Old Round Ball Scissor Molds

[Majorjoel]

A couple of weeks ago I bought a "grab bag" of old gun stuff from an old timer cleaning out his basement. Among the stuff were these three round ball scissor bag RB molds. Like the three bears.....there was a 70 caliber Papa Bear, a 60 caliber Mama Bear, and a wee little 30 caliber Baby Bear.  I was wondering if anyone would know how old these might be and anything else about them.  The small 30 cal has no markings and no sprew cutter built in. The others have cutters and the 70 is stamped Manton & Co on one arm and Calcutta on the other arm.  Any info would be much appreciated.    Joel       

     

[Majorjoel]

   

[Majorjoel]

Just a bit more information: The 70 cal Manton mold also has No. 13 stamped and on the backside WD stamped on the handles. The 60 cal mold just has the number 18 stamped on it and no other markings.

[Canute Rex]

The 13 and 18 are gauge numbers. A lot of those old molds have gauge numbers (balls to the pound) instead of caliber. 13 corresponds to .71 caliber and 18 corresponds to .637 caliber.

[smokinbuck]

Rex has got it right. These molds were used from mid 19th century up until they just weren't needed due to the cartridge take over. I have picked up a lot of them over the years and the larger bag molds are harder to find and somewhat costlier. These look like they are in nice shape. Obviously at least one being English.
Mark

[Levy]

I bought a .32 cal. percussion half-stock from a friend that was made by James Bown at Enterprise Gunworks.  the muzzle of the rifle is stamped 160.  As luck would have it, years before I had purchased a bullet mold like those shown above that was marked 160.  Is this muzzle numbering seen very often?

James Levy

[Collector]

You've got the perfect fix'ns for buck-and-ball loads. 

[mr. no gold]

Some of the later rifles, (mostly half stocks) seem to have had the balls per pound stamped on the muzzle. The majority of these were mid western guns. These are not common by any means and I am not sure why more aren't marked. Or, why did they stamp them at all?
Dick

[TPH]

Just a bit more information: The 70 cal Manton mold also has No. 13 stamped and on the backside WD stamped on the handles. The 60 cal mold just has the number 18 stamped on it and no other markings.

All above information concerning gauge and caliber markings is correct. I might add that the "WD" mark signifies property of the British "War Department". Is there a Broad Arrow stamp? It will look similar to this:   




The Broad Arrow is the British Government property stamp.