found bullet mold

[Bigcypresshunter]

I found this in an old building. I know what it is, but does anyone know how old it is? Pictured .45 caliber round ball is too large- will not fit. Maybe for a pistol? What is the square end used for?

 

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[IronSpike]

Could trk5capt be right on the function with ball smoothing. Instead of using the mold as a hammer tool the bullet is the object being hammered or smoothed on the square end piece

 

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[Buck Bagaw]

IronSpike, Monty, Etc,
No, not my guns, but I sure wish they were. The picture came from an auction site. The wrench has to be used for barrel removable. The muzzle end has four machined grooves which accept the corners of the wrench. As for loading, the breech end of the barrel has female threads which mate to the male threads on the breech plug. The breech plug has a hollowed area which accepts the powder and ball. The ball is slightly oversized to the bore and upon firing is forced to swage down to bore size. This action results in higher pressure and thus higher velocity than a standard muzzleloading pistol. The big drawback was that loading took a lot of time.
The other wrench on the mould in the set is to remove the nipples for cleaning. Note: the bore is not square.
Just a couple more sparks from this side of the fire.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Could trk5capt be right on the function with ball smoothing. Instead of using the mold as a hammer tool the bullet is the object being hammered or smoothed on the square end piece

Bucks explanation is much more plausible IMO. A ramrod is not needed to load the tight fitting ball and blackpowder build up would not be an issue..


My bullet mold has only one wrench end. I do not have a nipple wrench.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Thinking about it now, it must be a Civil War era item if it uses percussion caps.

I would still like to know the manufacturer a this unusual pistol.

 

[tapwater]

Thinking about it now, it must be a Civil War era item if it uses percussion caps.

I would still like to know the manufacturer a this unusual pistol.

Not neccessarily. Percussion ignition was around in the 1830's and was widely used by the 1840's. If my feeble
memory is correct, it was a Reverend Bacon who came up with the concept. Could be wrong on that though.
Sam Colt was already making percussion revolvers in the 1840's.
To take a SWAG, I'd date it to at least pre 1850.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Yes you are correct. Widely used approx. 1840-1865. Found at Gettysburg doesnt prove it was used by the troops. I wish I knew more about the screw out barrel loading pistol so I could put up the green check.

 

[tapwater]

Here is a link to a screw barrel for sale. Sorry that I can't date these things, but many are of European manufacture,
Belgium in particular. They were not a combat weapon by any means. They were generally small and carried by travelers
as protection against highwaymen.

http://v4.beta.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=130064158

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Here is a link to a screw barrel for sale. Sorry that I can't date these things, but many are of European manufacture,
Belgium in particular. They were not a combat weapon by any means. They were generally small and carried by travelers
as protection against highwaymen.

http://v4.beta.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=130064158

Thanks. So can we can safely assume it is not American made?

 

[steif]

We can positively say it could be made anywhere... The moulds and barrel keys (that's what they called them) and the pistols themselves ( most are generally called Queen Anne or Screw Barrel) were made in large numbers from the early 1700's to about 1870 or so..
I've seen some with the square key like yours, some with actual octagon holes on the end of the handle to fit around the barrel and round holes with a "keyway" to fit on a projection on the barrel... and so on, in a multitude of designs.
the only thing these were for is the barrel screwed off, put the ball in, then powder, then screwed it back together, this was to make a hard hitting little round, that could be carried without fear of the ball coming loose in the barrel and creating a air pocket. and the ball would be swaged when fired and more accurate in a small pistol.

And by the way, there were some guns made in the 15th century with square bores, they were described in a book I once read, the explanation was "round bullets for Christians, Square bullets for Muslims and other savages" this was in a text from the 1400's I believe. It was in a gun history of design and evolution book.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

We can positively say it could be made anywhere... The moulds and barrel keys (that's what they called them) and the pistols themselves ( most are generally called Queen Anne or Screw Barrel) were made in large numbers from the early 1700's to about 1870 or so..
I've seen some with the square key like yours, some with actual octagon holes on the end of the handle to fit around the barrel and round holes with a "keyway" to fit on a projection on the barrel... and so on, in a multitude of designs.
the only thing these were for is the barrel screwed off, put the ball in, then powder, then screwed it back together, this was to make a hard hitting little round, that could be carried without fear of the ball coming loose in the barrel and creating a air pocket. and the ball would be swaged when fired and more accurate in a small pistol.

And by the way, there were some guns made in the 15th century with square bores, they were described in a book I once read, the explanation was "round bullets for Christians, Square bullets for Muslims and other savages" this was in a text from the 1400's I believe. It was in a gun history of design and evolution book.

Thanks for the explanation. I was always worried about the ball moving creating an air pocket and blowing up when I hunt with muzzleloaders. It sounds like a good invention for a one shot little pocket pistol for travellers.

Im calling this solved.