POLL: Who Would Buy a .526" or .527" round Ball Mould?

[TreeMan]

How do you clip off the sprue without leaving a remnant?

I’m gonna edit my post. I meant to write “much” of a protruding sprue. What’s left of a sprue I just ignore or snip it off. Either way whatever “remnant” that you speak of doesn’t effect accuracy.

 

[mooman76]

What can help is to get a pair of diagonal cutters and grind flat so there is no bevel on one side that way it cuts closer.

 

[beardedhorse]

I have a used .526 mold made by Lyman that was altered by a previous owner. It loads well with a bill Large .535 barrel but the sprue has an awkward parachute shape. Some idiot countersunk the block so when the sprue is cut there is that parachute cone. I'd order a new mold from Track of the Wolf if they got Lee or Lyman to reintroduce a .526 or .527 mold and goes with Lee or Lyman handles. I have heard of Tanner but don't contact info to inquire about a custom mold. Does anyone here have it? Thanks in advance for a reply.

 

[Ohio Rusty]

I use a .520 RB in my smoothrifle. I just use a thicker pillow ticking patch. I went to that as I have a box of .530's and they were pretty hard to load with a .010 patch.
Ohio Rusty ><>

 

[Highmark1]

Upper 3 .535 lower in the black .526. Both with .010 patch and 80g ffg goes. Patch looks good for .526 patch for .535 torn up. I would definitely take a .526 mould!!

 

[Tom A Hawk]

The yes votes are looking good. You can help the cause by calling Carol at Track of The Wolf and request a new .526 Lee mold.

 

[Highmark1]

Been there done that months ago!

 

[bushytail]

I probably wouldn’t buy any other ball mounds for my 54 cal. since .530 shoot nice. Larry Callahan makes bag molds in standard sizes. He also makes custom sizes too. You’ll pay a little more for the custom size you want. But you’ll have it. He did a custom size for me of .562 for my 58 cal. trade gun. .570 balls were very tight with a clean barrel and sometimes frustrating to load. .562 made it a lot more enjoyable to shoot. Also his molds have a built in sprue cutter. He has a website for more information.

 

[coaldust]

My Santa Fe Hawken uses .520, I have no mold for it but still use Hornady swaged round ball. (don't shot much anymore.)

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Update from TOW:

David placed an order for the .526 round ball molds. They will come in 6 cavity form.
We have been making the 6 cavity for a few years now and they work really nice. I'm not sure when they will be available, but you'll see them on the web site down the road.
Carole Ripplinger
Track of the Wolf, Inc., 18308 Joplin Street N. W., Elk River, MN 55330-1773

 

[springfield art]

Some .54 caliber rifles and pistols like a ball a little smaller than the usually recommended .530". Lyman used to make a .526" round ball mould, and Lee made one in .527", but these have both been discontinued. Used ones are hard to find.

Out of curiosity, I'd like to know who would want to see either or both of these round ball moulds brought back into production. More specifically, who would buy one?

This is just an opinion or interest poll. You won't be committing to anything. You will be allowed to go back and change your mind, and the poll will close in seven days.

Please let us know what you think!

Notchy Bob

There are custom-order guys who will make up any size you want. No need for some company to ramp up production for two or three orders.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

There are custom-order guys who will make up any size you want. No need for some company to ramp up production for two or three orders.

Track of The Wolf has researched and believes there is sufficient interest to have molds made. A 6 cavity mold for $60 sounds like a good deal to me.

 

[Highmark1]

I’ll take 2 of them!

 

[Notchy Bob]

Thanks to all who responded to the poll, regardless of how you “voted.” A nod of appreciation is also owed to @Tom A Hawk for his efforts toward getting this mould in production. It looks like Track of the Wolf will sell at least 16 of them as soon as they hit the shelves!

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Update:

As it has been six months since TOW placed an order for the .526 RB molds I sent an inquiry to Lee regarding the status and their response follows below.

We are still getting caught up with our standard production buckshot and 6 cavity molds, so it will most likely be mid-summer before we start on the custom six cavity roundball molds that Track of the Wolf has placed.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Brenda
Customer Service

Lee Precision, Inc.
4275 County Road U
Hartford, WI 53027

phone (262) 673-3075

I am anxious to acquire one of these molds as the .526 diameter has provided a solution to my accuracy issues with the latest built Isaac Haines with swamped Rice barrel. Over the past several months using .530 balls, I've tried patch thicknesses between .010" - .015" , muslin and twill, 2F and 3F, 80 to 110 grain charges and all with mediocre results. With .013" to .015" patching, the ramming is a bit too stiff, especially after a couple of shots and fliers have been too common an occurrence for full hunting confidence. With stiff loading I presume that patches may be getting over stressed and the fibers perhaps separated on the way down the pipe. Recovered patches are intact but quite frayed. I am very happy with this rifle but the accuracy has been a source of distress and frustration.

NOW.....( drum roll ).... with the .526 balls purchased from TOW, .015" fabric from Eastern Maine Shooting Supplies, greased with mutton tallow, over 100 grains Swiss 2F, I'm suddenly getting delightful one hole groups at 50 yards. I'm over the moon with these results - but the purchased balls are .40 cents a shot and I much prefer the independence afforded by mine own bullet casting. Can't wait for the new molds to come in.

 

[cositrike]

Update:

As it has been six months since TOW placed an order for the .526 RB molds I sent an inquiry to Lee regarding the status and their response follows below.

We are still getting caught up with our standard production buckshot and 6 cavity molds, so it will most likely be mid-summer before we start on the custom six cavity roundball molds that Track of the Wolf has placed.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Brenda
Customer Service

Lee Precision, Inc.
4275 County Road U
Hartford, WI 53027

phone (262) 673-3075

I am anxious to acquire one of these molds as the .526 diameter has provided a solution to my accuracy issues with the latest built Isaac Haines with swamped Rice barrel. Over the past several months using .530 balls, I've tried patch thicknesses between .010" - .015" , muslin and twill, 2F and 3F, 80 to 110 grain charges and all with mediocre results. With .013" to .015" patching, the ramming is a bit too stiff, especially after a couple of shots and fliers have been too common an occurrence for full hunting confidence. With stiff loading I presume that patches may be getting over stressed and the fibers perhaps separated on the way down the pipe. Recovered patches are intact but quite frayed. I am very happy with this rifle but the accuracy has been a source of distress and frustration.

NOW.....( drum roll ).... with the .526 balls purchased from TOW, .015" fabric from Eastern Maine Shooting Supplies, greased with mutton tallow, over 100 grains Swiss 2F, I'm suddenly getting delightful one hole groups at 50 yards. I'm over the moon with these results - but the purchased balls are .40 cents a shot and I much prefer the independence afforded by mine own bullet casting. Can't wait for the new molds to come in.

You could get one from ballmolds.com in the meantime

 

[Eric Krewson]

I have three .54s, my Rice barreled one loads and shoots either .530s or .535s easily, I have a Hoyt rebore .54 that only loads a .530 with a bunch of effort and a GM drop in for a TC that is very tight with a .530 as well and has to have a thin patch.

Bore sizes do vary a lot, I a have had no telling how many TC' in .50 over the years, all loaded .490s or .495s easily. I put together a very old Hawken kit a few years ago that loads a .490 with some effort but I couldn't get a .495 down the bore with any patch unless I drove it down with a hammer.

I already have one Tanner mold for my smoothbore in .700 so after reading this thread I ordered another one from them in .526.