Pure Lead Projectiles

[Slick Pilot]

Is there any reason I can not use pure lead bullets if I keep the velocities low?

(I have a source for pure lead - old bullets at a range - from which I can have just about all the lead I want.)

If so, what is the velocity range at which these pure lead bullets will function best?

Thanks.

[David R]

Slick,

I think you will find the range lead to be harder than pure lead. Make an ingot or boolits and have them tested. Drop one some boolits in water and see if they are harder.

If you really want, send me a PM. I have one of Buckshots Famous Testers.

David

[Ken O]

Slick, unless your talking about a muzzleloading range, those bullets are not pure lead. What kind of bullets are they?

[Willbird]

I did some work with a 1911 in a machine rest and pure lead projo, the best they would do was 3" at 25 yards, I worked with target velocities equiv. to 4.0 bullseye, but I tried slower powders as well to try a softer launch.

The recovered bullets had land widths 25% larger than lino bullets fired from the same gun.

If you mix typical indoor range lead 50-50 with WW in my testing they end up just as hard as WW bullets when water dropped from the mold.

Bill

[BruceB]

Running a test a few months ago with pure lead bullets in my .416 Rigby #1, with an eye to using softer bullets for hunting, I was surprised to find 100-yard five-round groups in the 2"-3" area. There was no excessive bore fouling or leading over the firing of about 20 rounds without cleaning.

These were cast from sheet lead, sized .4165", Felix-lubed and shod with Hornady gaschecks. They were loaded to 2000 chronographed fps, and water-dropped WW boolits with the same specs typically group five rounds into 1.5"-2.00" at the same speed. All shooting was from Der Schuetzenwagen's benchrest.

To a large degree, it was my success with these pure lead boolits, and the difference in their accuracy from the WW jobs, that started my successful search for practical cast softpoints in this caliber.

BTW, I cast some more of those high-temperature softpoints today, and again had no difficulty making UN-shrunken and very consistent bullets, proved by weighing and measuring each and every one of them. Total weight spread was only 0.8 grains on an average weight of 367 grains, and measurements were virtually identical. (This measuring wasn't much of a job, when I only cast TWELVE boolits!) Again as well, there were no visible joints between hard and soft alloys in these bullets, and the different metals were CLEARLY visible in the finished product. I had a few brand-new empty Rigby cases, so figured I might's well load 'em up for the October hunting trip. I now have about thirty .416 softpoint rounds loaded....should be enuff to bump off one poor whitetail or elk!

MV on these loads is 2100 fps, +/- just FIVE fps, using 55.0 XMP-5744 and a tuft of dacron.

[StarMetal]

Willbird,

Hey pardner, if you've followed all the threads here lately, that one about bullets for the Ruger blackpowder revolver...I posted about the hollow cavity conical I use which is a Lyman 450-229 if I rememeber correctly. Anyways I cast those out of lead and I've shot those out of a few of my 1911's and let me tell you they did better then your tests you got with your 1911 in the machine rest. Wonder if it's because they are hollowbased?

Joe

[Buckshot]

...........Slick Pilot, welcome to the board. You don't say what you want to shoot these pure lead boolits in, but have gotten a couple rifle and pistol replies. If not pure, very soft lead boolits are common in many target loads, especially the 38 Special, and soem of those are HB's too. Such have done VERY well in my K-38.

I have a S&W V model in 38 S&W. It wasn't doing much to excite me until I went to pure lead wadcutters, and HB ones did as well with lighter loads. If I had to say, it is almost nipping at the heels of the K38.

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

[Slick Pilot]

Well, perhaps they are not indeed pure lead.

Ken O: This lead comes from a JROTC rifle range where they now shoot only air rifles. The cadets used to also fire .22 rimfire, but that has (I believe) been discontinued in the JROTC.

Even though my first impression was that it was pure lead, I still fluxed it. The resultant bullets are very shiny and can be scratched fairly easily with a fingernail. (My WW bullets, after heating on the oven, can not be marred by the fingernail test.) Don't know how much validity the fingernail has! :)

David R: I shall drop some into water and see if they appear harder.

However, I plan to load these in .38, .44, and .45 at about 700-800 fps. I don't know how fast this lead can effectively be pushed.

I have a fair stock of WW metal, so I could mix if necessary. I have been saving that for rifle bullets. I also have a little linotype metal, but am hoarding that.

I have used commercial wadcutters that seemed very soft and shot quite well without leading, but I am not privy to the exact alloy mix, if any.

Thanks for all the response.

[MGySgt]

Some one once told me here -

'If it casts good and shoots well - it is a good alloy for bullets'

I shoot one alloy that is about BRN 9+ that I made up from all the scrap I had around, came up with about 700 punds after mixing it all back together in 50 pound lots (my smelting pot holds about 80 punds without a fuss).

They shoot great and no leading out of my 45/70's and 45/90 to 1475 FPS range, 430Gr GC 75% FP.

I have dug some out of my rifle range - almos a perfect mushroom in clay and sand. I mean they almost turn themselves inside out about .93 diameter. Going to use them on Elk (or at least try) here in a few weeks.

Good luck and let us know how they shoot!

Drew