WW and range lead mix

[singleshotbuff]

Gentlemen,

I'm currently using WW metal for my 380/9mm boolits. Dropped stright from the mold into cold water. Makes for a good hard accurate boolit. I have a couple hundred pounds of range lead from a local indoor range. Obviously this is fairly soft lead, made up mostly of 22s, jacked cores, swaged and cast boolits. I was thinking of mixing it 50/50 with the WWs, both to stretch the WWs and to use up this range lead. I know these boolits would be plenty hard for pistol shooting, but was wondering if they'll still harden if dropped into water? Also will they weigh more than pure WW boolits? My mold already drops boolits about as heavy as I want for the 380.

Thanks for input.

SSB

[Bass Ackward]

1. I know these boolits would be plenty hard for pistol shooting, but was wondering if they'll still harden if dropped into water?

2. Also will they weigh more than pure WW boolits? My mold already drops boolits about as heavy as I want for the 380.

SSB


SSB,

1. Yes, although not quite as hard.

2. Slightly, maybe a grain or so. More importantly understand you will drop about .005 in bullet diameter too.

Start out with a small batch to try. Only takes 24 hours and you will know the verdict as only you can judge.

[45 2.1]

SSB,

1. Yes, although not quite as hard.

2. Slightly, maybe a grain or so. More importantly understand you will drop about .005 in bullet diameter too.

Start out with a small batch to try. Only takes 24 hours and you will know the verdict as only you can judge.

Answers to:
1. About 18 BHN

2. 5 thousandths???? Hardly, maybe a half thousandth (0.0005")

[Bass Ackward]

Answers to:
1. About 18 BHN

2. 5 thousandths???? Hardly, maybe a half thousandth (0.0005")



Bob,

Do you get 18 with everything using 50WW/50Pure? I find that small diameter bullets cool quicker and produce around 18, but larger 45s only get maybe 14. especially if water dropping. I see you always quote 18. I mix 1/3 to my plussed up WW and only get 16 on the large balls.

Yep. Got me again. I meant .0005 max.

[six_gun]

I shoot range lead from an indoor range mixed with wheel weights.

I mix 5 ingots of range lead to 2 ingots of WW. It is soft.

My experience is that it is really a good mix and I get very accurate bullets and little or no leading with the ones I shoot.

I lube with Lee Liquod Alox or RCBS Rifle lube.

357 mag from a Rossi 92, 20 inch barrel.
Mold, RCBS 9mm, 124gr Truncated cone weighs 126 gr and I size to .358
5 gr Bullseye at 1330 fps
Crimped on front driving band
No leading and groups under 2 inches at 100 meters.

357 mag from a Rossi 92, 20 inch barrel.
Mold, RCBS 357-180-sil weighs 195 gr and I size to .358
Crimped on front driving band

[45 2.1]

Bob,

Do you get 18 with everything using 50WW/50Pure? I find that small diameter bullets cool quicker and produce around 18, but larger 45s only get maybe 14. especially if water dropping. I see you always quote 18. I mix 1/3 to my plussed up WW and only get 16 on the large balls.

Yep. Got me again. I meant .0005 max.

John-
I limit use of waterdropped boolits of that alloy to 25, 6.5mm, 7mm, 30 and 35 calibers. I vary the casting technique between those calibers and seem to end up somewhere close to that on all of them. I don't use pure, but range recovery or WW jacketed core culls. Anything larger than 35 gets WW or softer alloy, very caliber/use specific.