Antique ball mould refit refurb ?

[Salkehatchie]

Well, down deep in the Ozarks of MO this past weekend and always hit the antique shops. One just never, ever knows.

I found two gorgeous ball moulds obviously hand forged. Sweet little rascals and priced cheaper than new ones are.  Well, close enough.

One was stamped...55. No other markings evident on them. I suspect this is 55 balls to a pound as no way was it a .55 cal. 

My question is though...can one take a ball cherry or some other tool - to them to increase/modify the caliber? [ I can not do this of course, but surely there is someone out there who can. ] Is this feasible?

Thank you in advance guys.

[Hungry Horse]

As rare as antique ball molds are, it seems almost criminal to butcher one up when modern molds are readily available. Turner Kirkland literally made his early reputation making new bullet molds from old hair straighteners, because old bullet molds were so hard to find.
 My advice would be to buy a new mold and preserve the antique ones.

  Hungry Horse

[Shreckmeister]

Here in Pennsylvania I see so many ball molds for sale I would never have to look at more than one show to find what I needed

[T.C.Albert]

I wouldnt really change the old ones right off the bat...I'd combine the comments above to make a plan...

first: keep your eye out for old ones in the sizes you really want to use...likely they are still out there...
second: contact a maker of new ones like Larry Calahan to see what he can do for you...in fact, ask him about refurbing the old ones...he would know how feasible and cost effective such a move would be...plus he is down your way by the sound of it...
third...please let all of us here know what you decide and how it ends up going...Im sure lots of us have had similar thoughts...
tc

[Daryl]

In pure lead, 55 balls to the pound is .439"- .45 (51 bore) to .47 cal.(45 bore) rifle, I assume.

[Salkehatchie]

I wouldnt really change the old ones right off the bat...I'd combine the comments above to make a plan...

first: keep your eye out for old ones in the sizes you really want to use...likely they are still out there...
second: contact a maker of new ones like Larry Calahan to see what he can do for you...in fact, ask him about refurbing the old ones...he would know how feasible and cost effective such a move would be...plus he is down your way by the sound of it...
third...please let all of us here know what you decide and how it ends up going...Im sure lots of us have had similar thoughts...
tc

If I pick these up will look for Mr. C at the Fort in IL in April to get an evaluation.  May just have a duplicate made.  Might be "safer" and cheaper too!  And will keep all posted on progress and will include pictures if I do get them.

Thank you

[Salkehatchie]

In pure lead, 55 balls to the pound is .439"- .45 (51 bore) to .47 cal.(45 bore) rifle, I assume.

Well, I shoot .45s.  May have to pick these up and run them by Mr. C in April at Fort de Chartres!

Thank you