SquirrelsaurusR
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2004
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- 683
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A thread over on the smoothbore forum prompted me to post this here. If you're looking for a primitive-style roundball mould, especially in large, oddball-size calibers for big, old gonnes, you can get them from Rapine. They make them in fifty different calibers, from .250 up to .989 for the really big boomers! They're all steel with a built-in sprue cutter. All calibers are $59.95, except for the .989, which is $125. They don't currently have a website, because they had some problems with the last server they had and they shut it down. They plan to set up a new one, but there's no set date at this point for when it will be ready, so I'm posting this blurb here since we can't provide a link on the links page. Call them and they'll send you a free catalog.
(215) 679-5413
If you want a primitive style mould, you must specify "bag mould" (for carrying in your bag when hunting/reenacting) when you order it, otherwise they'll send you a modern style block mould. Quality of precision is the same for both. Many of the oddball sizes are made to order, so it might take up to six weeks to get it, depending on the caliber. They also make a primitive style dipping ladle, made of heavy copper, with a spout on each side for right or left hand use. All you have to do is look around the campfire and find the right size stick to use for a handle, or carve your own if you want to get fancy about it. The ladle is $14.95.
And as long as we're talking about primitive moulds... I've found lots of reading material available about casting balls at home, with an electric furnace and modern equipment. But doing it the old way, over the campfire, on a trek, with primitive tools like the old timers did it, is seldom written about. Many of you are probably aware of Bob's Blackpowder Notebook (there's a link to it on the links page), great reading about traditional muzzleloading. What you may not be aware of is that several months ago he added a page about this very topic: casting the old way, over the campfire on a trek. If you'd like to read it, you can go directly to that page with this link:
Casting over the campfire
(215) 679-5413
If you want a primitive style mould, you must specify "bag mould" (for carrying in your bag when hunting/reenacting) when you order it, otherwise they'll send you a modern style block mould. Quality of precision is the same for both. Many of the oddball sizes are made to order, so it might take up to six weeks to get it, depending on the caliber. They also make a primitive style dipping ladle, made of heavy copper, with a spout on each side for right or left hand use. All you have to do is look around the campfire and find the right size stick to use for a handle, or carve your own if you want to get fancy about it. The ladle is $14.95.
And as long as we're talking about primitive moulds... I've found lots of reading material available about casting balls at home, with an electric furnace and modern equipment. But doing it the old way, over the campfire, on a trek, with primitive tools like the old timers did it, is seldom written about. Many of you are probably aware of Bob's Blackpowder Notebook (there's a link to it on the links page), great reading about traditional muzzleloading. What you may not be aware of is that several months ago he added a page about this very topic: casting the old way, over the campfire on a trek. If you'd like to read it, you can go directly to that page with this link:
Casting over the campfire
