What is it and What is it worth?

[BigRix]

I picked up this really cool 8 cavity mold today and it has no markings other than the divots on the side of one mold half. This thing is a beast. I imagine whoever used this built up quite the forearm strength. Looks like 30 caliber.

Any ideas?

[6.5 mike]

Maybe an old armory gang mould. Looks to be maybe 150 ish grs.

[MtGun44]

I think this may be a Krag era Army mold. I think I have seen these somewhere
before. Maybe even '03 Springfield era.

Too bad some DA used it as a hammer.

Bill

[Texasflyboy]

Its an Ideal Armory mould. I have several. Mine date from 1908 - 1912.

Here is mine:

Ideal Armory mould

[runfiverun]

man. the abuse someone gave that thing.
it looks like it might still make some decent boolits though.

[frankenfab]

That is toooo cool! I'll give ya a dollar for it.

[Bret4207]

Ideal Armory mould. I cant find that design in my paperwork that's here, but the ATRTCA probably can help. http://www.antiquereloadingtools.com/


Worth? On Ebay a hundred, maybe $300.00 to the right bidder. Who knows. I'd sure be cleaning it up and getting the lead off the faces.

[BigRix]

Any advise on cleaning this baby up? I don't want to do more damage than has already been done.

[sqlbullet]

Cast some boolits with it and post up the pics. that will do.more tan about anything in my mind to show it's value

[BigRix]

Got a very nice response from delliott at the ATRTCA.

Quote:

Rick:

What you have is the earlier of two versions of the Ideal "Armory" mould. First introduced in Ideal Handbook No. 4 of 1893, it was initially cherried for six .45 or .50 caliber military bullets, but soon adapted for seven cavities in the .38 - .40 caliber range, eight for the .30's and .35's, and nine for the smaller calibers (first photo below). It was soon superseded (Handbook No. 10, 1898) by a second version, with similar choice and number of cavities, but with a beefed-up cutoff plate with hooks and a heavy peg stopping it in the "open" and "closed" position, to relieve wear and tear on the screw-stud riding in the curved slot (second photo) as the sprue-plate was knocked open to shear off the sprues, and than knocked closed again. The Armory mould was - shortly after the turn of the century - also offered as part of a volume reloading set including the large "Armory" loading press, a gas-fired alloy melting pot and ladle, and other accessories, for National Guard and shooting club use. Production continued under Lyman ownership down to the mid-1930s, when the Armory moulds were replaced by the current four-cavity ones.

Yours is the scarce (I have never gotten my hands on one, though I have two of the later ones) earlier version, and a previous owner has added an overlay on the sprue-plate (presumably to stiffen the plate and/or to deepen the pouring trough). Unfortunately, this obscures the bullet identification number stamped on the top of the original plate, but it looks close to Ideal Bullet No. 30812, in the 95-grain weight, though the top band looks slightly different. When you get the mould working, cast up a few in 1:20 tin:lead and check diameter and weight - and maybe we can pin it down closer. I don't advise trying to remove the overlay, just to read the marking under it. Though the exterior of the mould and the handles show considerable wear, use and some abuse, the cavities look to be in good shape and should cast well, provided the mould can be held closed tightly so that little or no light shows through when you look into the cavities against the light. Exterior cleanup can be done with solvent and a hand-held soft wire brush or medium0fine steel wool. Brake cleaner and brass / bronze brush or bronze wool are all that should be applied, though, to the tops and faces of the blocks or the cavities. (You will find other suggestions for cleanup under "General Discussion" at the top of the Forum page.)

If yours is like the later Armory moulds, there may be provision for lubricating the hinge at the front of the blocks. I would, however, suggest carefully disassembling the hinge pin and its nuts, cleaning thoroughly, and lubing (sparingly!) with a small amount of high-temperature grease (I'd use NAPA Syl-Glide disc brake lube) or a dry moly powder, but avoid getting any lube onto the mould faces or into the cavity.

[Bret4207]

Doug Elliot, aka Floodgate, is a good guy and a long time member here. If he's says that what it it- it is!!!

Myself, I'd get some 4/0 steel wool and work the alloy splashes off the faces, A razor blade will work too, but requires a good deal of care. For the outside...battle scars. Leave them as a good lesson in how NOT to treat a mould.

[SSGOldfart]

Ideal Armory mould would be my guess, I'd go at least $100 to start are you planning to sell?

[Larry-FL]

I have the later version with the stops and a grease fitting at the hinge. It is a seven cavity 357446 that casts a semi-wadcutter of about 160 or so grains. My favorite mold for 38 special. It was my dad's and I can remember helping him cast with in the mid 1960's.

Larry