Spencer 56-56 original Civil War Mould

[Two Flints]

Hello SSS,

I've never seen one of these before, and wow is it expensive


http://www.jjmilitaryantiques.com/catdet.asp?TargetItem=11477&CategoryType=Moldsflasks

Two Flints

[St. George]

Will wonders never cease - a bullet mold for a factory-produced, non-reloadable rimfire cartridge...

He'd better be able to offer far more provenance, if he's asking that sort of price.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[PvtGreg]

Sorry - looks like a sharps mold to me.  An expensive sharps mold.

[Herbert]

Sharps mould would make sence,I can not see any youse for a single cavity brass mould for a cartridge that can not be reloaded

[Arizona Trooper]

That's why it's in mint condition, plus the fact that the handles would be too hot to hold after casting 4 or 5 bullets!

[JimBob]

Really doesn't even follow the pattern of most Sharp's molds of that period.They had a sprue cutter built into them and no cutoff on the mold.From the picture it appears that it's almost a heeled type bullet with the bottom groove for tying the paper cartridge to the bullet.That dealer has some interesting stuff but a little out of my price range.

[St. George]

He may be one of the 'experts' that Rick calls in on 'Pawn Stars'...

After all - according to his ad - he's seen one before.

Vaya,

Scouts Out!

[Two Flints]

A Sharps Mould for comparison:

SHARPS RIFLE BULLET MOLD - .40 CALIBER – SHARPS RIFLE COMPANY MANUFACTURE – FRANK SELLER'S COLLECTION:  The exact mold shown in SHARPS FIREARMS by Frank Sellers, on page 348 (lower photograph, center mold) and purchased directly from Seller's research collection, this .40 caliber Sharps Rifle Company Bullet Mold is in excellent condition with all the legible stampings.  

Both handles bear matching serial numbers (105), and the left handle is stamped with the caliber, the bullet weight, "330", and "SHARPS RIFLE CO., BRIDGEPORT, CONN.".  The right handle is stamped on the reverse "OLD RELIABLE" in the octagon box outline.

Overall in excellent condition, there is no damage or signs of excessive use or wear to the smooth mould cavities or the sprue trimming blades, and the faces of the jaws meet without any gaps.  The handles are not deformed and the metal surface of the handles shows only minor darkening due to age and very minor pitting.  





Two Flints

[Herbert]

The early paper cartridge looks dimular to the brass mould bullet cavity,but it does apear to be a healed base bullet so may be it could be for Maynard,Smith,Gallagher or Burnside

[JimBob]

Checking through the reference books about the only projectile that looks similiar to that one is for a Merrill carbine.

References used were Civil War Projectiles-McKee and Mason and Round Ball to Rimfire Part 2-Thomas.