Help with alloy

[jimkim]

There is a fellow that would like me to cast some bullets for him. He is very specific from what alloy he wants them to be cast. He says he wants them cast from ten parts WW's and one part linotype or the equivalent. I have no linotype. I do have some hardball(2-6-92) alloy, some lead free solder(97% Tin, 2% Copper, 0.8% Silver and 0.2% Antimony), and some #8 chilled shot. Any suggestions on the correct ratios to get this right would be appreciated.

[waksupi]

Tell him if he is so particular, HE can supply the alloy.

[Bret4207]

What Ric said.

[felix]

Use 20 percent of your hardball lead with 80 percent WW. Close enough, unless you have boolits from him that you have to match up. If so, use WW and continually add your hardball until the boolits weight match. It really sounds like the guy was reading something and hoping to duplicate, for no real reason other than "somebody" said so. ... felix

[randyrat]

Ditto...... as stated above...Talk him into water dropped WWs.. 10% less cost, just as affective, slightly heavier by a couple grains.

[HeavyMetal]

How can a guy who doesn't cast be so specific about an alloy?

Think I'd suggest he not only supply the alloy but do the casting as well!

[Gunslinger]

10 parts WW and 1 part lino, never seen that combo mentioned before. 10% lino probably won't harden the slloy more than pure WWs water quenched....

[Green Frog]

Isn't the mix he is quoting one of the ways Lyman says to get to their so-called #2? As I have stated so many times before, specifying WW as part of a mix is anything but a specific formula in this day and age of variable WW alloys. If he wants specific, he should supply it himself, or tell you what he wants (by % content) and pay you a premium to mix it to his specs from known materials. JMHO

Froggie

[felix]

Lino is used to toughen up WW primarily, not to make it harder. Getting the lead harder is just incidental for this type of alloy. Water dropping is detrimental for meeting this objective. I am assuming the "customer" is not sure what he wants. ... felix

[jimkim]

He lives in PA. He casts 311041's already. He wants some Ranch Dog bullets, but he cant find any. Now that Michael will no longer be selling his moulds, mine will not leave my house again. I'll try adding the hardball. Thanks. Jim

I kinda had it figured out until he told me this.
Here’s how I calculate alloy composition:

If you mix 10 parts wheel weights: 96.5% lead – 3% tin – 0.5% antimony with
One part linotype: 84% lead - 12% tin - 4% antimony

Convert % to parts per 100 (or 1000) parts

lead tin antimony
965 30 5 parts in 1000 (10x100)
+84 12 4 parts in 100
1049 42 9 parts in 1100 parts, or

1049/1100 42/1100 9/1100, or

Final alloy of mix:
95.4% 3.8% 0.8%


Now my brain wont work. I'm usually pretty good at math, algebra, trig,integration and differentiation, but for some reason after I read this I CANT THINK NOW! I don't think this is right.

[Green Frog]

Well, I did it in my head before my last post and from memory at that. Isn't the percentage of tin and antimony reversed in your linotype and ww listings, Jimkim? Anyway, it still comes out to a very strange combination of percentages that makes virtually no sense when compared to standard bullet alloys. Maybe that's just what he's been using all his life and nobody ever questioned it?? :confused:

What is he going to shoot this in anyway?

Froggie

[jimkim]

Your right they are backwards. I think the math is wrong too. I was ok until I read that, then something locked up. I think I smelled smoke as well. I think my Lyman #2 equivalent would be close enough. I already have it alloyed and cast into ingots. He is a really nice fellow and I have enjoyed our conversations very much, so I don't mind doing this at all. I just want him to be satisfied with my bullets.

[jdgabbard]

If you mix 10 parts wheel weights: 96.5% lead – 3% tin – 0.5% antimony with


Final alloy of mix:
95.4% 3.8% 0.8%



Show his those two numbers, and tell him to shut up and take what he gets. He is asking for something so close to WW alloy that its stupid.

[anachronism]

I'm with Ric. Make him supply the alloy. He's pretty particular for a starvin' pilgrim...

[fredj338]

The compostion of WW is all over the place now days. The #2 alloy is pretty close to what he thinks he needs. Some good info here. http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletAlloy.htm#alloyrecipes
His requested formula will actually be softer than the #2 according to LASC & they know just about everything when it comes to casting IMO. About 50/50 clip-on ww & #2 would be about what he is asking for, but I just eyeballed the math.

[jimkim]

I ended up casting them from 1.7-3.1-95.2 plus 1oz of #8 chilled shot. I figure it was close enough. I water dropped the bullets. I told him to heat treat them if he wanted them harder.