Anyone use pure lead

[armoredman]

in centerfire handgun loads? Just curious if anyone has a pet load for 38 with 158gr pure lead boolits.

[R.M.]

I would think that any of the mid-range loads would work, exept that with pure lead, it's castability is a bit poor. Add a bit of tin, and your results will be much better. It doesn't take a lot. 40:1 casts sooooo much better than pure.
One of the classic bullseye loads is 2.7gr of bullseye under a 148gr wadcutter. Give that a try.

R.M.

[armoredman]

OK, me newbie/stoopid/ignorant - how do I add that to the mix?:-?
Seriously, thank you for any and all help you can give.

[black44hawk]

You will just melt tin in your pot with the lead, being careful not to remove any "sludge" until after you flux. A great source of tin is plumber's solder. I personally use wheel weights but I add a few ounces of tin to each batch and the quality of the bullets goes way up. A note about the solder: I have noticed that some are lead/tin, some are lead free, and some contain antimony. The latter will significantly harden your bullets should you want to.

[GP100man]

armoredman
i use a soft boolit checks about 8bhn in 38spl cases shot in 38 revolver
std primer ww
1.8gr.clays
lees 158gr rn boolit
nice & soft & clean
+1 for black44hawks suggestion of a little tin itll make life a lot easier!!!

GP100man

:cbpour:

[Wayne Smith]

All of your swaged lead loads for the .38 are for pure lead bullets. Just load to the manual for the swaged bullets.

[9.3X62AL]

I haven't done a lot of unalloyed lead loading in smokeless centerfires, but recently shot some way fat Lyman #358063's from Buckshot's Pregnant 38 Wadcutter Mold. These were sized at .363" with one lube groove filled (Javelina), and loaded to 38 Special wadcutter OAL (1.150") in 38 S&W cases over 2.7 grains of Bullseye and 3.0 grains of WW-231. Both loads shot very well with zero leading from my Lend-Lease comeback S&W M&P. I still have some of both loadings left, destined for the Webley-Enfield.

[versifier]

IME, if you stick to mild loads, you shouldn't have a problem. Trying to make them work for hotter loads will likely get you a lot of unneeded exercise removing lead fouling from your barrel.

[Buckshot]

...............I shoot pure lead WC's in my K38, 2 x S&W Victory models and a Iver Johnson 5 shot break open, the last 3 in 38 S&W. No leading, great accuracy and simple to cast. Loads are basic target loads for each. Oh and I just TL them without lube sizing.

..............Buckshot

[crabo]

What specifically do you ask for when you ask for "plumber's solder"? Plumber's solder, or is there numbers attached to it. I have a friend who has a large plumbing company and I am going to see what I can bum off of him. I am hoping to find some lead laying around.

Thanks,

Crabo

[Jim]

Tell the man you want "95/5".

[leftiye]

That's 95% tin and 5% antimony! WATCH OUT some 95/5 solders have copper or zinc in them - bad scene!