What’s the oldest mold you cast with?

[Bakebfr480]

An old Ideal #358242 125 hr. round nose that casts absolutely beautiful bullets!

 

[Missionary]

Good morning
My dad was a military muzzle loader mostly caliber .69 and 1858 Remington revolvers. So I naturally fell into muzzleloading. We have some round ball molds that are possibly from the 1800's that are of the type known as "camp fire molds"..... at least that is what they were called in SW Michigan when I was a teen. Probably have 30 or so that rode in a lot of leather possible bags.
So when I need an odd sized round ball I get out the round ball box of molds. Some actually still cast a decent RB. Calibers run from about .24 up to .68.... Never did find a .73 for our Brown Bess.
I would happily post a photo but I am 5000 miles and 2 months away from that moment.
Mike in Peru

 

[Maven]

My B & M "Iron" single cavity #429260 is probably my oldest and best casting mould: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?401545-Another-historic-mould-B-amp-M-429260

 

[S Mac]

I saw that, neat old mould.

 

[Reloader762]

Two of my oldest mold are the 160 gr. button nose Lyman / Ideal 357443 and the 150 gr. Lyman 358477. I picked up both molds and a set of handles at a estate sale several years ago for $50, the old caster had left the last bullets he cast with those molds still in the cavities which now reside on my reloading bench shelf.

I have no clue when the molds were mfg. but the # 357443 first show up in the Ideal Handbook in 1939 and last appeared in the Lyman #41 manual in 1957 which is same time the # 358477 came on the scene.

 

[richhodg66]

I have a few that are marked Ideal. That makes them before WWII. I have some that are old enough to have the integral handles which does make them old.

 

[358156 hp]

Does anybody have any pointers on how to determine the age of a Modern Bond Mould? They all look alike to me, and I am sitting on a J-358-610.

 

[S Mac]

Were all the Ideal with integral handles single cavity? That's all I've seen, and not many of those.

 

[richhodg66]

Two of my oldest mold are the 160 gr. button nose Lyman / Ideal 357443 and the 150 gr. Lyman 358477. I picked up both molds and a set of handles at a estate sale several years ago for $50, the old caster had left the last bullets he cast with those molds still in the cavities which now reside on my reloading bench shelf.

I have no clue when the molds were mfg. but the # 357443 first show up in the Ideal Handbook in 1939 and last appeared in the Lyman #41 manual in 1957 which is same time the # 358477 came on the scene.

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My dad was a big fan of that 357443 and I got a whole lot of them in his stuff when we moved him and mom into assisted living a few years ago, I'm sure I have the mold in all his stuff too. I personally haven't found it as accurate genrally as the 358429 or even the Lee 158 grain SWC.,

 

[Walks]

Lyman didn't start putting their own name on molds until After WW2. During this transition phase they put both Ideal & Lyman on the boxes.
I have an old 4cav mold marked ideal with a set of old style front hinge handles that are the heaviest mold handles I've ever seen.
Lyman did not make 4cav molds until After WW2. Prior to that they made the 6cav Arsenal molds.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

I'm new here and glad for it. Some of the oldest molds here come from buying molds in quantity, The oldest in regular use is a Ideal 308334. The bullets drop .314, The mold is un-vented. The mold throws excellent bullets. This bullet has done very well in local matches. In the most recent large buy there were some interesting molds. This lot included a vintage Hensley& Gibbs #50 plus some older Saeco four cavity molds. Take care and be safe.