WW to hard????

[.452dia]

I have several hundred pounds of WW already melted, cleaned and formed into ingots but it seems to be too hard for my BP loads in my Hi Wall. Is there any way to soften this alloy other than adding pure lead which I have a very limited supply?

[Echo]

Well - you might try annealing some. Put them in the oven, bring it up to 300*, let it sit for 15 minutes, then turn the oven off and let them cool slowly. See what the BHN is then.

(You DID check the BHN of your alloy, didn't you?)

[.452dia]

Well - you might try annealing some. Put them in the oven, bring it up to 300*, let it sit for 15 minutes, then turn the oven off and let them cool slowly. See what the BHN is then.

(You DID check the BHN of your alloy, didn't you?)

Won't annealing them make them even harder? I am trying to make them softer.

[buyobuyo]

If you air-cooled your boolits when you cast them, I don't think you'll get them any softer by annealing them. I don't think you're going to get around mixing in some soft lead with your wheel weights. You could trade some of what you have for soft lead in the classifieds.

[jsizemore]

if you air-cooled your boolits when you cast them, i don't think you'll get them any softer by annealing them. I don't think you're going to get around mixing in some soft lead with your wheel weights. You could trade some of what you have for soft lead in the classifieds.

+++1.

[Stick_man]

.452, where ya located? I have a bunch of stick-on weights I would consider trading for them if you are anywhere near me. Others here may be in the same boat. The lead stick-on weights are generally considered very close to pure and work great in the frontstuffers.

[eldoradolee]

I have several hundred pounds of WW already melted, cleaned and formed into ingots but it seems to be too hard for my BP loads in my Hi Wall. Is there any way to soften this alloy other than adding pure lead which I have a very limited supply?

Clip on wheel weight lead is way to hard for your B.P.shooting.Stick on wheel weights are as hard as you want to use.Trade your ingots for some pure lead.You want to use as soft as you can get.B.h.n 5 to 7 max.Lee

[grumpy one]

The stick-ons I've handled have mostly had a tin content of about 1.5%, with very little antimony (about 0.5%). They are considerably softer than clip-ons, but quite noticeably harder than pure lead. Muzzle loaders mostly have traditionally used pure lead. 1.5% tin may not be too hard - it depends on your gun and your load - but most likely pure lead would be better. All the history and the received wisdom says that clip on WW is way too hard for just about any muzzle loader.

[DLCTEX]

He didn't say muzzle loader, he said High Wall BP, I don't think stickons would be too hard if using a hollow base boolit. If the bollit is FB I don't think clipon is too hard.

[badbob454]

i reccomend as said before swap em out for soft lead stick on wheel weights or softer clip on wheel weights are too hard for most bp applications ,and slugs for shotguns ,, yeah i know, some of you shotgunneres will quibble this point . but lee and others reccomends soft lead only

[onondaga]

I would try annealing your cast boolits. this has worked for me.
Annealing will not harden your boolits . It is quick chilling that will harden many boolit alloys.

Bring them up to 300-350 on a cookie pan in the oven and heat soak them 15 mins. then turn the oven off, leave the oven door shut and let them cool slowly till the oven is cold. That is a slow cool anneal treatment. If they can be softened that will do it very well.

Gary

[runfiverun]

annealing will soften them but only for a short time. like the 7-10 day waiting period from initial casting to final hardness.
you might as well use them the day after you cast them.
i use annealed noses for deer hunting, but I re-load 5 new ones for the second week of the hunt.
because they will re-harden to make up of the alloy.
your best bet is to use a soft tin/lead alloy for this particular gun.

[hydraulic]

452: What calibre and what load of BP are you using? Several of us in our gang shoot wheel weights in our .45-70 with a case full of Swiss 1 1/2 wilh excellent results. Many others shoot 20 to 1 or 16 to 1 and wheel weights are only about 12 to 1. I don't know of anyone that shoots pure lead in a black powder cartridge rifle. Get down to the BPCR posts and ask your question again.

[leadman]

I have use air cooled clip on wheel-weight alloy in my 40-65 Rolling Block with excellent results.

Load some and try them.

[fredj338]

I would swap em for pure lead. If you want to do a USPS FR swap, I would let go 50# + of pure for 65# of clip ww. Drop a note.

[.452dia]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have just been given about 300 lbs of sheet lead, 150 lbs of lead pipe from old bathtub drains and another 250 to 300 lbs of old roof drain flashing. (It's nice to have a lot of Contractor Friends) My best guess is all this is near pure lead so I may be able to mix the WW with the pure lead 50/50 and have make a good alloy.

[MikeS]

Where are you located? The amount of lead you mention is WAY too much to store in a residential structure, you will bend your foundation. If you're close to me, I will borrow a pickup truck, and haul away much of that so you don't weigh down your house!

[.452dia]

Where are you located? The amount of lead you mention is WAY too much to store in a residential structure, you will bend your foundation. If you're close to me, I will borrow a pickup truck, and haul away much of that so you don't weigh down your house!

Thanks, but I live in Northern Central NC (Caswell County) west of the declared emergency. I appreciate your kind and generous offer and concern for the safety of my home but I think I can store it in my horse stable and be safe. The horses are safe too because I don't own them anymore.