort.

it was quite common to mark the top of a mold block back then, lee has taken to doing it again recently.
you could easily make some wooden handles from a broom handle.
you might want to take some chalk and rub on the molds top/sides and see if anything pops out.

it's all an educated guess,,,, till the trigger is pulled.

the more i find out about shootin boolits, the more it contradicts everything i ever learned about shooting jaxketed.

Boolit Mold Join DateMar 2006Posts10

Tried the chalk. Still couldn't make anything out under magnifying glass. Will just have to cast some, weigh them, shoot them, and go from there. The only 45 I have is 1911 so that is the test foundation. Thank you all for the replies. Chig

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Abbreviations used in Reloading
Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt"

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