WW to Soft lead

[Netherwolf]

This has more to do with my personal brand of curiousty than the need to actually do it but how would one render WW into soft lead, i.e., remove the tin & antimony from WW?

Just asking,
Netherwolf

[JakeOz]

Not easily and too darned expensive, let alone the environmental issues concerned. There are also some serious health issues to be considered as the processes give of some very dangerous by-products.

Pure lead does not form very easily in molds other than round ball. The additives, eg Antimony, Tin and Linotype all alloy with lead and allow it to flow easily in the molds so you get well formed projectiles.

IIRC Antimony has the added effect of preventing the cast item from shrinking as it cools. The additives also cause a weight drop for the same given volume as they are both lighter than pure lead.

Arsenic has also been used to harden the alloy. So no matter which way, it can kill ya.

Hope this helps in answering your question to some degree.

Regards

[floodgate]

Netherwolf:

Best bet is to swap your WW's with someone here for pure lead. Swaps seem to go about 2# WW's for 1# lead, but someone might go 1# for 1#.

floodgate

[Boz330]

There was an article in one of the BP Mags about annealing WW boolits to the hardness of a 20-1 lead tin mix. Basically you have do it no more than a couple days before use or they will age harden again. Not sure if that is what you are looking for.

Bob

[44woody]

Netherwolf if you want to do some trading I will trade you 1 for 1 and you pay the shipping both ways I have about 100 lbs of soft lead to trade if you want :castmine: 44Woody