Zinc boolits

[lunicy]

I have a decent pile of zinc. I was wondering if I could cast boolits out of zinc alone. (not with lead, I know that boogers up the mix) just pure zinc boolits. Any reason not to? Barrel damage?

[jnovotny]

probably won't fill out in the mold not to mention why?

[runfiverun]

pure zinc is hard stuff you will need to get your mold up to a good temp and your pot will need some heat also.
they used to make zinc washers for gas checks,you put the washer in the mold and poured lead in.
just don't be mixing it in with your lead stuff.

[deltaenterprizes]

There was an article in an old American Rifleman mag about doing this. Zinc melts a little above the temp requried to melt lead and the article claimed a standard lead pot would work to melt the zinc if the thermostat was at the maxium heat setting. The resulting bullets will be very light and a chore to size,lube should not be required.
I saw some commercial zinc bullets and they were separating like flaky biscuits.

[Echo]

IIRC, the author of the AR artical said he recovered one pistol bullet (.45, IIMR) and reloaded it 5 times. Not deformed by firing, or the backstop, just rifling grooves.

[trk]

and, as I recall from an article looong ago, one can get VERY high velocity from them too.

Zinc is commonly use for casting cannon balls as it is about the same density as cast iron.

(check out gbocannons.com)

[felix]

The major problem with zinc is that it would require lots of twist to make range, and this is because they are so light. Maybe 50 yards with the typical twist? I bet casting for the Swede would be best overall, and prolly 100 yards can be reached OK. ... felix

[Jim]

I've been experimenting with this for a while now. Yes, it can be done, but I've found that it works best with a burner head and a pot. The zinc has to be premelted with a plumber's torch to get it started. I let it set in the pot, covered, for almost an hour and it didn't melt. I hit it with a "turbo torch" and it melted.
The mold has to be preheated to full temp before you start and you have to cut the sprue IMMEDIATELY upon the cast hardening. If you don't, you have to beat on the sprue plate to get it to cut.
The boolit needs to be sized EXACTLY to groove diameter to avoid dangerous pressure spikes. It does need to be lubed and it is NOT accurate past about 50 yards, at least not for me.
I've decided it ain't worth the time and trouble.

[docone31]

I been playing also.
I paper patch. I got some great results at 100yds with castings with an high percentage of zinc.
I tried to recover some to see if I could detect any reasons to not use them. I couldn't!
The impact crater on the berm was twice the size as my ordinary castings, and, they fragmented. Each fragment made its own impact point.
In general, so far, I have gotten good results with zinc with paper. I am not sure how it would do in a rifle barrel as plain lubed casting though. It is hard.

[shotman]

You have a good supply and they make pretty boolits Try some pennys[new ones] they make a copper tint boolit. One other thing dont use an Aluniumn mold. you are getting near the melting point of AL. And like was said cut fast. rick