First lead puchase

[jwinget1979]

New to forum and just getting started in casting. I was recently given a 20 lb. ingot with the opportunity to purchase many more for .70 a lb. Before making a large investment I decided to have it tested for content, and being a newbie I was hoping someone could give me an opinion. Test results are as follows

Pencil test 3B

Lead 99.14%
Copper .10%
Iron .10%
Antimony .6%

Would this be a worthwhile alloy for purchase? Primary use will be for a 45-70 405 gr. For elk bear hogs and deer. Any help is appreciated



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[76 WARLOCK]

It is a bargain, but you will need to add some tin.

[Hickory]

Yes, tin will greatly improve the castability of your lead and improve the performance as a hunting boolit. 16/1 is a good ratio for hunting.

[reddog81]

.$70 is pretty cheap regardless of what it is. I'd buy a bunch and then buy tin and/or antimony seperately and adjust as needed. If you wait until you have a chance at buying the perfect alloy locally you might be waiting a while.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Welcome to the forum.

Would this be a worthwhile alloy for purchase?

Yes.
that alloy is basically a "scrap grade" almost pure lead alloy.

There will be lots of opinions on what to add to be a good alloy for 45-70 hunting load.
The pressure of the load you decide to shoot is probably a good place to start when researching the best alloy. Lots of info in the LASC link at the bottom of the page to help you with researching that.

http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm

[shoot-n-lead]

Welcome to the forum.

Would this be a worthwhile alloy for purchase?

Yes.
that alloy is basically a "scrap grade" almost pure lead alloy.

There will be lots of opinions on what to add to be a good alloy for 45-70 hunting load.
The pressure of the load you decide to shoot is probably a good place to start when researching the best alloy. Lots of info in the LASC link at the bottom of the page to help you with researching that.

http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm

That link is definitely work checking out...I just like to go over there and read all of the stuff that I don't about casting...

[Budzilla 19]

In my opinion only, buy all you can afford! That 45/70 will eat up your lead stash quick! Just my .02

[jwinget1979]

Thanks for the help and great link, I have him bringing me 14 ingots tomorrow should give me 300 lbs or so. Should give me a nice start

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[Gtek]

1 lb. = 7000 grains, 7000 divided by 405 = 17.28 boolits, 20 x 17.28 = 345ish boolits. Then your going to find another caliber to play with and then another mold or two, but wait, you haven't tried that mold and maybe you should get that one also. Maybe I should try that gas check mold and alloy up for some speed, good luck. You might need a little more than 20 lbs.

[jwinget1979]

Have 20 lbs now getting 14 more 20 pounders in morning should get me to around 300 total lbs. So right around 5175 boolits

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[copdills]

welcome to the forum and thats a great deal

[Plate plinker]

Yes buy as much as you can swing. You will not regret it.

[Freightman]

Get as much as possible, I started out with 500# and thought I am set for life in a year I was running low. I have in 30 + years used 20K+ or so and still scrounging.

[Vinne]

Great find...you're well on your way to being hooked.

[Eddie Southgate]

Good deal , buy all you can afford .

Eddie

[dbosman]

Buy as much of that as you can and consider asking some shooting buddies for a loan. See if the seller will take a lower cost if you pick it up and take all they have. Post your city. Maybe some of us can help ease the seller's burden.
That is an interlocking stack-able brick for a medical imaging room. Nominally 1x4x12.

The only downside is they don't easily fit USPS flat rate boxes, as is. Other wise you could turn it at $1./lb.

[WRideout]

Make it a point to let everyone know that you are a boolit caster. People will just give you pieces of lead they have laying around. I have picked up 20-30 pounds that way. It seems that a lot of people thought it would be a good idea to have some lead for some project or another, and then don't know what to do with the excess. Also, you may be able to mine the range wherever you shoot. I try to bring back more than I deposit every trip.

Wayne

[RogerDat]

Buy as much of that as you can and consider asking some shooting buddies for a loan. See if the seller will take a lower cost if you pick it up and take all they have. Post your city. Maybe some of us can help ease the seller's burden.
That is an interlocking stack-able brick for a medical imaging room. Nominally 1x4x12.

The only downside is they don't easily fit USPS flat rate boxes, as is. Other wise you could turn it at $1./lb.

My thoughts exactly, the x-ray room lead liner is very high grade plain lead, standards exist for what could be used for shielding. Seem to recall it was greater than 99% pure and non-recycled lead.

Would not surprise me if the iron and copper readings are from tiny amounts of metal dust picked up on the lead. Surface only. Even a small amount of rust stain will be picked up as Iron, as in set it in a rusty truck bed with some scrap copper pipe can pick up some traces.

[jwinget1979]

Thanks for the great info, as soon as I get what I need I will gladly share the location

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[whisler]

Get what you need? hahahahaha! That may be a while.