Question on alloy

[silhouette_shooter]

I plan on getting some alloy tested since I just ordered a mold for my K31.
Question: what is the consensus on which facility is the best?
Thinking of cost and turn around time.

[Mike W1]

Your best best is to contact BNE with a PM!!!

[Elmer Fudd]

I use my rifled barrels and my targets to tell me about my alloys.
I regularly go down the rabbit holes, but this isn't one I would spend a cent on. If my alloy has zinc, it will be apparent. If it is hard, you can measure it. If it is soft, you can measure it. If the bullets cast, shoot em. They will leave you a note if you need more lube or need to slow down or speed up.

[bangerjim]

Contact BNE on here with a PM.

He will do you right - - - for the cost of a pound of lead.


banger

[silhouette_shooter]

Thank you Mike and banger. I want to document accuracy vs. different amounts of Sb and Sn in the alloy.

[bangerjim]

WOW................a whole lot more detail than I ever got into. I just throw a bit of this and a bit of that (knowing what is in each "bit" because all my alloys are x-ray verified & marked) into the pot, melt it, cast it, PC it, and shoot it.

Good luck on your scientific journey down the range. Report back as to what you find over time.

banger

[white eagle]

WOW................a whole lot more detail than I ever got into. I just throw a bit of this and a bit of that (knowing what is in each "bit" because all my alloys are x-ray verified & marked) into the pot, melt it, cast it, PC it, and shoot it.

Good luck on your scientific journey down the range. Report back as to what you find over time.

banger

I am in the same casting boat
never get to particular about what its made of
if it shoot the way I want thats good enough for me

[dtknowles]

I use my rifled barrels and my targets to tell me about my alloys.
I regularly go down the rabbit holes, but this isn't one I would spend a cent on. If my alloy has zinc, it will be apparent. If it is hard, you can measure it. If it is soft, you can measure it. If the bullets cast, shoot em. They will leave you a note if you need more lube or need to slow down or speed up.

Wasting primers and powder shooting bullets made from the wrong alloy is expensive right now.

Tim

[silhouette_shooter]

I shoot several different calibers in both handgun and rifle and sometimes it's been a while since I shoot a particular gun. I cast handgun bullets for 4 different calibers and don't get too deep into the alloy details but this project is for my K31 7.5x55 rifle which is a pretty accurate gun and which I shoot in informal matches, so for me, a group measuring 1.25" vs. a group measuring 1.75" is important.

[dtknowles]

For such a project I would buy known alloy but getting what you have tested is almost as good. There is a thread about what is needed for just what you want to do. You need a combination of high velocity and accuracy if your informal matches are shot at longer than 100 yards. I would search on RPM threshold and also measure the twist of your barrel. The reason I suggest you buy alloy is that I think you would be best off if you cast your bullets from linotype. You will not want to be any softer than Lyman #2. You could go with a heat treated bullet or a copper bearing alloy but the easy button is just buy linotype.

Tim

[silhouette_shooter]

For such a project I would buy known alloy but getting what you have tested is almost as good. There is a thread about what is needed for just what you want to do. You need a combination of high velocity and accuracy if your informal matches are shot at longer than 100 yards. I would search on RPM threshold and also measure the twist of your barrel. The reason I suggest you buy alloy is that I think you would be best off if you cast your bullets from linotype. You will not want to be any softer than Lyman #2. You could go with a heat treated bullet or a copper bearing alloy but the easy button is just buy linotype.

Tim

Yeah . . . I'm thinking 3% tin, 8% antimony, and 89% lead. MV of 1700-1750 fps

[dtknowles]

Yeah . . . I'm thinking 3% tin, 8% antimony, and 89% lead. MV of 1700-1750 fps

I am thinking that will be fine but I still wonder about the rifle's twist rate, if it is a not a fast twist you could get move velocity with accuracy assuming a gas check bullet.

Tim