During the American Civil War the U.S. Government relied on its arsenals and private contractors to produce the millions of pistol cartridges that it would need to prosecute the War. Among these various sources, bullet designs, powder charges, and cartridge cases or wrappers varied immensely. One very successful contractor was Algernon Johnston and Lorenzo Dow who produced a patented "water proof" combustable cartridge. The government ordered both rifle musket and pistol ammunition from Johnston & Dow from 1861 through 1863. The first .44 caliber pistol cartridges ordered use Government suppled bullets, but Johnston & Dow soon introduced their own superior bullet design and most of their cartridges included this long healed, single groove bullet.
Johnston & Dow eventually supplied about ten million pistol cartridges to the U.S. Government and the Remington Arms Company supplied Johnston & Dow ammunition with the .44 and .36 caliber revolvers that it produced during the War. There cartridges were intended to be used in any .44 or .36 caliber revolver, regardless of make.
The Johnston & Dow bullet is a great design, and also has the distinction of being the only original Civil War bullet type that can be easily loaded in reproduction .44 caliber black powder revolvers. New made revolvers differ significantly in the loading areas as compared to original guns. As a result, most period designs will not fit under the loading lever plunger of reproduction revolvers. The long heel of the Johnston & Dow allows it to fit substantially lower in the chamber and thus will clear the loading plunger in reproductions.
Mike Bellieveau of the (AKA Duelist1954 on YouTube) has produced an excellent video on casting the .44 Johnston & Dow bullets and making paper cartridges:
https://www.full30.com/video/675579bb1fbeccbf1e11168b7e5f1cfc
See Dustin Wenigar's review of this mold: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb2pD9ANmvM&feature=youtu.be
The Eras Gone Johnston & Dow bullet weighs 217 grains, the band is .460 in diameter and the ogive just above the groove is .451. The long heel is .428 and will fit easily into the chamber even if wrapped in cartridge paper for those who prefer to prepare combustable cartridges. These bullets should be cast with pure, soft lead just as the originals were.
See the photo of an original Johnston & Dow .44 caliber bullet side by side with a new one cast from an Eras Gone bullet mold. This original bullet was recovered from a cavalry camp near Lonoke Arkansas about 35 years ago. Measurements taken from this bullet were used to design the Eras Gone Johnston & Dow bullet mold.
Eras Gone bullet molds are produced by LEE precision and will give you a lifetime of quality casting. They are double cavity and are a proprietary design sold exclusively by Eras Gone Bullet Molds. Here is a combustable cartridge made with an Eras Gone Johnston & Dow bullet. It is shown next to an original .36 caliber combustable cartridge which inspired its construction.
SKU 91791