Starman321
32 Cal
My Brown Bess arrived today but not having any luck finding balls or flint for it. Not found locally or even on line. Just found out black power isnt even manufactured in the US anymore ! Please help
Where to get balls and flint for a .75 Brown Bess
- Thread starter Starman321
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Rangefogger
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Did you try Track of the wolf for
Flint and roundball?
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/188/1
For powder try Graf and sons
https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/89981
Flint and roundball?
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/188/1
For powder try Graf and sons
https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/89981
Rangefogger
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Also don’t forget a ball puller, your definitely gonna need it.
Starman321
32 Cal
When I went to Track of the Wolf site before posting here my ph would always give me the unsafe site message and wouldnt let me connect so I called them and did order a box of .69 balls and 4 flints but the cost was over $40. Thats over twice what Im used to paying locally but lately no one carries supplies here anymore. So my new question is " is there a less expensive site to purchase lead balls etc ?" As i need multiple boxes of balls for my other muzzle loaders which will cost me hundreds of $ at Track of the Wolf.
Rangefogger
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Get a few bag molds from Larry Callahan and cast your own, can’t go any cheaper than that! The mold I got from him is the only one I’ve ever had that makes a perfect roundball every time. As for flints, they are pricey unfortunately and unless you knap your own it’s the going rate.
Starman321
32 Cal
Looks like they only carry a .60 mold unless I do the custom. Wonder if I could use the .60 mold and just use an over sized patch as I should use a .69 ball for the .75 Brown Bess. Hopefully could use the .445 mold for my .44s and maybe the .53 mold on my ,58 with a thicker patch. One problem is I live off grid and I'm thinking the melting pots are electric ? So I'd have to rig up a propane pot to melt lead. He does have the best prices Ive seen so far, thanks
https://www.ballmoulds.com/
This guy will make a mold to ANY decimal you would like. He has made 3 different ones for me. They are quality built.
You can melt lead over any fire. Doesn't need to be propane. Fire is fire.
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/109/1/MOLD-BAG-LADLE
This guy will make a mold to ANY decimal you would like. He has made 3 different ones for me. They are quality built.
You can melt lead over any fire. Doesn't need to be propane. Fire is fire.
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/109/1/MOLD-BAG-LADLE
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If you don't mind a modern mold, google Lee .690 round ball mold and there are many folks selling that mold brand new. You may need a thicker patch but it gives you a musket ball to shoot and Lee molds cast a great round ball won't break the bank. If you do search for musket flints, you will get alot of different vendors. I recommend Mike Lea, the gunsmith as he has a large selection of musket flints in both black english and french amber in stock and ready to send to you. His contact is: Phone #614-291-4757.
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Starman321
32 Cal
I'll give him a call next time I need flints for my ,50 and .75 flintlocks. Thanks
I got .730 round balls from Dixie Gun Works.
Sidney Smith
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You'd be well served to buy a mold, and some lead and make your own. The heat source can be as simple as a campfire or old propane stove. It will cost a little at the beginning but knowing you have a ready source of ammunition is reassuring.
These days about the only thing I still buy is patching, as it's eas easy as going to Walmart or Joanne fabrics. I've been making my own powder as well because of the Goex thing.
These days about the only thing I still buy is patching, as it's eas easy as going to Walmart or Joanne fabrics. I've been making my own powder as well because of the Goex thing.
Starman321
32 Cal
I make my own patches also but I'll have to look into making power, hopefully theres a video on youtube.
Larry doesn’t make that big. Nor does Lee. It cost about 150 for a .75 mold from Lyman for block and handles. A pot is about a hundred, but a small cast iron decorator pot can melt in your kitchen stove, or a camp fire.
Lead is about three dollars a pound and you get a dozen ball.
You buy back your set up in about three hundred ball
Look on ebay or gun broker.
Starman321
32 Cal
Never had to use one yet. I did have to put a little power down my niple once on my ,58 percussion when I forgot to charge with blackpower, worked great except I used to much power and the ball went threw two layers of 2 x 8" and into my cedar fence LOL
,75 migbt be a smig
.75 might be a smidgen to big for my Bess as they shot .69 mostly, some .735 I believe at the most. I think I am getting the casting fever though, but probably will be trying casting for my ,44 revolvers to start with as already have .69 balls coming from Track of the Wolf but almost out of 44 balls (.451)
id
I was saying .75 just as ammo for a .75. .735, .715 and .690 all fit in a .75.
But I just got a .76. I’m a big fan of Larry, but he didn’t go where I needed. Lee topped out at .690, I could only find Lyman and had to buy block and handles
But I just got a .76. I’m a big fan of Larry, but he didn’t go where I needed. Lee topped out at .690, I could only find Lyman and had to buy block and handles
Larry Callahan does make custom sized bullet/ball molds. You do have to contact him to make the request for a specific ball size. I have a 0.735 mold from Larry. He had a few on his table at Fort de Chartres for one of the events and I promptly added it to my collection of molds.
Larry built me a .715 mold about this time last year. He makes a great product.
FWIW....
When I got my Bess, I ordered 50 rounds of 0.715 and 25 of 0.735 from Track. Then proceeded to shoot them using a cloth patch with bear grease lube. .715 can probably be shot all day, or close to it, and still loads easy. Offhand at 50y, I could hit a paper target at the range about half the time (right handed but left eye dominant and a horrid wing shooter). 0.735 gets a bit tight after a few rounds.
I bought a new 0.715 Lyman mold on the ML Forum, handles from Titan Reloading and lead from Jason, greatly reducing the cost per shot.
As the Brits say, Bob's my Uncle.
I have an NEI .715 I use for my Jeager they aren't cheap mold but are certainly top-notch. Probably would run you from 125-150 bucks.
