A study on firearms tools

[adrian]

It is difficult to date & identify this unless there are some identifying marks, even with its measurable caliber as a guide. For most of the black powder military history it was far more expedient to supply ready made ammunition rather than to supply separate lead, casting tools, melting vessels etc & loose powder. Certainly there are examples whereby bullet making utensils/moulds were provided, as a back up, such as to outstations, expeditions & where re-supply was unlikely/unreliable, etc, but this would generally be the exception. If there was a conflict where hastily raised troops may have been required to provide their own arms then ammunition supply would probably have relied to some extent upon casting balls as required at an individual level due to varying calibres.