What is the best scrap lead for casting? I have a friend who runs a scrap yard and I can get window lead or wheel weights or pretty much anything that someone would scrap for super cheap scrap prices. So what should I get and should I mix something in with it.
For most pistol/light rifle rounds, clip on wheel weights are best. For heavier loads, linotype. For black powder, stick on wheel weights. That's about the size of it. Make sure to eliminate any zinc or iron weights from your wheel weights. Window lead will be almost pure (like stick on weights), and suitable for black powder shooting.
..............The "Best Scrap Lead??????", is that which is free and is delivered. I have not yet been the recipient of such good fortune. Well, except for onceNext best lead (scrap or otherwise) is that already ingotized, and then it's worthiness decends from there, ha!
...............Buckshot
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As far as desirable lead, wheel weights are not necessarily the best for shooting, just the easiest to find while still having about the right alloy mix. They are dirty and you have to seperate the clips and the zinc weights. I used to cast only straight hospital lead that was used as casing for radioactive isotopes, and it was very similar to WW or maybe Lyman #2. But it was beautiful, clean and gleaming and mostly came in 20# casing the size of a large applesauce jar. Boy, would I love to have that source again! There are lots of great sources for lead, just not so commonplace anymore. So now I am happy when I find wheel weights, just like everyone else here.
The best scrap I've ever gotten is the stuff folks bring over, along with a case of beer,
and feel glad that they gave it to ya.
.
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In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.
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So if I get the window lead that is really soft what do I have to add and how much for making 45acp bullets?
Nothing. Soft bullets work fine in the .45.
I've found, though, that lead that's very soft (easily thumbnail dentable) isn't always truly pure, and it may harden quite a bit if you water-drop it from the mould after letting the sprue just harden till it suddenly "clouds" and cut it off. Or heat 'em all in the oven for an hour at 475°F and drop 'em in cold water. But you don't have to do any of this for .45 shooting. (I water drop all mine just because it's easier that way.)
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Window lead (came), is just about pure lead. You'll want to add tin at about 30-1 or 40-1 to improve the casting. 30-1 will bring the metal up to WW hardness (about BHN 9).
Morgan
Welcome Ghost; For 45 you can use pretty much anything. WW are fine, pure is good also but pure casts smaller than a harder alloy so you need to keep an eye on bullet size. Bullets that is a little small for the bore will have a tendency to lead, even in a 45. Ive shot a lot of 45 bullets with WW and pure mixed 50/50 and they do real well. A lot of the comercial swaged bullets aout there are pure lead and they do fina as well.
If the price is right get anything you can, there are ways to make most stuff work. WW seem to be a good balance for most applications and a large supply of WW can keep a guy shooting as much as he wants.
If you get a lot of pure there are plenty of guys that will trade you for some harder alloy IF you need it.
Adam
I beg to differ. The best lead is that which the owner PAYS YOU to haul it away! My wife's cousin's husband gave me a bucket 2/3 full of pure plumbers lead with 2 lbs. of 50/50 in it. Free. If he'd given me a fin I'D have bought his beer (I don't drink). Realistically you can make alloy out of any lead; you just have to add different things to make a usable alloy. I don't look at a gift hosses' choppers. CB.
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What Buckshot said. Free, delivered and carried to where you do your smelting. Kinda like when I asked some boys I was hunting with in Alberta, where was the best place to shoot a moose. The answer was Right next to the road. And they werent lying.
Swamprat
Free. Thousand pound pot and stir it good. All one run of the same alloy.
Anyone want to buy the MOAS?
Oh Yea Free Lead Is Best Lead Get Everything You Can And Store It... Window And So Called "plumbers Lead" Varies Widely In Hardness And Trace Content ...test It For Hardness.
Also Be Careful With Fumes Some Of The Scrap I Have Gotten Was Pretty Weird Looking Stuff
Merry christmas
The absolute best is whatever will fit in these buckets.
Or in this truck.
ghost361, Welcome to the forum!
The guys tell it straight, and no put downs.
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