Dixie Gun Works sells brass bullet moulds that are similar to those supplied by Colt for the 1851 Navy. Colt changed its design slightly through the years but Dixie sells one that nearly identical.
These brass moulds are made in Italy, I believe. Fact is, most such moulds are made in Italy if not all. I don't recall ever seeing a Colt-type mould made in the U.S., except for the old originals.
If you're planning to cast with that mould, you're in for a lot of aggravation.
The handles are short, which puts your gloved hand close to the heat source. This can be quite uncomfortable.
The mould must be hot to produce decent bullets, that are not wrinkled or partly filled out. Those brass handles get hotter than a debutante in a roomful of doctors' sons and are a bugger to hang onto.
The old moulds looks nice, but aren't very practical for casting. God knows how they did it way back when, over a campfire.
If you plan to cast, either buy balls from a commercial supplier or use a more modern mould with wooden handles. Lee makes a good one.
Just today I was out with my Colt 2nd generation 1851 Navy, using some conical bullets sold by Dixie Gun Works as replicas of the old Colt design (Dixie stock #BUO 402).
The maximum I could get under these pointed, .36-caliber conicals was 20 grs. of Goex FFFG. In fact, I really had to bear down on the lever to get them seated below flush. I think I'd reduce that to 18 grs next time, for easier seating.
This was without a felt wad under the conical bullet. These long, pointed conicals take up a lot of room in the chamber.
Accuracy was okay. At about 20 yards I was keeping them inside a 5" circle from a benchrest. Conicals of any design are never as accurate as the ball --- and I've tried many different conicals: Lee, Lyman, Buffalo and a few others I've picked up here and there.
The Colt copy sold by Dixie Gun Works has no grease grooves, so you must put lubricant over it after seating. I use CVA Grease Patch, which comes in a squeeze tube. It's good stuff. Crisco or Bore Butter will work fine too.
With the lead ball, I can use up to 24 grs. of Goex FFFG and a greased felt wad, or 27 grs. and no wad.
My Remington .36 holds more powder than the Colt. I can get 30 grs. of Goex FFFG in its chambers, with a lead ball but no felt wad.
Anyway, I've rambled off-point but I think you'll find it useful information nonetheless.
As I said before, those shiny brass moulds look nice but they're a bugger to cast with. Buy one to display and use a more modern mould for casting.
