Alloy content: Too much antimony?

[Wooserco]

Looking at a Facebook Marketplace ad for lead for casting Boolits. Is there too much antimony in this alloy? 2% tin, 6% antimony, 92% lead.

[hc18flyer]

Check on a new thread in 'Lead and Lead Alloys'. hc18flyer

[Larry Gibson]

Looking at a Facebook Marketplace ad for lead for casting Boolits. Is there too much antimony in this alloy? 2% tin, 6% antimony, 92% lead.

In my opinion, yes there is too much antimony. For best results the antimony and tin should be equal parts not to exceed 5% of each.

[kevin c]

You’re describing hardball alloy, often used by commercial cast bullet manufacturers. Rumor has it that, like rubbery, tasteless tomatoes bred to ship well without becoming tomato sauce in transit, the alloy is used to avoid having bulk bullets getting dinged up in shipping.

It works fine. It also works fine cut 1:1 with pure lead. Some, like the very experienced Mr. Gibson, appreciate the characteristics of a “balanced” alloy containing 1:1 ratios of Sb and Sn, but I think it sort of depends on what you cast and how you plan on using it (I paper punch generously sized targets with pistols at close range, for instance, so my alloy has few demands on it).