I may be getting some scrap lead wire for bullet cores which I guess is Lead and Antimony, has any one used this and did it mix with tin with out any problems?
I may be getting some scrap lead wire for bullet cores which I guess is Lead and Antimony, has any one used this and did it mix with tin with out any problems?
The only lead wire I have seen marketed for swaging has been pure lead. Anything above 1% antimony will give you problems when swaging cores for making jacketed bullets.
I talked to the company that made the lead wire and they said it is 99.9 % PB. I ended up with over a 1000 lb of scrap wire and cores. Now I just need some lino.
I had extruded swaging wire, two types, some years ago; one was soft, the other was called "magnum" (I think). It was available from an Illinois company, perhaps the largest distributor of swaging wire in the '60s when swaging reached it's peak of popularity. I don't know if different BHNs are available now.
Thanks for the tip, I had not thought of that.
I bought some vintage boxes of extruded Lead alloy wire for swaging. The boxes were marked 97% PB and 3% SB. As I understand it, 97-3 that's been extruded is work softened and is nearly the same hardness as pure lead, until it is melted or heat treated. I had no issues using it for swaging. SB in the alloy helps the extruding process, helps it flow. I believe that's more of the reason it's added, than any other reason.
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“If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.”
― The Dalai Lama, Seattle Times, May 2001
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |