Melting Shot to Mold Muzzleloader Boolits

[ArizonaFlinter]

I've had no luck finding (locally) pure (soft) lead to cast some 50cal ML REAL bullets. I'm thinking about melting down some of my shotgun shot (available everywhere). The assumption here is that shotgun shot is reasonably pure (free of alloys). I can't think of why they would incur the expense of adding an alloy but who knows? Anyone have knowledge on this?

[fouronesix]

Well, shot comes in all forms of alloy. From pretty soft to pretty hard. Melt a small sample and see how hard or soft it is. Terms like "chilled" shot sometimes means fairly soft. It's usually cheaper, less expensive and used in the cheaper shells. Terms like "magnum" shot is harder, more expensive and used in more expensive shells.

For patched round balls, most any alloy can be used. For conicals and minies the softer the better.

[ArizonaFlinter]

Thanks Fouronesix, Good point about the patched balls. I hadn't thought about it. I bought (and expect it to arrive next week) a 360gr Lee R.E.A.L mould.

Never knew about chilled and not chilled. Good information, thanks again. It just so happens that the shot i was planning to melt is chilled. I'll melt some down and do the pencil test and get back on the results.

Thanks again.

[mooman76]

Magnum shoot is usually harder with some antimony in it.

[DIRT Farmer]

You could buy some commercial round balls and shoot them into a recovery medium. I use a chunk of old tree. When it starts to split up, get a new chunk and recover the lead and cast.

[idahoron]

Lead shot is all harder than I would use straight. Chilled is in the 10 to 12 BHN range depending on age. REAL old lead shot is somewhat softer than the newer stuff. Just order some pure from Rotometal. Ron

[fouronesix]

Thanks Fouronesix, Good point about the patched balls. I hadn't thought about it. I bought (and expect it to arrive next week) a 360gr Lee R.E.A.L mould.

Never knew about chilled and not chilled. Good information, thanks again. It just so happens that the shot i was planning to melt is chilled. I'll melt some down and do the pencil test and get back on the results.

Thanks again.

The term "chilled" shot has been around a long time. It doesn't have great meaning now but has name recognition amongst shotgunners so the term has been kept for that reason. For example: the current Lawrence brand lead shot that is labeled chilled has an antimony content of about 2% (for hardening). Lawrence brand magnum shot has an antimony content of about 5% (for hardening). So, the hardness for the 2% antimony chilled will probably be about BHN 10-12 and the 5% antimony magnum will be about BHN 15. Either one would be acceptable for patched roundball with correct patch. However both are going to too hard for best conical or minie results. The conicals and minies need to be much softer- usually less than BHN 6-7

[ArizonaFlinter]

I melted 4 lbs of American 7 ½ chilled shot (15+ years old) and poured 1 lb ingots. The pencil test showed the lead to be about 10 on the Brinnel scale indicating 1 in 20 tin/lead alloy. Maybe to hard for muzzle loading Boolits but ok for Sabots - making me think about .451 paper patch molds for 50cal Sabots.

This gives rise to the question. Where to buy pure lead (Brinnel 5) such that you can trust it's pureness. I'm thinking Cabales or Pro Bass etc. Google found a lot of folks on eBay selling what they call “Soft Lead” and “Wheel Weights” or “Soft Lead” and “Pure Lead” in the same offering. Google didn't help find Pure Lead at such places as Cabales. Any thoughts.

[Mk42gunner]

Go to the top o fthis page and click on the banner ad for Roto Metals. They have some of the best deals around for lead and alloys.

Robert

[ArizonaFlinter]

Thanks Mk42gunner. That's what I needed. Thanks

[idahoron]

AF did you not see my post that said Rotometal? Ron

[ArizonaFlinter]

Idahoron,
I did see it and I didn't. At that time I was still focusing on melting shot (REAL old lead shot is somewhat softer than the newer stuff) and I was thinking about how old my shot was (bought it 15+ years ago at an estate sale) and the thought of buying pure lead hadn't raised it's head yet. Sorry.
Thanks