I bought the Eras Gone dragoon bullet it works great in both my Walk and Dragoon. I now have the Colt 36cal and 44call bullet molds plus the Dragoon and Kerr molds. Now I need the Baby Dragoon 31cal mold when its back in stock and I'll be set.
+Mark Hubbs It is fascinating to look at the rapid progression of conical bullet design as shown in molds for "Colt's Revolving Holster Pistol" (Walker, Whitneyville Dragoon, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Model Dragoon) In 1847 the Walker and Whitneyville-Hartford Dragoon molds used the 219 gr Picket Bullet (no rebated base); in 1848-50 the 1st Model Dragoon mold used a 219 gr conical (rebated base, no grease groove); in 1850-51 the 2nd Model and early 3rd Model molds used a smooth 258 gr conical, and late 3rd Model Dragoon molds cast a single grease groove 258 gr conical. All molds, except the single-cavity-Picket Walker, were double-cavity casting a round ball in addition to the conical. The Walker and some Whitneyville-Hartford Dragoon molds were iron. Late Whitneyville-Hartford Dragoon, and all 1st and 2nd model Dragoon molds were brass. Early 3rd Model Dragoon Molds(1851-59?) were brass. By roughly 1860, Colt was using all iron molds for revolvers. Not sure if this is of any value to you, but it is an interesting bit of bullet design evolution. Thanks again for making these historic bullet design molds available to the shooting world.
Charles, the only mold we carry that would work well in a .44 Navy is our .44 Kerr. It will also work very well in you 1860. I have a couple of videos on that bullet. I'm out of stock right now, but should have them in 6-8 weeks.
+Mark Hubbs The Dragoon .44 mold is on the way; I ordered about a week ago. Thank you for making these available. I now have all your revolver molds. FYI, this smooth 258 gr conical first appeared in brass molds for the 2nd Model Dragoon circa 1850-51. It continued into the early 3rd Model Dragoon molds 1851-1858?. Roughly around 1858, the 3rd Model Dragoon molds added a single grease groove to this same conical bullet design, retaining the same weight of about 258 grs. In 1858 Colt Cartridge Works dropped the tinfoil envelope revolver cartridges (1855-1857) and began using a paper envelope cartridge for the Dragoon using the single grease groove 258 gr bullet over 20 grs Hazard Cartridge Powder. Hazard Cartridge Powder was so-designated because the powder was an extremely fine grain sporting grade black powder, much too fine grained to be safely loose-loaded in chambers from a flask, as it could dribble thru nipples, coat the breech face and set up a possible chain fire situation in revolvers. Hazard #1 Pistol Powder could be safely loose-loaded from a flask as it was roughly like modern Swiss 4Fg powder. For safety, I always go to after-market nipples with tiny flash holes on my Uberti/Pietta replicas before loose-loading any powder finer grained than Swiss FFFg. I find stock nipples on Uberti/Pietta revolvers to have flash holes way too large compared to original Colt/Remington nipples, creating a lot of back-pressure-caused cap jams and a danger for chain fire due to powder dribble-thru. Greatly appreciate your molds, Thanks!
Alistair, I don't know anyone who has tried this in a Dance. If I had to guess, I would say there is more of a chance the J&D bullet would fit. But since the Dance is somewhat inspired by the Dragoon, there might be room for the Dragoon bullet. Sorry I can't give you a definite answer.
For heavier 44 cal bullets i use FFg instead of FFFg, the slower burn gently drives the bullet out of the muzzle more uniformly and i got tighter groups in this method.
The Johnston and Dow bullet suits me just fine and uses a bit less lead. I think that's what I would use for mine. It is the most refined Civil War bullet and gives you the best accuracy plus you can make cartridges with them.
I have all the Authentic Colts. I strive to have all period equiptment etc. I would love to be able to fire authentic Dragoon balls from my heavy Colt 4 pounders!
I have all the Authentic Colts. I strive to have all period equiptment etc. I would love to be able to fire authentic Dragoon balls from my heavy Colt 4 pounders!
I cant seem to find this mold anywhere. I looked all over ebay and even Dixie gun works didn't have it and I usually have really good luck with that store. Do you know when you'll have another mold for this? I cannot buy the bullets or molds anywhere, it's driving me crazy only being able to shoot the round ball from my Dragoon. Please help lol
This bullet mold and several others are only offered by Eras Gone Bullet Molds (see link in video description). Unfortunately, demand is so high for all of them I am having trouble keeping them in stock. I expect a shipment of .44 Dragoon molds soon. Keep an eye on my web site (www.erasgonebullets.com) and my Facebook page for updates. Find us at "Eras Gone Bullet Molds"
@@erasgonehistoricalmolds2400 I got the mold and it's great. I bought some lead and a pot to cook the lead in and made a whole mess of bullets today. I am selling 30 of the projectiles on ebay to see if anyone wants to buy some, just for fun really. You mind if I shill my ebay link here or?
@@erasgonehistoricalmolds2400 yeah I just didnt see anyone else selling them. I would have bought some if they were available. It's a great mold by the way.
It will load with the cylinder off the gun on a loading stand The loading port on the repro Walkers are notoriously short and narrow. Only a round ball will load in a walker unless you buy the Uberti made mold specifically designed for it.
I was afraid of that. I put a Krist conversion cylinder in my 3rd. mod. Dragoon and don't have the percussion cylinder anymore. Dang. However, I am considering putting a conversion cylinder in the Walker. Do you think one of your bullets could be loaded into a 45. Colt cartridge? I use gated cylinders I don't think dissembling a colt every time you load it is a good idea. Thanks Keep up the good work.
