Lyman #2 alloy

[Char-Gar]

I had forgotton about this zombie thread, but am glad to see it back again. Lyman No. 2 is still a useful alloy and it my go to alloy for rifle loads above 1.5 K fps.

[Char-Gar]

There's another one in the Lyman manual: 5# pure lead + 4# linotype + 1# 50/50 solder

That is the recipe I have used most. I have also found that a 50/50 mix of pure lead and Linotype gives the same results.

[ChristopherO]

Do you find #2 to be a bit too hard fot deer size game? I like a large wide flat nose but want some expansion. Not sure #2 will do that on a broad side shot.

[vintagesportsman]

Ditto to gondwana, great thread, worth reading time and again!

[Oklahoma Rebel]

I have just casted a good 50-60, 460-425-rnfp noe's out of #2 ( or close to it) , and was also wondering if they will expand when impacting a deer at 1500fps? for me it is really not an issue because that size boolit doesn't need to expand to drop a deer. but if anyone knows I would also like to know. how does #2 hold up when used for HP's at higher (1400-1600)fps? do they fracture or does the higher tin content help to let them deform without fracture? thanks, Travis

[Oklahoma Rebel]

I had my lyman #2 with .4-.5 copper loaded to 1800-1900 and it was too hard to expand on a hog, I am taking the batch and adding pure to drop it to 3.5%-3.5%-.2-.3cu. I think that should be a good combo ,not heat treated for hunting and loads below 1800-1900 and heat treated for 2000-2400

[zomby woof]

I have plenty of tin. I mix up #2, or close to it just because. It cast very easily, almost trouble free. I use it for USPSA pistol loads in 9mm. Shoots nice.

[dimaprok]

I had my lyman #2 with .4-.5 copper loaded to 1800-1900 and it was too hard to expand on a hog, I am taking the batch and adding pure to drop it to 3.5%-3.5%-.2-.3cu. I think that should be a good combo ,not heat treated for hunting and loads below 1800-1900 and heat treated for 2000-2400

How do you add copper? The melting temp of copper is something like 3.5x higher. Would be easier to procure for me than antimony or tin.

[RogerDat]

How do you add copper? The melting temp of copper is something like 3.5x higher. Would be easier to procure for me than antimony or tin.

Copper bonds to tin. Common to have a small amount in some pewter blends. Several ways to get copper into the melt in small amounts. Copper sulfate is one or fine copper wire in melted tin is another.

https://www.rotometals.com/pewter-al...FUO2wAod1W0Mqg shows two of three pewter mixes have some copper.

Copper creates a "tough" bullet. One that for example won't fragment on hitting bone.

Lyman #2 is good for high power or high velocity rounds and cut 50/50 with either plain lead or COWW's yields a very good general purpose alloy. At 50/50 with plain you have 2.5% Sn and Sb it is pretty close to COWW's with 2.5% added tin. With COWW's the Sb stays a bit higher.

Lino + COWW's or Plain + tin is a good recipe. Straight Lino is pretty expensive. Lyman #2 a little less costly. But for a lot of uses it is still more alloy than needed. Even down on 1.5% Sn & Sb works well for revolver rounds, might also yield better expansion in some cases.

https://www.rotometals.com/bullet-casting-alloys/ will give some foundry prices for compare.

[6622729]

Every time I have a casting problem I come back to this board and search and read. Every time my question has already been answered and the problem already solved. I thank modern technology for the Internet and I thank God for this board. If you cast boolits, this place is the best place to come to for knowledge about the silver stream.

Absolutely cannot argue your comments about this board. I have dug through troves of great advise and have enjoyed tremendous success casting.

My favorite alloy right now is a balanced 3.21% tin, 3.21% antimony and 93.58% lead. This is theoretical as these are scrap components run through the lead calculator, not shot with XRF. None the less it is working for me very nicely. There is everything right about Lyman #2 and is where I aspire to be. I couldn't care less about the extra tin cost. I already own more tin than I will ever use in my lifetime. Right now I have this odd but balanced alloy because it's really easy to make from the ridiculous quantities of antimony lead scrap, monotype and wiping solder I have on hand. You people are responsible for the size of my lead stash. always motivating me to grab what I find when I find it. I hope you're proud of yourselves. Lol.

[old turtle]

I use ww for most of my slow rifle loads width no problem at all. They seem hard enough for me. When I want hard bullets I mix 1 pound of linotype to 2 pounds of wheel weights. Wheel weights shoot in my rifles at 14 to1600 fps with no leading and shoot well. I have been casting since 1965 so I have shoot many thousands of ww boolits.

[Larry Gibson]

"My favorite alloy right now is a balanced 3.21% tin, 3.21% antimony and 93.58% lead."

I also use a similar alloy as 6622729 as I also have accumulated quite a bit of "range lead". I find it makes an excellent alloy when additional lead and tin are added for most of my general purpose shooting. It casts very well and performs very well from handgun up through regular cast bullet rifle loads. In rifles when WQ'd it does very well up through 2400 fps.

However, for HV and for accuracy with my match loads I revert back to Lyman #2 alloy. It has a balance of BHN (AC'd or WQ'd) and malleability that makes it the best performer at HV and for accuracy at regular cast bullet rifle velocities. It has performed the best from 1750 fps up through 3000+ fps than any other ternary alloy.