hardening range lead question

[robpete]

I'm fairly new to casting and even more so to scrapping. I came into large amounts of range lead and 50/50 solder. Also have some linotype and wheel weights....under 100 pounds of each. I melted down some range lead into ingots this weekend. I did four 10 pound lots. I measured the hardness of one ingot from each and the average came out to 8.5 bhn.

My question: is there an easy method of determining how much of a certain material is needed to be added in order to increase hardness to specific level? I'm planning on melting my entire stock into ready to cast ingots.

Thanks in advance,
Rob

[savingprivateyang]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?105952-Lead-alloy-calculators

[DrCaveman]

This post should probably be moved to 'alloys' sub forum.

Nonetheless, you have ingredients for some nice ingots. I started with straight WW and after obtaining some 50/50 solder have added about 12" strand (maybe 2 oz?) to each 6 lb smelt that I run. Then after mixing in recycled range lead (mostly my own boolits, also some store bought jacketed) I added a bit more 50/50 and have landed at a pretty consistent 12-15 bhn.

I think if you add in a few ounces of Linotype and a few ounces of WW and also about 8 oz 50/50 solder to a 10 lb pot, you should be in good shape.

My quantities are prob off, but you get a lot of antimony from the Linotype. WW also has a good amount of antimony, and a little tin. 50/50 should be half lead half tin. Sounds like your range scrap is pretty low in both, since bhn of pure lead is about 6 I think.

Check out LASC.org for some good charts showing component % for materials you are talking about, and resultant bhn. You should be able to balance that with your 8.5 bhn scrap to get what you are looking for.

[robpete]

Perfect. Thanks!

[runfiverun]

i think i'd wait 9-10 day's and retest those ingots.
i think you'll find that they will make fine bollits with no help.
you might want to add some tin or not.

[robpete]

I have heard that...... that alloy does harden further with time. How much harder can I expect to see? Thanks again

[runfiverun]

kinda unpredictable from an unknown, but i'd guess at 11 or so.
i'd have to guess at a mix of cast,jaxketed and 22's there and a final of about 2.5-3% antimony.

[Jal5]

I use range scrap for all my handguns with just some tin added without problems. Mix of 22, cast, jacketed.

Experimenting with it for rifles in .270 and .223. Works fine in .270 haven't tried .223 yet

[1Shirt]

I use range scrap as is with a little tin or babbit added for most all of my handgun casting, and for some of the plain base rifle loads. My cabin tree tester usually tells me that my BH on these will run about 10-12 on average. For GC rifle blts, that I intend to drive above probably 13-1400fps for paper I want harder, usually 18+ BH. For hunting, am comfortable someplace around 16-18 BH.
1Shirt!