lead for pistols

[LUCKYDAWG13]

will this be a good mix i have range lead and WW lead i get range lead
for free. so i need to use this up when i can if i mix 50/50 would this be
a good mix to use in my pistols 9mm 357 44mag 454. and would it help
if i water quench the 9mm boolits . and if i water drop to make them
harder over time will they get softer or will they stay at the hardness
they were when water dropped.
thanks

[WHITETAIL]

I can't say for a 9mm.:cbpour:
But for the rest it will be OK.
It more depends on size of the
boolit and the speed the boolit is going.

[Defcon-One]

WHITETAIL has it. Sizing and lube matter. Velocities under 1000 fps and you'll be fine with straight range lead.

50/50 with wheel weight will probably give you a little harder lead.

Remember range lead is all bullets that have been fired into the target once already. Casting from it should produce pretty good bullets. Not as hard as commmercial cast, not as soft as .22 LR or swaged bullets. Somwhere in the middle.

[Roundnoser]

I am not one for making things too complicated when casting pistol bullets. Here's what has worked for me:

9mm / 40 SW bullets = WWs air cooled.
38 Spec. and 45 ACP = WWs and soft lead mixed 50/50 and air cooled.
44 Mag. = WWs air cooled (sometimes water quenched depending on application.)

Certainly, as the members above mentioned, sizing is important to reduce the leading.

[jlala504]

I just use straight range lead for my 45, although I only run them at about 850 fps.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

thanks guys

[knifemaker]

For pistol, 45acp, 38 spec., 44 mag and 44 special and 41 mag. I have been using 50% wheel weight and 50% pure lead. I have taken the velocity up to 1400 fps in the two mag calibers and no leading in the barrel or forcing cone.
I have slug my barrels and throats and my cast boolits are sized 1-2 thousand over barrel groove dia.
I also used the 44 mag boolits in a Marlin 94 over 1600 fps in the longer barrel and no leading there also. This will make my stash of wheel weights cast ingots last longer as it is easier for me to get pure lead here in CA. I have a friend that does demolition work and I get the pure lead when he takes out a old X-Ray room that has lead sheathing.:p

Almost forgot to mention, these are air cooled cast boolits, I quit water dropping a long time ago and will only use it if I need a very hard boolit. I also use white label BAC or 2500 lube and both has never failed me in the calibers mentioned above.