Need Advice on monotype and foudrytype lead leave raw or in ingots???? and ratio

[10mmShooter]

Hi Guys,

I have managed to score 200 lbs of real monotype and foundrytype lead, monotype being the smaller size single letters, and foundrytype being the very big font size single letters.(NO linotype and no spacers :) ) Obviously very hard and high in tin and antimony content. I've read several members tried to ingot-ize(is that a word) melt the raw letters down to ignots and hand trouble with the antimony wanting to separate out and float on top of the melt due to the very rich antimony(16% to 25%) content of mono and foundrytype.

Should I just leave it in raw letter form and add to my raw lead as needed, I figure about I'll need nearly 1800 lbs of raw lead to mix in with my 200 lbs of mono/foundrytype, and even at that ratio of 9 parts lead to 1 part Mono/foundry I'll still have an alloy with a minimum of 4% Antimony and 2% Tin.

my loads are always for target shooting so 4% Sb is more that adequate hardness for my needs, I could likely take it down to 2.5 -3% Sb and still be okay in my 10mm/.357/44 loadings, my velocities are never greater than 1150 fps.


any experiences would be helpful
thank you

[GP100man]

I myself & me would`nt , it`ll leave ya the option of using different alloys , softer for handgun & harder for rifle.

Like I use isotope alloy as my "base" then I can add a bit more tin for casting HPs for handgun to tuffen with out hardening or add some lino to harden em for rifle .

[dbosman]

If you should want to make ingots, I suggest stamping them with the composition. 200 lbs is a lot of stamping, but it will take up less space than letters. Permanent marker isn't permanent in the long run.
Two sticks of wood and very heavy rubber bands will contain the metal stamps in row.