Soft bullets

[Leadlum]

I bought some lead ingots from my local gun shop not knowing exactly what they were. Well I threw it into the pot, about 8lbs worth, then added about 2oz aprox of tin, just to get good fill out.
Well; they casted with sharp edges, but had inclusions. my mold looked ok? so after they cooled a bit, I grabbed a bullet and with my needle nose pliers I gave my 250-k [.44] nose a squeeze, and they squished easily. I think those ingots were pure lead? what do I do to harden them? and hopefully get those inclusions out? I did flux with wax.

[mpmarty]

flux with sawdust or Pat Martins CFF. Get some wheel weights or other source of antimony and mix the stuff up until you get the consistency you want.

[jhalcott]

Wheel weights or Linotype will harden the alloy a bit. It does NOT take much. Just how hard do you want the bullets?
http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm try here for some info.

[44man]

Pure lead is of great interest for BP shooters. Maybe you can trade.

[Boerrancher]

If you add 8 lbs of wheel weights to that 8 lbs of pure with just a bit more tin, you will have one of the best hunting boolit alloys there is. Soft enough to give good expansion even with a RNFP boolit, yet tough enough to hang together and cause some of the other problems associated with pure lead. I know for a fact that with a proper fit, lube, and gas check that alloy will hold up to 2,400 fps out of my Win mod 94 30-30, and is a real killer on whitetail.

Best wishes,

Joe

[1Shirt]

Yep, Boarrancher and I are on the same page on this one.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[fredj338]

Jut add more tin if you have it. My LHP are 25-1 lead/tin. They cast nicely, hard enough for 1200fps w/o a gas check.

[Leadlum]

Thanks guys; I think, I will try mixing some of my already made bullets from wheel weights into the mix, just like Boerrancher, and 1shirt suggested. 50/50, and add a little more tin.
I can not find wheel weights any more.

[Leadlum]

I went ahead and ordered some hard cast bullet lead from Rotometals. I will mix it with my lead. I should be able to throw some of my lead into the mix.

[MtGun44]

Why do you want to make it so hard? Not necessary to go over about 10-12 BHn for any
thing, and even 8 BHN can work at pistol magnum velocities if you do it right.

Bill

[quilbilly]

If you have some friends with some old lead pellets for pheasant and ducks, you can mix them with the pure to get a harder alloy. The pellets have so much antimony and tin to prevent shot deformation that by themselves, they make boolits that are too hard. Adding pure lead will make just the right hardness you will like.

[Leadlum]

Mtgun44; I`m guessing my lead bullets were about 5 BHN if that?. I would like to get them at least 8-9BHN somewhere around wheelweight hardness. I`ve had good luck with WW in the past. Guess I`m just deep grooved.

[Leadlum]

quilbilly; That was a good suggestion. I have not thought of old shot gun shell lead pellets. Your right. Thanks for that one.

[onesonek]

:shock:

[MT Chambers]

Leadlum; I can't get over how much you look like that bad guy from the western movies.

[sqlbullet]

If they are below 5 bhn, they aren't lead.

[onesonek]

If they are below 5 bhn, they aren't lead.

fluxed with Calgon maybe ?