Are Zinc bullets an alternative

[Markbo]

As lead in wheel weights disappears the only ones available are the old recovered ones. All new wheel weights in my area have gone to zinc, iron and even aluminum. I predict within a year all the old/lead will be gone and I will have only what I have. Which is not near enough!

The thought has occurred to me... are zinc bullets doable? Is there any reason zinc - or some alloy using zinc wheelweights - can't be used? I can have a near limitless supply of zinc wheelweights after the lead is all gone. So is there a zinc recipe and what would be the restrictions, i.e. velocity, caliber, sizing, gas checks, etc.

I appreciate any experience from those that have already experimented.

[Jim]

..... I predict within a year all the old/lead will be gone and I will have only what I have.....

That's why people like "The Captain" and myself work hard to produce a good product at a fair price for booliteers to have a reliable source.

[RugerFan]

Some folks have been experimenting with casting zink (not me yet). Considering that the antis are trying to get bullets containing lead banned claiming environmental damage etc (hogwash, but there may be some success), it wouldn't be a bad idea to stock up on zink and start some casting/loading/shooting trials. Might as well have a contingency plan as lead supplies dwindle.

[wiljen]

Zinc is a bit harder (Pun intended) to work with as it has a higher melting point and equipment must be kept hotter to get good fill out. If you do succeed at getting good bollits the next problem is they weigh about 2/3rds of what the lead version would which means many dont fly true. Also load data is tough to come by at the odd weights one finds.

Zinc also tends to skid on the rifling like overly hardened lead alloys can unless loads are matched very carefully.

I played enough to know it was a better idea to find all the lead I could while I could.

[sig2009]

Just got $21 for 71 lbs of stick on Zinc wheelweights at the scrap yard. I asked the owner if he would sell any lead wheelweights and he told me NO. You have to be very careful. He is not supposed to. So I asked him what the price would be to sell me some if I wanted 100 lbs and he told me $0.60 lb. So looks like for now I have a source.

Besides I have taken home over 500 lbs of range lead from the indoor backstop at our range for free so as long as they make bullets and there is scrap lead I am good to go!

[theperfessor]

I think jbunny has done some things with zinc. Might want to check his posts.

[FergusonTO35]

I'm wondering if the casting industry could put their heads together and come up with some sort of a moldable lead free alloy. Winchester already makes lead free tin .22 LR ammo at a semi-affordable price, and shotgun ammo makers produce pellets that actually outperform lead but at a sky high price. I think it can be done but, sadly, it may take the impetus of draconian restrictions on PB to make it happen.

[sig2009]

No way!

[H.Callahan]

Think there was some playing around with zinc projectiles sometime around the turn of the (20th) century. I vaguely recall reading that they were workable, but not spectacular, and there were (then) no advantages over using lead.

[mag_01]

Zinc is hard --- moulds ok but is brittle --- tends to be problematic in sizing dies an can mess up A die.

[MBTcustom]

I was reading a while ago, dont remember who, maybe P-dog shooter, successfully paper patched zinc boolits. It might be worth a try, but I can't see them doing very well on critters.

[pdawg_shooter]

I was reading a while ago, dont remember who, maybe P-dog shooter, successfully paper patched zinc boolits. It might be worth a try, but I can't see them doing very well on critters.

Wernt me! I am old enough and set enough in my ways not to change now. I think it was doc1, maybe.

[darkroommike]

More do-able in heavier calibers, I recall an episode of Top Shot using the Hotchkiss Mountain Gun with inert zinc rounds blowing the bejeebers out of water tanks (I so want a Hotchkiss!) and Rotometals sells zinc cannon balls in several sizes.

[lathesmith]

Some guys have had success with Zinc, it will work under the right circumstances. But, whatever you do, DON'T fire zinc slugs at an indoor range (or any range) with steel baffles!! The riccochet potential is seriously high, they can bounce around like they are in a pinball machine, with disastrous results. This is NOT a joke!

lathesmith

[packrat]

I would get hold of all the lead I could find now and not worry about trying to shoot zink...just my .02 cents

[pdawg_shooter]

I'm with you, packrat. Hmmm, does that name imply anything?

[Longwood]

A bit of experimenting would never hurt.
I wonder how much of another metal it would take to alloy it to make good bullets.
I would think that for the, close range plate shooting, they would work just fine.
Do any of you know what the refineries use for flux?
I doubt a aluminum mold would be a good a choice.

[firefly1957]

Early 45 acp used zinc the bullets were lighter I have never heard what the velocities were probably something on the web about it. I have seen loads for zinc bullets back into the 1970's but never payed a lot of attention some precautions were that they foul the bore bad and they should not be poured in a aluminum mould (possible soldering of materials) Accuracy was complained about also with most loads.

[H.Callahan]

I've never tried it even with a lead bullet, but I wonder how paper patching a zincer would work...

[pdawg_shooter]

If you can cast them the right size they will work. I would hate to try to size one down .010 for patching.