I just bought sight unseen a used round ball mold for about twice the price of a new Lee. It was represented as a Lyman, but it's black anodized aluminum - not iron, almost (but not quite) fits on any of my Lyman handles, is marked 513 on the upper front surface of both blocks and 50 CAL in slanted letters below the 513 on one block.

I bought it to use for a plinker load for my 50-110 and since the few round ball 50 molds currently available only seem to cast either .500 or up in the .520s .... I knew Lyman used to catalog a .512 and .515 and knowing I'd someday be looking for a .510-.512, figured I'd better grab this one.

I'd like to find handles to fit, a mfgr's name, any other info - right now I'm feeling a little burned on this "Lyman" mold, but still hoping I can make it work rather than going after the seller.

Thanks, Joe / hobbyguymaine / old windbag

I have modified one of my Lee 6 cavity mold handles to use with several other brands of molds. I like the Lees BETTER than the other companies handles after I do a bit of modification!

Lyman 4 cavity will work with the Lee handless, but not as well as the Lyman 4 Cavity handles.

Hobbyguy, I think you have a Thompson/Center mold, which is of excellent quality btw. If so, it will cast a .490" dia. RB from pure Pb and unless you're using a T?C rifle, you'll have to experiment with patch thickness for optimum accuracy. It has been suggested that Lyman actually produced those molds for T/C, but I can't confirm it. ...Maven

A buddy gave me a similar sounding 36 caliber round ball mold. Are the blocks narrower than A lyman, ie when you put mold handles on it, they close more then normal?

I know I fit a pair of handles to it to cast some, but for the life of me, don't recall which handles I used.

I have found that by pulling a pair of handles off a lee two cavity mold, I can get handles that will work with most molds. Those cut for thicker handles get a washer put in the slot to take up the slack.