32 cal

CBA Member

Mike Gordon posted this 21 December 2008

Many years ago Thompson Center made and sold a .32 Maxi ball mold for its Cherokee Rifle. I own both the rifle and the mold. If I remember it was listed as being 103 grains when cast from pure lead. I never weighed mine but my experience has been that they are a good deal more accurate than round balls in the Cherokee. The Cherokee hasn't been made in at least 20 years and the mold probably more than that. Like anything else, you might find one for sale on the net.

If your not familiar with the maxi-ball design it had three bands and two grooves. The lower two bands were of a lesser diameter permitting the bullet to be started in the bore. A sharp rap from a short starter would press the upper band into the bore. When fired with black powder the pure lead bullet would upset and expand. My only complaint about shooting the maxi ball in my Cherokee was that I would need to run a patch through the bore after every shot if I wanted to preserve accuracy and shot more than three shots.

Anyway try and find one of those molds.

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Ed Harris posted this 22 December 2008

Typical blackpowder .32 roundball guns use a .315 ball and thin patch with 20 to 25 grs. of 3Fg. Try looking for the RCBS heeled bullet for the Australian .310 Cadet rifle. This has a .310 heel and a .320 driving band which should be about right to smack in with a short starter. Its 120 grains may be a bit heavy to stabilize, depending upon what your barrel twist is. You could face off the blocks and shorten the heel.

Best would is to find the correct T/C mould for this gun. Lacking that, carefully measure the twist rate and make a muzzle cast to determine rifling dimensions. You do this by putting a tight patch on your ramrod and pushing it only 3/4 inch or so below the muzzle. Warm up the barrel with a hair drier until it is “blood warm” to the touch, then pour in melted Cerrosafe and when it sets up carefully pull out your casting with the ramrod and jag. Pack carefully and send to Veral Smith and he can make you a custom heeled bullet to fit.

73 de KE4SKY In Home Mix We Trust From the Home of Ed's Red in "Almost Heaven" West Virginia

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clem posted this 22 December 2008

thompson center had a big fire back in the 90s and much of there equipment was destroyed and they simply didnt make some of products they had before. I am pretty sure that lyman made a lot of their molds, but they dont list one for the 32 anymore .I did find a mold for my 36cal on ebay and it works well in a traditions and a navy arms poor boy. Like the 32 cal the twist is 1-48 in both of my 36s.I guess if i wait long enough a mold will show some were andthanks for the replies Cl

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Mnshooter posted this 02 January 2009

One method of shooting bullets out of a ML that has been done very successfully is to patch them. Some use the paper patch like you see on cartridge guns. A very common one was to cut strips 1/4 as wide as the diameter (more or less) of the bullet and cross them over the muzzle. Some have used paper some cloth. I would think any 32 bullet could be loaded in this manner.

MNshooter

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gregmc posted this 16 February 2009

I'm not sure where to find the mold, but I just ordered the last two boxed from Cain's Outdoor. If you have need when I get them I can mike them and send out specs.

Should be able to have a machinist make up a mold. Might be costly but I have been looking for them for about 15 years.

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gregmc posted this 16 February 2009

I'm not sure where to find the mold, but I just ordered the last two boxed from Cain's Outdoor. If you have need when I get them I can mike them and send out specs.

Should be able to have a machinist make up a mold. Might be costly but I have been looking for them for about 15 years.

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Campchair posted this 28 February 2009

gregmc wrote: I'm not sure where to find the mold, but I just ordered the last two boxed from Cain's Outdoor. If you have need when I get them I can mike them and send out specs.

Should be able to have a machinist make up a mold. Might be costly but I have been looking for them for about 15 years.

Why don't you check with Dixie Gun Works. They have a lot of odd spec original design bullets in their “Dixie Molds” .They are the ones that look like a big pair tin snips with a big metal lump at the end. Ugly as sin, but cast really good balls and conical bullets. I'm almost sure they will have what you need. They are good about making up special;s that they then making them part of their line. They are locally made, so they can do this. You wil have to manually trim the sprues, though, just like Granpaw had to, but this adds to the “Long Rifle” experience....

I have both a .31 cal. (Colt original) , a .36 Colt Original, and a .44 Remington Original type all in Dixie molds. I build presentation cases and I usually put a few in as appropriate. They are exact matches for the original projectiles used in the combustible cartridges for these pistols, and they cast very sharp and clear. #2 alloy is appropriate for these, as they have to take the barrel rifling like a modern bullet, but for your squirrel rifle, try the paper patch route and pure lead. They are good on advice about this, also. Call and ask for the Gunsmith there. He has experience. What you need used to be called a “Pritchett Ball". It was a solid cast bullet used by target shooters prior to the Civil War. It was hard to keep aligned when loading, however.

