Zinc bullets, why harder on bore than copper?

[johnnybar]

is there not some Zinc in wheel weight led? And if so is there a problem casting these Led/Zinc highbred bullet? and if so how do you separate the two materials once they are in ingot form?

If it won't shoot decent...cast some pretty corn cobs or fish to hang on the shed wall.

[Thompsoncustom]

Thought I would add this as I just remembered I had it.

The photo is of a zinc/alum bullet that went head on into the side of my steel bullet trap. Gives you a picture of the engraving on the bullet tho doesn't help with the force required.

[johnnybar]

You can get an idea of required force by running a #2 alloy slug and a zinc or zinc alloy slug of equal size through a lubrisizer or a Lee sizer in a O frame press. Use a spring scale to pull the handle or stand on a bathroom scale (non-digital) while pulling down on the sizer's handle to get a rough estimate of force.

[Thompsoncustom]

I like the scale Idea but I'm having problems finding a FJM copper bullet big enough to need sized. I have my sizer (lee push through) bored out to size at .3565 and I can't find a FMJ bigger the .356 I started by looking at all my 9mm HP boolits I reload and most are under 355 so yesterday I bought a bag of .38 cal 130gr flat point boolits and when I got them home they also measure 356, so I thought it might be my calipers but I double checked them and there good so anyone have a idea on a bullet that's say 357 or .358

[jabilli]

What would be useful for testing-

I got propane today- I'm prepping another melt to play with.

[Eagle66]

so, is zinc oxide harmful?

If you've been casting zinc, drink a big glass of milk when you're finished. That's long been a practice with welders, zinc foundrymen, etc. They say it will head off the "Metal Fume Fever".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metal_fume_fever

If your melt starts to put out white smoke, reduce the temperature and ventilate the area better. And don't forget the milk.

[BAGTIC]

Governments do care about barrel wear. Barrel in artillery are much more expensive that the savings in casts between copper bands and iron bands. Furthermore the ammo is made in home side factories where materials are comparatively more readily availability. When a artillery barrel wears out in a wartime scenario it is a long way from home and replacements and it often wears out at a critical time.

I can be about as cynical about the government as anyone. Wasteful? Perhaps. Stupid? They aren't.

[BAGTIC]

Grooves, lubing and crimping, generate drag. With low BC handgun bullets at short range it probably would not make much difference. If ones wanted the best possible BC from an already light bullet it could make a big difference down range. Also the easiest way to make zinc bullets is by die casting and the simpler the bullet shape the easier the casting.

[BAGTIC]

Her is a list of foods high in zinc. http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-...l?maxCount=57e Zinc is and essential nutrient for humans and many crops such as pecans. It is the basis for many ant-fungal medicines including the old standard calamine lotion.

[Hogtamer]

pI've put a lot of water over this dam in the last year for a Zn/Al alloy (Zamak 3) shotgun slug. Short version, Tom at Accurate molds cut me a mold that casts a .731 / 580 gr zamak 3 slug (96% Zn, 4% Al) for full bore 12 ga that I move along in a pressure tested 3" load @ 1700fps. The same mold casts 775 gr in Pb and no way I could come close to that velocity with that much weight. 4" group @ 100 yds. Very successful project and I've got enough loaded and put away in case I ever need to stop a truck. Found most of the objections in these thread without merit. Yes, it takes about 825* to cast but fill out no problem, engraving no problem, takes longer to set in mold but sprue cutting no problem with Tom's mold. Attachment 166386 Lube grooves only to reduce bearing surface to about 32%

[Ricochet]

For those who wish to experiment:
http://www.rotometals.com/product-p/zamak-3-ingots.htm

For those interested in zinc washers for Prot-X-Bore boolits, Hawk Bullets will sell them to you. You will have to call or E-mail them, the online order link is obsolete, but they confirmed to me a couple of weeks ago that they can provide them. They sell equipment for swaging Prot-X-Bore bullets.
http://hawkbullets.com/Prot-X-Bore.htm

If you want to experiment with the idea that zinc based bullets will "sherardize" your bore and entirely prevent leading, you can make gas checks of either the plain base or standard type out of pure zinc sheet, which is widely sold for interior decorating purposes. A quick look around turns up .006" and .020" as common thicknesses that I believe could be used. There are kits sold to make your own checks. You might convince one of the boutique check makers to do it for you if you supplied the zinc sheet. A few zinc boolits, base washers or gas checks aren't going to poison the berm for lead miners, either.

[dsol]

What about a heavy bullet mold for .223, then ream out the lube grooves? Could that get close to the 55gr that is standard for an AR? That way you could cast and load rounds that could duplicate factory loads for no cost for the cast bullets if you cull the zinc wheel weights and use those. Just thinking out loud... trying to think of a way to lower practice costs through casting and you cannot duplicate factory velocity with cast lead bullets.

[Texantothecore]

This looks like a paper patch would work really well. Possibly powder coating.

[NoAngel]

What about a heavy bullet mold for .223, then ream out the lube grooves? Could that get close to the 55gr that is standard for an AR? That way you could cast and load rounds that could duplicate factory loads for no cost for the cast bullets if you cull the zinc wheel weights and use those. Just thinking out loud... trying to think of a way to lower practice costs through casting and you cannot duplicate factory velocity with cast lead bullets.

This is would actually work quite well with modern fast twist AR's. A 55g zinc bullet would be significantly longer and would benefit greatly from the faster twist rates.