Assistance with date and meaning of info on musket ball cast

[Chad1978]

Hi TreasureNet friends!

I recently picked up this musket ball cast (used to make musket balls from molten lead), but I am seeking some assistance with finding age of it (looks to be wrought iron not cast iron) along with meaning of some words embossed on it.

Pictures are attached. The words on one side read (I think) "J Emmons and then the number 12"

On the other side I think it says "gunsmith then "some letters here I cannot read" then OEFORD" and then something above it that I cannot read.

Any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated. I am trying to figure out which of my collections to add it to (civil war, revolutionary war, or other era)

 

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[Red James Cash]

What's the caliber of it.

 

[A2coins]

that's a cool find never saw one before.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

"12" may mean number of lead balls to the pound - or 12 gauge. 0.729"

 

[Chad1978]

how can I determine the caliber? Just measure the diameter of the cast?

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I found a reference to Nathaniel Emmons in the Annals of the Massachusetts Charitable Mechanic Association, 1795-1892.
His son Nathaniel Emmons Jr. was also a gunsmith.
To me this looks like a three ring bullet mold.

"Following the US Civil War rifles were sold as surplus after the war as your government switched over to breech loading arms and many of those CW guns were used for hunting well into the late 1800s-early 1900s. The poorer folks used these muzzle loaders for many years after the war as they killed game quite well and cost a whole lot less to shoot than metallic cartridges and the guns used to fire them. Grant allowed the confederates to keep their long arms for just such purposes, to get food on the table for their families."

Hope this helps,
Dave

 

[Red James Cash]

You could possibly cast a ball from wax then Mic it.If it's .69 caliber,then it's most likely for a musket.If it's smaller than .69 then it could be for a rifle.When gunsmith hand made rifle they usually supplied,made,the bullet mold to go with it.

 

[releventchair]

Just measure greatest inside span with a mic... .490 for example.
Can't tell size from picture. Could be 45-54 or greater caliber but looks to be on the small end if forced to guess.
Neat sprue cutter on the piece.
Handles are tapered to fit wood extensions on so to reduce the hot factor.

12 could be the cutter/cherry size that the mold was reamed out with . (?)