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Ok. I've got the lead round ball thing down now. Cast about 200 of them last week
and they turned out great. Consistant weights and diameters.
I've been collecting molds, sizing dies and top punches and I think I'm
ready to start making real bullets but I'm having a hard time with the whole alloy thing.
Lyman book says I have to add Tin and Antinomy to the lead to make a suitable
bullet.
My question is what is the difference between the two and where the @@##$%% do I get it?
My usual places I buy from only have pre-mixed alloys.
any and all help is apprecialted.
jason
jasonB " Another Dirty Yankee"
" Tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?"
you can buy them from McMasterCarr.com, and I think Midway sells it too, but I'm not sure. I also happen to have some blocks of it I could send you, how much lead do you have? I have inguts that I could send if I can find them in my garage. I will let you know.
Mike Johnson,
"Only those who will risk going too far, can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Eliot
No problem finding Tin but Antimony is another thing. It in it`s pure state is not easy to work with and I suggest using an already mixed alloy such as Linotype to get it and figure out the mix yourself.
There is Antimony in wheel weights also a inexpensive way to get it.
I dont worry about the exact amount of any component but rely on my hardness tester to let me know where I am at as far as hardness. I also make up fairly large batches once I find one that works the way I want.
You can soften it by adding pure lead and harden it with more Linotype.
The fun is in the experimenting for me.
I don't know if he is still in business but the Antimony Man is the one to go to for any lead or antimony mixes. His site used to be http://theantimonyman.com He is a metallurgist and has a lot of neat casting tools and information. He has written a number of articles on casting for the "Fouling Shot" of the Cast Bullet Assoc. Our own Paco Kelly advises to get high antimony lead shot used in shotgun reloading and work to the hardness you may want. Antimony is a high temp. metal and usually comes in a form of powder and has to be gradually mixed into a melt if you want to go that route. Actually one of the main ingrediants for hardening lead alloy is arsenic,only a slight trace amount is needed. It is mainly used if you want to heat treat your bullets. Heat them just shy of melting plunge them into water is one method, others run their molds hot and drop from the mould directly into water. Just be careful around molten lead and water. Easy to lead plate a room or the caster. Too much antimony will make brittle bullets. But there are a lot of myths about using lots of tin to make hard bullets, but anything over about 1 part tin to 12 parts lead is wasted. Antimony helps increase hardness is it main benifits. ATB
for most of my rifles using low velocity charges a 50/50 mix of pure lead and clip on wheel weights works dandy for target shooting, may want to soften it up a little for hunting.
a Pennsylvanian who has been accused of clinging to my religion and my guns......Good assessment skills.
You can download a free alloy calculator from the Cast Bullet Association. It's an Excel spreadsheet that allows you to calculate the various weights of lead, tin, wheelweights, solder,linotype etc that you would need to mix to produce an alloy of known hardness. To find a copy Google "bullet alloy calculator".
Perry Owens
2ndovc,
Be a bit wary of current wheel weights. Some are made from zinc and if they get into the melt, you will have a hard time casting good bullets.
I have some lino & monotype that I will give to you if you come and get it (Erie, PA).
Both alloys contain tin and antimony and work great mixing with pure lead to get the equivalent of w.w (4# lead + 1# Lino) or (7# lead + 1#Mono). For a harder or softer alloy the ratio can be changed to suit.
w30wcf
aka John Kort
aka Jack Christian SASS 11993 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
aka w44wcf (black powder)
NRA Life member
.22 WCF, .30 WCF, .44 WCF Cartridge Historian
w30wcf wrote:2ndovc,
Be a bit wary of current wheel weights. Some are made from zinc and if they get into the melt, you will have a hard time casting good bullets.
I have some lino & monotype that I will give to you if you come and get it (Erie, PA).
Both alloys contain tin and antimony and work great mixing with pure lead to get the equivalent of w.w (4# lead + 1# Lino) or (7# lead + 1#Mono). For a harder or softer alloy the ratio can be changed to suit.
w30wcf
pm inbound.
jb
jasonB " Another Dirty Yankee"
" Tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?"
Yep get yourself some Linotype to add to your pure lead. I came across brick size pure lead. I asked over on Cast bullet forum where they would use such a item. They said they build walls and floors for xray rooms with it. Pretty cool. Oh ,you can also 50/50 the pure lead with your wheel weight melt.
Cimarron wrote:I get wheel weights at a local tire shop for 25 cents a pound. Years ago they would give them to me for free.
You got that right !
Ten years ago I had a friend that owned a small tire shop and he GAVE me a little over two TONS FREE !
Another guy in town that I know pretty well owned a larger shop and he told me I could have all he had !
I thank it's safe to say at the time he had maybe 5 tons and I screwed around not getting them for about 6 months and they VANISHED !
If I had gotten all those I would have been set for as long as I anticipate casting rifle bullets
Parkers , Mannlicher Schoenauer’s , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines !
