Need help, in un chartered Area. PLEASE

[gcollins]

Howdy folks,
I have casted for a long time, but only pistols and i allwats have used W.W. , I know that for my Cab & Ball Guns I pure pure lead! I traded for my dream gun, a Sharps 45-70, and getting ready to cast my bullets, I have been doing a lot of reading, and what I read is about mixing tin into my lead, like 1-20, 1-25,1-30, ect. I had planned on just pure lead, because I am going to shot Black Powder. What do i gain by addding tin?

I will be most great full for any and all advice!
Thanks Greg

[IcerUSA]

Useing just a little tin with your pure will give better fill out of the mould , but if you get good fill out with the pure just shoot that as long as your going with BP .

I'm no expert but if you do a search I think you would find tons on info here for the BPC.

Keith

[Ohio Rusty]

A good rule of thumb is ...If the gun loads from the front .... muzzleloading rifle, cap-n-ball pistol, etc, then use pure lead. With a cap-n-ball pistol, it is important when you force the ball into the cylinder, the lead ball either squeeze in tightly, or a small ring of lead be sheared off while loading. That tight fit keeps the ball from moving upon recoil and is thought to help prevent chain fires from the front. A hard WW lead ball in a cap-n-ball pistol is almost too hard to load and force into the end of the cylinder to seat properly.

If you have a gun that loads from the breech end or in a brass cartridge, WW type lead is just fine for breechloaders. Ignition will ensure the bullet fills the lands and grooves. The hard lead is the issue trying to force into the lands and grooves by hand in muzzleloading type rifles. It can be done if you use a steel loading rod and a mallet. That is too much of a pain. Breechloaders can use any kind of lead.
Ohio Rusty ><(((o>

"We don't need a fountain of youth ...we have enough youth. What we need is a fountain of SMART !!"

[44man]

I shoot BPCR and tried WW metal. It leaded my barrel badly. I use 20 to 1 or 30 to 1 with no leading.
Strange thing! :confused:
I have reason to believe that tin not only allows the big boolits to fill better but might have something to do with preventing leading in the bore. I never tried pure in the BPCR but it works just fine in muzzle loaders.
Now with smokeless, WW metal was OK.

[e15cap]

Check out the Shiloh Rifle Forum if you have not been there - answers to many questions there. Roger

[Pawpaw]

I shoot pure lead in my .45-70 with no issues. Some say that a little tin helps fill out the mold, and I can't argue that point. I use a little tin in everything but my .45-70 bullets. Maybe the hole is so big that I get a good fill with the weight of the metal.

[runfiverun]

ww's and 20-1 are the same hardness.
it is supposed to be antimony that causes your problems with b/p.
however i know guys that shoot, mixed ,straight and/ or ww's in their b/p.