[ironcharlie]

I have an older replica which is .44. I understand it takes .429 balls. Does anybody know of a source for this size ball or a mold?

Ironcharlie

[ArmedBear]

Usually it's .430 patched.

What gun is it?

You're right... Lee and Lyman don't list these molds any more. I could swear I have one somewhere, though.

I'll go out in my garage and post again...:)

[ArmedBear]

You're right. It is .429". I've got the mold in its original box, sitting in front of me.

Lee single-cavity mold used to be model number 90429, but now that model number is used for something else.

I'd call Lee and ask if they still sell any, or if there's anyone who might have one.

They do list a .433" double-cavity mold on their website. Here it is on Dixie's site: http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_101_283&products_id=13072

I'd call Dixie, also. Never know what they might have lying around.

It seems Lee has dropped single-cavity molds from their product line. But I'd call them to find out for sure...

[Macmac]

Dixie once said they would make any mold to your specs from some sort of hair curling iron. I know that sounds odd, but I have such a mold in 0.600".

What it looks like is a big set of tin snips, but where blades would is a pair if irons, which I assume Dixie machines flat, so 2 blocks face each other, and then they ball mill each half of the cavity in.

I can't recall when I bought mine, it may have been about 1982, and if I recall the cost was $16.00 back then.

And Yeah what gun is it?

[ArmedBear]

Also, what rifling?

My old .44 that takes .429" balls has old-fashioned rifling, no real lands and grooves to speak of, only narrow twisting lines in the bore. It's a Palmetto Pennsylvania Pistol, about 30 years old I think.

Anyway, if .429" works fine with that style rifling and a patch, a .433" would probably work even better with a barrel that has wide lands and grooves.

[arcticap]

Track of the Wolf sells cast .429 round balls:

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(gjexln45yf3qpbbu2uw2g3ui))/categories/tableList.aspx?catID=2&subID=25&styleID=58

[ArmedBear]

Oh yeah. I missed that. I just saw "mold."

I wouldn't bother molding. I'd just buy the bullets and see how you like shooting the old thing.

Dixie also sells cast .430" round balls and Hornady .433" swaged balls.

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/default.php?cPath=22_99_311_312

[ironcharlie]

Thanks for the information on a source for balls. To answer the various questions which were raised: there are 6 grooves, uniform twist; groove diameter as I read it is .4490; the front sight is dovetailed into the barrel; the barrel does not extend into the cylinder window as with my new Uberti or Pietta revolvers; according to the chronology in Bates and Cumpston it was made in 1976 by Armi San Paolo. Its marked ".44 cal New Model Army". I bought new in about '76 and it was sold as a Navy Arms import (who else was there in the 70s?).

Ironcharlie

[bobby n.]

you can also try this :

jtyler@aol.com
he makes brass round ball moulds in the uk and ships within two days of your order. hes made me a .443 and a .489 round ball mould for my black powder rifle and pistol, and hes a good guy to boot

[scrat]

LEE ALSO CAN make that mold for you. for a .429 round ball i imagine it cant be that much compared to others.

[ArmedBear]

ironcharlie

I have that very gun, same era, same maker.

It does NOT take .429" round balls! It could be dangerous to load it with .429" balls, since they don't seal the chambers and would be very likely to chain fire. Chain firing is when the sparks from the chamber being fired ignite the powder in other chambers in the cylinder. You do not want this to happen!:eek:

Your gun takes regular .451" revolver balls. It is a replica of a Remington New Model Army revolver (commonly known as an 1858 Remington, but historically correctly called the model of 1863). See the attachment below on the right.

That's my gun, and I have molded my own and bought bullets for it, so I know it's .451". .454" works fine also. They are made of pure, soft lead, and they swage down a bit, hence the caliber designation ".44".

The only old ".44 caliber" blackpowder pistols that take .429" or .430" round balls are like the one in the other attachment. If you look in the picture, I put a ball on a patch, a little round piece of pillow ticking fabric. That patch, soaked with lube, is put around the ball when you ram it in with the ball starter, above the pistol in the picture. It fills up the space between the .429" ball and the .440" bore. Revolvers are NOT loaded this way, and should NEVER be loaded with patches.

(As an aside, modern .44 Magnum is also .429", but for a different reason: marketing. .44 Magnum sounded more bad-ass, so that's what it's called.:) )

Anyway, ASP was bought by EuroArms a while ago, and the pistols are now made under the EuroArms name. To get parts, contact these guys: http://ssfirearms.com/

You probably will need to replace the trigger and hammer if you intend to use the gun much. It's not unsafe, but the metal is very soft, making for the worst trigger pull I have ever felt, at least on mine. I believe the replacement parts are higher-quality, more modern hardened steel.

The Italians used soft metal back in the '70s. I don't think people thought the guns would get used much, but it turned out people went to the range and put lots of rounds through them, wearing down the soft steel internals. I will say, though, that the gun is accurate, and worth fixing up if needed.

Good luck, and use either wool Wonder Wads under the bullets, or Crisco smeared over them, to help prevent chain firing. Make sure you know what you're doing; BP revolvers can be safe and fun, but using them is like handloading. You have to know what you're putting in them.:)

[highlander 5]

It took me a bit to read all the responses and at first was saying
"44 what?" pistol or rifle. with what little experience I have with cap and ball revolvers ArmedBear is correct .454 balls are the way to go. I believe only the Walker and Ruger Old Army use .457 balls. Had a Old Army years ago and had a ball with it.

[ironcharlie]

Armed Bear,
Thanks for your concern and advice. I wasn't able to open your private message, it was blocked somehow by my server. But I had already figured out that .429 was too small by comparing the chamber size and the ball size required on a new Pietta .45 Remington. Thanks again, I think I would have realized something was amiss the first time I tried to load those little balls in the chambers. The .44 has been gathering dust for some decades and being housebound by the snow and ice this winter in Illinois I got bored and curious about the old thing.

Thanks again.

ironcharlie

[ArmedBear]

The PM was just to alert you to this post.

I didn't know how much experience you'd had with BP revolvers, or if you had any points of reference. Clearly, you do.:)

Just wanted to be sure I didn't pass on bogus (and dangerous) information here.