adding tin....

[quiknot]

is it better to add the tin to the lead during the smelting operation, before ingots are cast or when melting the ingot to cast the bullet?...

thanks

[454PB]

Unless you plan to use all your ingots for the same alloy recipe, I'd do it for the casting session. That allows lots of options and control. It's really hard to get the tin back out if you change your needs.

I do a lot of variation of alloy, depending on the boolit use. My base alloy is usually wheelweights, and is sweetened with linotype or tin depending on caliber and expected velocity.

[NVcurmudgeon]

I add tin while casting, in the form of lead free solder. Every time I add a one pound ingot of WW, a 140 grain length of solder goes in the pot. Once you figure out how long a piece of solder weighs 140 gr. it is easy to mark a couple of pencil lines on the casting bench and cut off lengths with wire cutters.

[yodar]

I add my tin once the refined alloy casts a nice particle free ingot. I re-melt, add 8 oz of 67-33 Sn solder and re-flux

and if I want a harder alloy I add a lb of Sb-rich magnum shot to my tin-enhanced alloy, reflux, and pour into moulds

I prefer THAT to endangering my precious and windling supply of LINO

yodar