PDA

View Full Version : Best Way to Use Pure Soft Lead



floydboy
05-21-2012, 11:04 PM
I have been reloading for over 30 years but am fairly new to casting. I have been using WW and have been very pleased with the results. I recently acquired a hundred plus pounds of pure soft lead sheet. I load for 38,357,45acp & 30-06 so from what I understand I will have to alloy the pure lead with tin to use in these applications. From what little I am able to research with the price of tin it seems I might be better off selling the pure lead to someone who can use it as is and use the money to buy more WW. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks,,,,,Floyd

Stick_man
05-21-2012, 11:16 PM
Welcome to the addiction, Floyd. For your handguns, why don't you mix them 50/50 with your clip-on wheel weights. You might even be able to get away with 1:2 mix for them for the .45s. Add a little solder to the mix if you need more tin for good fill out. Or, you could do as you were thinking and sell or trade your soft lead for harder lead.

waynem34
05-21-2012, 11:38 PM
Trade it to a BP shooter for wheel weights

MtJerry
05-21-2012, 11:41 PM
Soft lead with tin added to make 40/1 or 20/1 is a fabulous alloy for .38 special and .357 mag!

MT Chambers
05-22-2012, 12:01 AM
When done right, cast pure lead bullets are harder then the swaged ones sold by Speer, Horn., etc...so just use your pure lead ones with loads used for swaged.

bslim
05-22-2012, 08:37 AM
I have been using pure lead and WW's, 50/50 with a touch of solder for my 45 LC loads, 45 Acp and 38 spl loads with very good results. I also have a lot of buddies that shoot BP and they get a good portion of my pure lead in exhchange for other reloading items I need.

floydboy
05-22-2012, 08:58 AM
Thanks for all the info. I think I will try a few of the options listed above and see how they work out. This stuff is so soft you can scratch it with your finger nail and I was afraid it would take considerable expense to make it hard enough to shot. Sounds like it won't.

Thanks,,,,,Floyd

Lloyd Smale
05-23-2012, 06:21 AM
I mostly mix it 5050 with wws and then water drop the bullets. this gets me right back into ww hardness teritory.

clodhopper
05-23-2012, 09:15 AM
Right now b52fizzle on the sawging thread is looking for some soft lead to make cores, you really ought to visit with him.

floydboy
05-23-2012, 09:42 AM
Thanks,,,,I will shot him a pm......Floyd

Lizard333
05-23-2012, 01:30 PM
Second that for swaging. I have lots of access to WW's, not so much soft lead used for my cores. If you would like to trade.........