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Thread: Off the wall question

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master


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    Off the wall question

    While reading Shifts and Expedients of Camp Life by William Barry Lord, I've came across some very peculiar sections on hunting, and bullet casting. One that really stood out to me was when describing what to bring on a long trip. While going through things like caps, molds, of course lead, the author also stated to use some kind of lead hardener. Tin and antimony were no surprise, but he also listed mercury.

    This really got me thinking. I can't imagine dumping cold liquid mercury into a very hot liquid lead pot, that just sounds like a bad idea. How else would you mix them? If you could get them to mix, would it really harden it?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    taufledermaus has a video mixing lead and mercury, but it says mercurys boiling point is very close to leads melting point. also it was an ugly goopy liquid and said its very weak. so idk about all that. would be cool though to have have a hardener that increases density instead of lowers it

  3. #3
    Boolit Master

    Rcmaveric's Avatar
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    Yes, mercury hardens lead. It's in my metallurgy manuals. The down side is it contaminates.

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  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master


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    It's just another tid bit of information that makes you wonder how much information we have lost on shooting in just 200 years.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Mercury vapor is very bad for you. Elemental Mercury isn't much better.

  6. #6
    Boolit Man Light attack's Avatar
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    Hence the saying "mad as a hatter". Hat makers used mercury too. Also used in smelting gold.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    Mercury also Disolved lead.
    But it will seperate other material from Gold when smelting.

  8. #8
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    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kevin c View Post
    Mercury vapor is very bad for you. Elemental Mercury isn't much better.
    I've heard your body will readily absorb, or take it in much like it does iron.
    Once in there, its very toxic.
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    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


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  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy
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    I think at this point I would rather carry arsenic instead of mercury if I didnt have antimony or tin. I dont know which one works better though but I would imagine arsenic would be easier to control and clean up.

  10. #10
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    I once had a 1911 barrel come across my counter that was leaded so badly that there was no rifling to be seen. Tried soaking in several different cleaning solutions, but nothing would dislodge the leading. I finally taped up the muzzle end of the barrel, held it in a vise, and poured it full of mercury. (had a pan under vise in case of drips) Next day I poured the mercury back into it's container and proceeded to run a patch on a jag through the barrel, the jag pushed a huge glob of lead out the muzzle. Then ran a brush dipped in solvent through bore, and several patches. The barrel cleaned right up and looked like new.
    The guy was a new handloader and didn't realize that he should lube the bullets when he sized them. Said he fired the pistol until the slide wouldn't go into battery. Hmmmm, wow.
    He was happy with the cleaned barrel and went on his way. I expected for him to be back in a day or two with a Bag-O-Gun for me to put back together for him, but he must have gotten it back together by himself.

    I still have my 15 pound bottle of mercury.
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  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    Hm... Mercury...

    Added to the list of things like arsenic that while could be useful in alloying I'm not stupid enough to mess with on its pure form.

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master

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    I've always heard about using Mercury on badly leaded barrels but I doubt that I will ever try using it as a hardner. There are things that are safer and easier.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master

    fiberoptik's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slugster View Post
    I once had a 1911 barrel come across my counter that was leaded so badly that there was no rifling to be seen. Tried soaking in several different cleaning solutions, but nothing would dislodge the leading. I finally taped up the muzzle end of the barrel, held it in a vise, and poured it full of mercury.…
    I still have my 15 pound bottle of mercury.
    Dropped mine.



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Abbreviations used in Reloading

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