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Campchair posted this 28 February 2009

gregmc wrote: I'm not sure where to find the mold, but I just ordered the last two boxed from Cain's Outdoor. If you have need when I get them I can mike them and send out specs.

Should be able to have a machinist make up a mold. Might be costly but I have been looking for them for about 15 years.

Why don't you check with Dixie Gun Works. They have a lot of odd spec original design bullets in their “Dixie Molds” .They are the ones that look like a big pair tin snips with a big metal lump at the end. Ugly as sin, but cast really good balls and conical bullets. I'm almost sure they will have what you need. They are good about making up special;s that they then making them part of their line. They are locally made, so they can do this. You wil have to manually trim the sprues, though, just like Granpaw had to, but this adds to the “Long Rifle” experience....

I have both a .31 cal. (Colt original) , a .36 Colt Original, and a .44 Remington Original type all in Dixie molds. I build presentation cases and I usually put a few in as appropriate. They are exact matches for the original projectiles used in the combustible cartridges for these pistols, and they cast very sharp and clear. #2 alloy is appropriate for these, as they have to take the barrel rifling like a modern bullet, but for your squirrel rifle, try the paper patch route and pure lead. They are good on advice about this, also. Call and ask for the Gunsmith there. He has experience. What you need used to be called a “Pritchett Ball". It was a solid cast bullet used by target shooters prior to the Civil War. It was hard to keep aligned when loading, however.

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Campchair posted this 28 February 2009

gregmc wrote: I'm not sure where to find the mold, but I just ordered the last two boxed from Cain's Outdoor. If you have need when I get them I can mike them and send out specs.

Should be able to have a machinist make up a mold. Might be costly but I have been looking for them for about 15 years.

Why don't you check with Dixie Gun Works. They have a lot of odd spec original design bullets in their “Dixie Molds” .They are the ones that look like a big pair tin snips with a big metal lump at the end. Ugly as sin, but cast really good balls and conical bullets. I'm almost sure they will have what you need. They are good about making up special;s that they then making them part of their line. They are locally made, so they can do this. You wil have to manually trim the sprues, though, just like Granpaw had to, but this adds to the “Long Rifle” experience....

I have both a .31 cal. (Colt original) , a .36 Colt Original, and a .44 Remington Original type all in Dixie molds. I build presentation cases and I usually put a few in as appropriate. They are exact matches for the original projectiles used in the combustible cartridges for these pistols, and they cast very sharp and clear. #2 alloy is appropriate for these, as they have to take the barrel rifling like a modern bullet, but for your squirrel rifle, try the paper patch route and pure lead. They are good on advice about this, also. Call and ask for the Gunsmith there. He has experience. What you need used to be called a “Pritchett Ball". It was a solid cast bullet used by target shooters prior to the Civil War. It was hard to keep aligned when loading, however.

Attached Files

Standard Member

Campchair posted this 28 February 2009

gregmc wrote: I'm not sure where to find the mold, but I just ordered the last two boxed from Cain's Outdoor. If you have need when I get them I can mike them and send out specs.

Should be able to have a machinist make up a mold. Might be costly but I have been looking for them for about 15 years.

Why don't you check with Dixie Gun Works. They have a lot of odd spec original design bullets in their “Dixie Molds” .They are the ones that look like a big pair tin snips with a big metal lump at the end. Ugly as sin, but cast really good balls and conical bullets. I'm almost sure they will have what you need. They are good about making up special;s that they then making them part of their line. They are locally made, so they can do this. You wil have to manually trim the sprues, though, just like Granpaw had to, but this adds to the “Long Rifle” experience....

I have both a .31 cal. (Colt original) , a .36 Colt Original, and a .44 Remington Original type all in Dixie molds. I build presentation cases and I usually put a few in as appropriate. They are exact matches for the original projectiles used in the combustible cartridges for these pistols, and they cast very sharp and clear. #2 alloy is appropriate for these, as they have to take the barrel rifling like a modern bullet, but for your squirrel rifle, try the paper patch route and pure lead. They are good on advice about this, also. Call and ask for the Gunsmith there. He has experience. What you need used to be called a “Pritchett Ball". It was a solid cast bullet used by target shooters prior to the Civil War. It was hard to keep aligned when loading, however.

Attached Files

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clem posted this 01 March 2009

Well the Lord gives what you deserve and needand I have come upon a 32 Cal mold.thanks for the many replies.Clem

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clem posted this 01 March 2009

just to let you know I found the cast conical for sale at Blue grouse and I got them from RMC in Pa. once they both can be found on google search.Good luck Clem