Where do you get lead for casting ?

[Mgderf]

Ive always traded with scrap yards, I bring in aluminum copper steel and swap for sheet copper or lead. Its easier if they know you.
If im cashing in 5 to 20 bucks in steel I give it back to pay for a pizza or two for the outside guys.

Our scrap yards have standing policies that they don't sell anything, out of fears of litigation,

 

[DadSmith]

Thats a waste of tin my friend, wheel weights have plenty of tin already. In most cases one can add soft lead to wheel weights.

What is the BNH of wheel weights after you make them into bullets and had a few weeks to cure?

 

[Creedmoor]

What is the BNH of wheel weights after you make them into bullets and had a few weeks to cure?

Lead 93.0 – 99.9 %
Antimony 0 – 6.0 %
Arsenic 0 – 0.5 %
Tin 0 – 0.5 %
Copper 0 – 0.1
Around 12 bn

Only need to add tin is if you are having problems with fulling out the mold.

 

[DadSmith]

Lead 93.0 – 99.9 %
Antimony 0 – 6.0 %
Arsenic 0 – 0.5 %
Tin 0 – 0.5 %
Copper 0 – 0.1
Around 12 bn

Only need to add tin is if you are having problems with fulling out the mold.

So if you want to get it to say 16 BHN or higher what would you add to it?

 

[Creedmoor]

So if you want to get it to say 16 BHN or higher what would you add to it?

Antimony,
it would take loads of tin to increase the hardness. If adding metal like Linotype / monotype or wheel weights to get the antimony you will get a tin increase but it doesn't help with the bullets hardness.

Tin will give better fill out and it increase's the bullets malleability.
The hard part is remembering it doesn't have to be a hard bullet not to lead a barrel.
Correct fit and correct lube along with correct amount of lube are much more important than the bullets hardness.

When one looks at the black powder cartridge shooters most bullets are cast with pure lead and tin with ratios of 20-1 or 30-1 lead to tin.
Zero antimony.
Those bullets are lubed and pushed down 28 to 34 inch barrels with zero leading.

 

[Creedmoor]

So if you want to get it to say 16 BHN or higher what would you add to it?

Why do you think you need to make wheel weights harder?

 

[DadSmith]

Why do you think you need to make wheel weights harder?

I'm thinking bear loads that need to be harder for deeper penetration with little deformation.
Something that will smash heavy bones and skulls, and other dangerous big game animals.

Edit:
Engine blocks on the most dangerous animals out there, criminals.

 

[Creedmoor]

I'm thinking bear loads that need to be harder for deeper penetration with little deformation.
Something that will smash heavy bones and skulls, and other dangerous big game animals.

With hardness comes breakage, chunks break off. With malleability bullets stay together.
Zillions of buffalo and bears have been killed with lead like putty.

Think a steel target, a hard bullet hits it and shatters without much displacement? of its energy or shock.
Now hit steel with a malleable bullet that hits and stays together and falls to the ground after its delivered its entire energy to the steel plate.

Which steel plate swings back farther?
I would suggest reading some bullet casting books by black powder shooters likr Paul Matthews, Harrisons or C Sharps. Loads of great information.

 

[DadSmith]

With hardness comes breakage, chunks break off. With malleability bullets stay together.
Zillions of buffalo and bears have been killed with lead like putty.

Think a steel target, a hard bullet hits it and shatters without much displacement? of its energy or shock.
Now hit steel with a malleable bullet that hits and stays together and falls to the ground after its delivered its entire energy to the steel plate.

Which steel plate swings back farther?

The ones I've been using Hoosier, Summit City, and ACME they hit deform on AR500 targets and hit the ground. The only lead bullets I see that spray lead are 22lr and some factory made 38 special RN.

 

[Creedmoor]

The ones I've been using Hoosier, Summit City, and ACME they hit deform on AR500 targets and hit the ground. The only lead bullets I see that spray lead are 22lr and some factory made 38 special RN.

What caliber and loads?
Have you tested those bullets hardness?
I shoot some summit 9mm 124's, i'll pop some steel this week.

Modern America has been sold a bill of goods with bullet hardness.
Buffalo were about extinct from being shot with putty.

 

[DadSmith]

What caliber and loads?
Have you tested those bullets hardness?
I shoot some summit 9mm 124's, i'll pop some steel this week.

Modern America has been sold a bill of goods with bullet hardness.
Buffalo were about extinct from being shot with putty.

10mm 180gr -200gr, and 44 magnum 180gr and 240gr.

 

[Creedmoor]

10mm 180gr -200gr, and 44 magnum 180gr and 240gr.

Weigh a few of the flatened disks next time.

 

[Leadeye]

I've shot lots of BP in old guns, soft lead works best. Cartridges like the 38 and 41 LC were heeled when they were introduced, now most folks use hollow base soft lead for easier assembly.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Thats a waste of tin my friend, wheel weights have plenty of tin already. In most cases one can add soft lead to wheel weights.

Right answer!

 

[Creedmoor]

Right answer!

“So let it be written, so let it be done"

 

[Michigan Slim]

I wasted a lot of lino thinking I needed to harden up my ww alloy. Leaded the hell out of my guns. Went softer and it stopped like magic. I use 50/50 ww/pure for .38, 44 Special. Straight ww for my autos, .45-70 and .38-55. I add two pounds of lino to 20 pounds of ww for .30 Carbine, .30-30.
For lube I'm a fan of Lee Liquid Alox. Because it works and because I'm lazy. Takes ten minutes or less to lube 10,000 boolits.

 

[Creedmoor]

I wasted a lot of lino thinking I needed to harden up my ww alloy. Leaded the hell out of my guns. Went softer and it stopped like magic. I use 50/50 ww/pure for .38, 44 Special. Straight ww for my autos, .45-70 and .38-55. I add two pounds of lino to 20 pounds of ww for .30 Carbine, .30-30.
For lube I'm a fan of Lee Liquid Alox. Because it works and because I'm lazy. Takes ten minutes or less to lube 10,000 boolits.

LOL. When one drops a bullet on the concrete floor, and it "Rings" its too hard.

Lubing bullets makes me miss my personal slaves.

 

[DadSmith]

I wasted a lot of lino thinking I needed to harden up my ww alloy. Leaded the hell out of my guns. Went softer and it stopped like magic. I use 50/50 ww/pure for .38, 44 Special. Straight ww for my autos, .45-70 and .38-55. I add two pounds of lino to 20 pounds of ww for .30 Carbine, .30-30.
For lube I'm a fan of Lee Liquid Alox. Because it works and because I'm lazy. Takes ten minutes or less to lube 10,000 boolits.

Wow no clue what all that means.
I've wanted to start simple such as .356 or .430 or .452 bullets not all at once but I need to get set up, I need to learn from scratch what must be done step by step and why.
Are they good books that explain in detail for noobs such as myself?

 

[Michigan Slim]

Wow no clue what all that means.
I've wanted to start simple such as .356 or .430 or .452 bullets not all at once but I need to get set up, I need to learn from scratch what must be done step by step and why.
Are they good books that explain in detail for noobs such as myself?

I learned by doing but, there are resources for you. YouTube vids, the Cast Boolits forum, a book out by Lee I believe. I just spent an hour in a buddies driveway and got him started.
Start collecting lead. When you get 40 pounds of scrap send me a message. I'll drive down with my stuff and just show you.

 

[Creedmoor]

Edit:
Engine blocks on the most dangerous animals out there, criminals.

300 Win Mag loaded with WWll AP bullets makes short work of those unruly blocks.