Soapstone Bullet Mold

The two months following the battles at Lexington and Concord in April 1775 were tense and uncertain. The British Army, besieged in Boston, and the colonial militias to the north and west were in a standoff across the Charles River. As they maneuvered into position, they prepared for a battle that both sides expected would come. This bullet mold, one of many used by the American forces, was “kept hot night and day for two weeks before Bunker Hill.”

Soapstone was, and is, a valuable mineral with many uses. Because it is comprised primarily of talc, it’s very soft and easy to work with. Soapstone is durable and stands up to heat remarkably well. As a result, it was an ideal material for bullet molds.