Maxiball bullet mold?

[BubbaNColo]

Picked up what was supposed to be a 430 grain 54 cal Maxiball mold used, these are aluminum molds.
I used pure lead and cast weight was 410 grains, but bullet dia is .541 my factory maxiball bullets measure .538
The home cast .541 were super hard to load in my Thompson Thunderhawk.
Wondering if there is a real Maxiball mold out there somewhere? Or are they all hack jobs?

[Ladobe]

Sounds to me like what you have is a Lee 54 cal Minie mold, not a TC Maxi-ball mold.   The Lee casts 410 gr, but the design of a minie ball is different than that of a maxi-ball.

I have sets of TC molds in 32-54 cal for both RB and Maxi-ball, and they all cast true to weight.

[BubbaNColo]

The cast bullet looks just like a Maxiball.
I'm more concerned about the bigger diameter of bullet than weight.
Doesn't the minie ball have 4-6 grooves?

You shouldn't have to size a Maxiball bullet after using a mold should you?

[necchi]

this link has pictures;

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(gxzptf3ra4u4ev55zi5e2sa1))/Categories/tableList.aspx?catId=2&subId=25&styleId=65&PageSize=25&Page=1

The minnie ball has a hollow base. This "skirt" is there too expand and fill the lands/grooves.

[Ladobe]

No you do not size TC MB's.   In fact, because their front band is the one that engraves the rifling (instead of the rear or other bands in many other types of cast projectiles), they are among the easiest to load.

So a thought... where did you measure the two cast bullets you mentioned?   If you measured the rear band on the factory TC MB it will be under caliber, whereas the rear band on something that bears on that band would measure over caliber slightly and would be harder to load.

The weight is an important clue to ID the mold IF you are casting pure lead and IF you cast a solid with no air pockets.   

[BubbaNColo]

We sized off rear surface, interesting and it makes sense that it is hard to load if all three lands are the same while the factory uses a reduced diameter on last land. I like the Maxi-ball because it is easier to load than the Maxi-Hunter. I'll clean up a factory MB and measure all three lands tonight!

Anyone know what brand of mold is the right(real) Maxi-Ball mold?

Great input guys!

[Ladobe]

...Anyone know what brand of mold is the right(real) Maxi-Ball mold?

    Is this a trick question?   

All of mine are the original Maxi-Ball molds, and they are Thompson Center brand.

 

[BubbaNColo]

No trick my mold states 54 cal maxiball but it has been stamped with no ID on who made mold. Bet it was home made and I guess you get what you buy on stinking ebay.
I've learned pretty quick to stick with RCBS or Lyman molds ONLY. 
Lee and others has given me troubles.
Maybe I should just call TC and see if I can order these still.
They don't list it on the TC website, that I could find.

I really appreacate a Muzzle Loading forum putting up with casting ?s but really the cast forum doesn't address muzzle loader molds at least that I could find.

[Cuts Crooked]

I have one of those aluminum maxi ball molds somewhere in my collection. Cain't reccomember who made it but I never did like it. I also have a Idea maxi ball mold, that is steel...it is MUCH better! Donno if you can find any of the Ideal or T/C brand  maxi ball molds NIB these days, but if you do, snag em up!

[BubbaNColo]

Thanks guys, at least I know that there is some real molds out there, Ideal and Thompon Center brands to look for.
Again thanks
Black Powder opens in 2 weeks! Can't wait! Bull and Buck tags this year!

[Ladobe]

TC's molds do not have "TC" stamped on them, but they are steel.   In fact, I don't think they even have the caliber stamped on them.   The info was on the black and white boxes the blocks came in.   They may have "run" numbers - I can't remember.  If all of mine were not packed away over in storage from the move I'd check.  

I doubt TC offers any molds for sale at all nowdays as they no longer push the tradditional MLer's (just the modern stuff shooting saboted bullets).   But they do still sell precast/prelubed MB's and MH's and are dang pround of them.  The 54 Maxi-Ball mold was #7292 though in case you look for one.   I bought most of mine on Ebay years ago, and I assure you they were a battle to win right up to the last minute.   Paid top dollar for most of them, especially the 32's and 36's as they had been discontinued for so many years even back then.

[necchi]

for what it's worth, I had a TC roundball mold in .490 that was marked 50 CAL and it was definatly aluminum or a compsite similar too aluminum.