Trouble with range scrap.

[Huskerguy]

Three pages of replies, you probably have your answer.

My question is are you stopping to admire and examine your bullets as you cast? Pour, cut and dump just as fast as you can, don’t look at the bullets .

I purchased a new mold several years back and couldn’t find air to try it out. I warmed everything up including the mold on a hot plate. I kept looking at my bullets and mostly wrinkles. I was sure there was something wrong with the mold. Then I read something somewhere and it clicked. It doesn’t take long for a mold to cool down.

I have and currently use a bunch of indoor range scrap. It has everything in the world in it which I think contributes to the mix. You can find just about anything in there but it cleans up nicke although a mess getting there.

[sgms18]

I try & keep a steady pace & only stop to put the sprus back when the pot starts getting low. Then the next several pours go in the scrap pile getting back up to temp again. It took me awhile to get used to aluminum molds for sure.

[Soundguy]

if you have good temp..hot mold.. clean mold that is seasoned or sooted..and you still get wrinkles..I'd add a little tin.. if you know you have plenty of tin.. look at the mold again..

[sgms18]

How much tin would you suggest for about 20lb of lead?

[Bill M]

If I'm using WW, I add 1# of solder to 19#. I melt all my bar solder together and pour into ingots for ease of use. (The last time I did most was 63/37, some 50/50, and I think 5 bars of lead free.)

[sgms18]

Thanks. I've got a bunch of pewter to use for tin & a few bars of 50/50.

[imashooter2]

2 ounces of pewter into 20 pounds of lead would be near enough a 1% plus up.

[justindad]

<snip>
It doesn’t take long for a mold to cool down.

I have had a few molds with burrs that would not let go of the boolits, which meant I was whacking the mold handles so long the mold cooled off. Kept getting wrinkled boolits.

[Winger Ed.]

I was whacking the mold handles so long the mold cooled off. Kept getting wrinkled boolits.

I almost expect that from new molds.
While wearing old/thick blue jeans (and they're cold), I rub the insides of the blocks on my leg.
It polishes away small burrs without getting 'violent' with them.

[jsizemore]

I do the conversion to ounces when figuring how much pewter to add. You'll be adding pewter in the ounces so that's more easier. With a 20 lb pot you'll have 320 ounces of alloy (16x20=320) so 1% pewter/tin would be 3.2 ounces. If I'm trying to figure what's gonna work for added tin/pewter, I increase in 1/2% increments till things is good. The pewter I use has been tested to be anywhere from 92% to 96% tin. My pure Pb is liquidus at 629degF by my temp readout on my PID. Regardless of what lab certified temps are you should establish what they are for your equipment and check them periodically or whenever you got a problem to help troubleshoot. Oh, and don't sweat the tenths when you add the pewter. 1 or 2 tenths plus or minus ain't gonna matter.

[sgms18]

I got my results back from BNE so I thought I'd share.

Pb=98.3%
Sb=1.5%
Sn=0.1%
Cu=0.1%

[Rickf1985]

And there you have it, No tin. If you add about 1.5 to 2% tin you will be in great shape. At least there is nothing bad in there.

[Dusty Bannister]

As you are adding tin to your alloy, you might keep in mind that as long as there is more antimony than tin, the alloy will age harden. With the low antimony content, it will take longer to mature. Still a very good alloy for the calibers you listed early in this thread.

[Winger Ed.]

Just a guess, being so close to pure Lead that looks like most of it was melted out of jacketed stuff.

Scrounge more range scrap from a pistol range to mix with it.
You should end up with a lot of cast pistol boolits that are usually higher in all the 'goodies'
and that way you won't have to buy as much of them.
Or, like in the old days, mix it 50/50 with the old school wheel weights.

Like my Dad always encouraged------ Save a buck where ya can..

[sgms18]

Just a guess, being so close to pure Lead that looks like most of it was melted out of jacketed stuff.

Scrounge more range scrap from a pistol range to mix with it.
You should end up with a lot of cast pistol boolits that are usually higher in all the 'goodies'
and that way you won't have to buy as much of them.
Or, like in the old days, mix it 50/50 with the old school wheel weights.

Like my Dad always encouraged------ Save a buck where ya can..

Yes, this range scrap came from an indoor pistol range use to work at. It was mainly jacketed pistol bullets. I'm sure there were a few guys shooting cast but they were definitely the minority.

[Delkal]

I got my results back from BNE so I thought I'd share.

Pb=98.3%
Sb=1.5%
Sn=0.1%
Cu=0.1%

This is in line with the estimations in a lot of the alloy calculators. Unless you have the luck to get the scrap from a range with a lot of cast shooters the range scrap around here mostly comes from commercial indoor ranges with just about everyone shooting jacketed bullets. The guy I get my ingots from showed me a 55 gallon drum mostly full with empty copper jackets (which he also sells for scrap) and told me there are very few cast bullets in the mix.

Like others have mentioned recovered lead from jacketed bullets needs tin. If I add 2% pewter the BHN goes up by 2 and I don't have a problem filling out the mold.

[WILCO]

Very useful information in this thread.

[jsizemore]

I got my results back from BNE so I thought I'd share.

Pb=98.3%
Sb=1.5%
Sn=0.1%
Cu=0.1%

Those numbers look a lot like COWW's mixed with equal parts pure lead also called 50/50 around here. Some folks crank the heat to get good fillout with that alloy but with the higher temp have more shrinkage of the cast bullets. As long as your mold casts big enough to meet your needs that's not a problem. If it's borderline for size than you can add some tin and cast at a cooler temp. It only takes adding about 1% pewter or tin and you can cast at 690-700degF and gain a little more size. BHN will be about 9-10 and your pistol powders will work just fine. I call it my house blend. It's just plain easy to cast. Keep your bare hands off them and they take PC or Hi-Tek without problems. If you need a little more hardness you can heat treat. Really good all around alloy.