Straight wheel weight cast?int to use GC

[Cleve Branch]

I am new to casting. Been reading this forum for several days till my eyes hurt.
I want to cast 41 mag to start with. I have straight WW at the time. Not sure of velocity at this time haven't use crony yet. Going to use GC.
Is straight WW a good for casting these boolits?
I have cast WW for my 25 Hornet ( yes 25) but haven't shot them yet.
Will also be casting 44 mag 38 sp 45 LC
Thanks
Cleve

[454PB]

Yes. COWW work fine up to around 1300 fps. plain based, and with a gas check design, as high as you can safely go.

[runfiverun]

yep, been using it since forever.
I been cutting it with stick-on's for about that long too.

[David2011]

Cleve,

Welcome to CastBoolits. The knowledge is phenomenal here. Good answers from respected members above. Yes, it will work. It will just be easier with a little tin added- pours better, makes sharper corners. Gas checks are not needed for .45 ACP and .38 Special and probably not needed for .44 Mag. The chart that comes with the Lee Lead Hardness Tester, available at no charge on the LeePrecision.com website, shows the amount of pressure a specific hardness will tolerate. All it takes is 2-3 ounces of tin per 10 lb. of clip on ww.

You can get tin from solder, you can buy straight tin from Rotometals or you can find pewter at garage and estate sales. You can treat it as pure tin for our purposes.

Good casting,
David

[lightman]

I've been using straight clip on wheel weights for all of my pistol bullets. Both revolver and auto work fine with them. A small amount of tin does help. If wheel weights are hard to find, you can experiment with cutting you weights with softer lead. 50/50 lead and ww seems to be a favorite, but this mix will probably need tin added.

[Wasalmonslayer]

Works great!
Welcome to the forum

[w5pv]

I don't hot rod any loads from 380 to 45 lc.My top loads are where most loads start.I use straight ww unless I get a lot of wrinkles then I add a little tin to help the fill out.The only gas check bullet I have used was a 3006 and it was very good out to 75 yards.I think lubrication is the most important but with my loading I have never had any leading.

[3leggedturtle]

If you have casted .25 boolits, .41's will be a walk in the park. Like to hear about yer 25H. What loads, weights and velocity you were getting. Todd/3leg

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Cleve,

As has been said, Welcome Aboard!

I live just down the road a piece from you, so if I can be of help, let's do it!

My wife is visually handicapped among other things, so I am a bit short on the ability get away from the house for any length of time.

As Turtle said, if you have cast the smaller bullets, the larger ones will be easy!

I just rec'd two new molds from Accurate Molds, so hope to get out to cast SOON!

As per velocities, make sure you have a proper bullet to bore fit, and you should have no problems going well beyond 1300fps with WW bullets.

I have tested a bunch of 45/70 loads above 2000fps using a 355gr Wide Flat Nose (WFN) gas checked bullet and an alloy of WW with some having just a touch of 50/50 solder added. WASTED my 50/50 solder!!!!!!!!!! Tested as high as 2500fps and hunted at 2300fps.

My current bullet is a 465gr Wide Flat Nose cast at 1650fps and it is awesome on deer and elk!

That gas checked bullet is cast of a 50/50 - Wheel Weight/lead alloy which I cold water quench as the bullets fall from the mold.

I currently am set up to cast, 30cal, 9mm, 40, 45acp, .44&444 and 38/357. Have cast .243 also, but that went by the way side in preference to the larger calibers.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I have always used straight wheelweights for both pistol and rifle....not anything hot, but functional. If , as on several occasions, it has been necessary to go to higher velocities I have added tin to harden the alloy or else quenched. Always used a good lube. LLS

[Cleve Branch]

Thanks all for the info. Really helps.
3leggedturtle I will tell you more about the 25 hornet soon, to late tonight.
Crusty I am working in deary this week at Pine Creek Logging shop would love to pick your brain one day after work.
Thanks again to all
Cleve

[DougGuy]

My favorite alloy in full house .44 mag and .45 Colt loads with gas checks is 50/50+2% it's perfect in the Ruger revolvers for hunting. 50% ww, 50% soft lead, 2% tin. Use soft lube like Felix, or even SPG, zero leading, never have to clean the barrels, it just works great.

[Lead Fred]

My standard load is plain base boolits made of WW & water dropped.
Spit them out at 1750fps, no problems ever