WTB plug mics, over .582

[michael noble]

Any recommendations on where to purchase plug mics? I need a set from .583 and up. I recently received 2 Remington Zouaves, one Euroarms and one Antonio Zoli. I have a set of brass plug mics that only go up to .582, and it still has a little play in both bores.
Also, is there any Minnie moulds that are larger than .582 on the market? And push through sizing dies?
I know this is a lot, but any suggestions will be appreciated.

[TCLewis]

I got mine from Amazon. They were about $6 each.

https://www.amazon.com/HHIP-4103-0582-Replacement-0-0002-Tolerance/dp/B01BHHR0ES/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3IBLF3LRL6Q2I&keywords=pin+gauge+.582&qid=1677693154&s=industrial&sprefix=pin+gague+.582%2Cindustrial%2C77&sr=1-3

If the link doesn't work, try searching Amazon: pin gauge .582

[Hal]

I've gotten them from McMaster Carr, but Amazon may be cheaper.

[bobanderson]

Look at class ZZ minus gauges from Travers Tool - https://www.travers.com/category/class-zz-pin-gages

Minus gauges are .005 undersized, so when you order .580 you get .5795 to slip into a .580 bore.

I bought individual gauges in the common skirmish diameters. My only screwup was buying .515 gauges for 50 caliber carbine (.515 is the groove diameter.)

[rmark]

I have a Northeast Trade co. .582 press mounted sizing die I'm not using and would be happy to sell.

Mark

[John Westenberger]

Any recommendations on where to purchase plug mics? I need a set from .583 and up. I recently received 2 Remington Zouaves, one Euroarms and one Antonio Zoli. I have a set of brass plug mics that only go up to .582, and it still has a little play in both bores.
Also, is there any Minnie moulds that are larger than .582 on the market? And push through sizing dies?
I know this is a lot, but any suggestions will be appreciated.

If you want a full set of plugs, the cheapest place I found was amazon or ebay. They sell the same plugs for within a dollar or two for the set. For individual plugs, the set linked above on amazon is by far the best place.

.582+ moulds? Nothing currently made in production. All of moose's stuff only goes to .582 I believe. I asked him for a .585 mold of any bullet type, and he said he didn't have anything. A teammate let me borrow a .585 Rapine old style minie that dropped at .587, but they beat you up, and the mould is hard to find. And I think lyman used to .585 mould too, but I'm not sure. You may eventually have luck finding one at a national or on ebay, but I ended up giving up and dropping the coin on a whitacre barrel for my 1861 Trenton contract that had the oversized bore.

For sizers, Tom Crone can make whatever you want, and they're incredibly high quality.

[michael noble]

Thanks for the responses everyone. With the lack of moulds that go over .582, I believe the best bet is to replace the barrels with smaller bores, such as .576 - .580. The bores on both rifles are larger than .582, in fact, I cand stick the .582 mic in it and it as significant play. If I had to guess, they would be around .585 - .587.

[Chris Sweeney]

Just because I'm OCD:

A "Minus" pin gage is not necessarily smaller than the marked size. The minus refers to the direction of the tolerance range. A .500" minus gage is certified to be no larger than .500 and no smaller than .499X. A .500" plus gage is certified to be no smaller than .500 and no larger than .500X, where X = the class tolerance (you can get a $6 gage where the tolerance limit is .0005, up to a $200 pin that has a whole bunch more zeros.)

The $6 gages that are listed in the links are Class ZZ that have .0005" tolerance

[tony 1st regt]

near 25 years ago I made my own measuring devices on a lathe. I made them using a steel rod in sizes that we normally use at N-SSA. After chucking a .75 piece of steel rod and facing it square, I cut it down to the sizes I needed such as .575 etc, I also drilled a hole and tapped it to the size of the ramrod screw thread so I could measure the barrel front to back, then did a slight radius so the edges would not bind on both sides, then used a parting bit to cut it off. They are about 1/8" wide. If I had some brass stock I would of made them using it.

The process is not very time consuming and I am surprised someone isn't doing it especially those who have a CNC setup.