Substitute for Tin?

[Steel185]

I usually cast with Wheel weights or with ISO lead. I have been adding just a little Tin in the form of 50/50 sodder wire i had. I'm out of that and looking for more tin. I find 2% tin works well in my molds and guns. I have been looking to find some and man its expensive! I really try to stay "low cost" and have on average $.10/lb invested in my lead, but $17/lb is high. If i buy enough for 100lbs of lead its around $50 for lead. is there anything i can add to WW and ISO lead to achieve the same effect, bullets that pour nicely into the molds? I'm not greatly concerned with how shinny they come out. Or a cheaper source of Tin? $17 was for pure tin at rotometals, should i get a lead/tin combo?

any suggestions?

[runfiverun]

the other [big] iso cores comes in at 1/3/96 and does just fine on it's own.

[Steel185]

I have about 380lbs of ISO lead left, and 1200lbs of wheel weights, and another 800lbs of close to pure lead(from commercial roof material). If the ISO is good, that eliminates some of my need. The pewter looks to be a good mix of tin and Antimony, but its around the same price.

Maybe i'm looking at the wrong source, where do you find this stuff for cheaper?

[gbrown]

Look on some of the threads in this forum about pewter. This can be picked up in many forms--picture frames, cups, goblets, tankards, etc. from resale shops (Goodwill) estate sales and garage/yard sales.I picked up 4 goblets of good pewter for $10.00 at a resale shop. About 2-1/4 pounds. Good pewter runs from 92% tin to 99% tin. I have about 20 pounds that cost me about $20. I mixed some with WW 19.5# to pewter .5# and it aged out at 14 bhn.

[michiganvet]

No doubt about it, tin is pricy. Look for solder at garage sales. 95/5 is great if you can find it. It is used on copper water lines.

[gbrown]

This is what I am talking about. Went to a local church annual garage sale an hour before it closed. Grandson had a ball game this morning, keeping me from going. Walked in and there was a roll of lead for lead glass windows. Weighs somewhere between 15 and 20 #. Looked around some more and found 3 pieces of pewter, about 3/4 #. Cost all of $2.75. Will make some nice boolits.

[Defcon-One]

This is better than the price that you stated:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=155960

You can count on it being the real thing, too! I always buy from a member here first, if I can.

The solder works great for me! It is a know mix and you don't need much. There is too much else, unknown, in Pewter for my taste.

[imashooter2]

Modern pewter is 85% or better tin. Add 2% of it to your mix and there is a maximum of 3 tenths of one percent "impurities" added. Just how pure do you think scrap lead is to begin with?

[runfiverun]

mix the isp cores 50-50 with your ww's that should give you about .75% tin and near 3% antimony.
you can cast nice boolits with that alloy.