Hugh, you might be able to load it into a .45 long colt casing if it is sized to the correct diameter. However, I think the overall length might be too long.
This can be loaded into an Uberti Colt Walker with some minor modification to the loading port. The metal is soft enough to allow for jeweler files to work off a few millimeters till it clears. Do this at your own risk. You will not be able to load paper cartridges into the walker if this conical is attached due to the location of the wedge. You would have to make powder cartridges to load first and follow up with loose conicals. Masking off the area around the loading port will mitigate filing scratches. I finished the filing with 500, 1000, then 1500 grit paper and blued the exposed metal. I need to make another pass at mine to remove about half a millimeter to ensure consistently smooth loading.
Watched your film I see how you load the .800 bullet in Dragoon apologies for misunderstanding your adds , In descriptions 3rd paragraph it states guns it will not fit because of being to long , as I understood the add Dragoon being a smaller gun than the Walker the bullet should have been advertised for the Walker and the Dragoon being secondary , The add still says it will not fit a Walker along with 1860 and the Rem/army / I stand Corrected the Bullet will shoot from a Dragoon , I am not convinced as to working with a paper cartridge in Dragoon .
Thanks Frank. This issue with the Walker is not the length, but the width of the loading port. The shoulder of the bullet snags on the side of the port as you try to rotate it under the plunger. A little time with some needle files can cure that problem. Dustin Wenegar has a video on how to alter the Uberti Walker to take conical bullets.
The bullets were lube historically. But you are correct. With no groove very little lubricant was carried with the bullet down the bore. Colt saw this as an issue too and redesigned his .44 bullets with a lube groove around 1860. However this style "sugar loaf" bullet continued to be made in US and CS arsenal all through the Civil War.
When the US Army finally started making cartridges for the Dragoon they settled on about 30 - 35 grains and the large conical bullet. The 1860 Ordnance Manual, the first Ordnance Manual that mentions revolvers, says 30 grains. It was published before the introduction of the Model 1860 Army revolver, so we can surmise that the 30 grain load is for the .44 Dragoon that was already in service.
Mark Hubbs ah understandable, I had the idea from seeing some of the original colt molds and thought about applying the same concept they used with those
They would shoot well in a Walker, but you might have to alter the loading port a bit for it to fit. Dustin Weneger (Guns of the West) has a several videos on shooting these in a Walker and how to enlarge the loading port.
If you can get away with it. Lots of gun ranges have explicit rules against raising the barrel of your gun when on the line, given the risk of an accidental discharge exiting the range.
The problem with the Uberti replicas of the 1847 model Colt's is that they just aren't made as well as the hand fitted originals were. One of the biggest issues with them is that the edges of the striking surface of the hammers are left too sharp, and you really need to take a small file, or an Emory board, or even just sand paper, and round off the corners of the hammer face a bit. The sharp corners bite into the soft metal of the caps when they fire, and cause them to stick to the hammer just enough that when you cock it again, the hammer will lift the busted cap off the nipple, and drop it into your action. That's really inconvenient. Just smooth off the edges of the hammer, and it will quit doing that. The originals never did that.
@@ps2hacker How do you know the originals did not do that ? They are now over 100 years old, so the sharp edges have worn off, the real problem is that modern caps are completely different the caps back then, they were much thicker, try some 100 year old caps, they do not jam, I still have a plentiful supply of Eley caps .
But the main thing we have to remember about these pistols number one first and foremost these are a combat piece repeat a combat piece meant for ranges up to 50 yards if need be they were designed for quick point and shoot was the enemy as a last-ditch in the calvary and the Civil War the rifle was the main armament your pistol was your final backup your Infantry if you will it was your last ditch and usually targets or less than 50 feet or less or 20 feet or less or arm's length or 12 feet away I mean up close and personal you can get some beer adjustable sights through the Dixie catalog out of Tennessee I have such catalog and they do Southern for percussion there is some slight modifications that can be done possibly to the barrel sooner throat making sure the cylinder are lined up with the board and each chamber of Thrones is true
Also I was wondering what are the grains in a bullet I wonder if he's thought about making a genuine Elmer Keith wadcutter while the bullet design he has looks good for penetration you could almost develop the Keith water cutter with a hollow base and thick skirts the usual Keith wadcutter has three equal driving bands of the same width however if modified with two extra wide driving bans and a deep grease group and a hollow base of 200 grains possibly to 250 or thereabouts or even 245 grains will be a good killer on game and as far as a good self defense load with a couple of preloaded cylinders may be great I thought of that even like the 36 caliber Colt Navy some take a bullet diameter or 375 a 200 to 220 grain might be ideal for that
Now this is a smart guy one of the things could be improved upon on the gun itself what I have a longer cylinder fitted into the frame with less Barrel extension to close examination of the gun itself plus there are several different brands of black powder and of course you have your peridex and a few others substitutes also there is a thing called Heating the steel to about 300 degrees and then wrap it freezing it that shrinks the steel to where it stiffens the barrel and then possibly hard Chrome lining the barrel if the barrels for hammer-forged which would be good and then possibly each chamber should be measured in the cylinder throats there could be a variation throwing off and then cylinder alignment with the Barrel if they are not bore sighted that could be a problem as well
I don't have the time to mold bullets these days, but would like to get my hands on about 500 of the Johnson and Dow bullets. Is any vendor out there selling these in bulk?
It is surprisingly easy to mold your own and doesn't take too long to make a bunch. I would strongly suggest buying the molds. I am glad I did. Very easy and you'll save a ton. Lead ingots of good pure lead are really cheap.