Whitespider
08-01-2008, 08:26 AM
Thank You!
Y’all are responsible for my lead-based habit, without all the encouragement and support I received just over a year ago I’d have never “jumped in”. I’ve learned to scavenge wheel weights like a pro, never pay for them and have almost ½-a-ton laid back in reserve. Although I’ll admit that my 22-years working in automotive repair & maintenance left me with “lead contacts” I can exploit. I’ve collected a fair amount of tin and even some linotype should I ever need something that hard.
Pouring of my own boolits has come natural for me, for the most part mine look great and weight consistency is excellent. My equipment is minimal, some cast iron cookware, an old electric stove, couple of ladles, a few Lee sizing dies and some home-made “cookie-cutters” for pan lubing. And at this time, I’m perfectly happy with my equipment. My mold collection is getting close to an even dozen and I’ve learned the little things each one requires to be “happy”. Although I have a couple of rifle boolit molds, 95% of my castin’ is done to feed revolvers.
Where I’m having problems is collecting “soft” lead, I just can’t seem to find enough. I prefer my revolver loads between 1000-1100 fps and I’ve learned that WW metal is just too hard, diluting them with 25-50% “soft” lead is just about perfect.
Has anyone had any luck making WW metal softer? Say by scooping off the slush as they melt? Or burning out the antimony (is that possible)? Or can y’all maybe give me some hints to where I should find “soft” scrap lead?
Y’all are responsible for my lead-based habit, without all the encouragement and support I received just over a year ago I’d have never “jumped in”. I’ve learned to scavenge wheel weights like a pro, never pay for them and have almost ½-a-ton laid back in reserve. Although I’ll admit that my 22-years working in automotive repair & maintenance left me with “lead contacts” I can exploit. I’ve collected a fair amount of tin and even some linotype should I ever need something that hard.
Pouring of my own boolits has come natural for me, for the most part mine look great and weight consistency is excellent. My equipment is minimal, some cast iron cookware, an old electric stove, couple of ladles, a few Lee sizing dies and some home-made “cookie-cutters” for pan lubing. And at this time, I’m perfectly happy with my equipment. My mold collection is getting close to an even dozen and I’ve learned the little things each one requires to be “happy”. Although I have a couple of rifle boolit molds, 95% of my castin’ is done to feed revolvers.
Where I’m having problems is collecting “soft” lead, I just can’t seem to find enough. I prefer my revolver loads between 1000-1100 fps and I’ve learned that WW metal is just too hard, diluting them with 25-50% “soft” lead is just about perfect.
Has anyone had any luck making WW metal softer? Say by scooping off the slush as they melt? Or burning out the antimony (is that possible)? Or can y’all maybe give me some hints to where I should find “soft” scrap lead?