This alloy sound kinda OK?

[milprileb]

I have been shooting 45acp ( 5.2 gr WW231 pushing 200gr SWC) and 9mm (4.0 gr WW 231pushing 124gr RN) with an aloy of 2 pounds of clip on WW to 8 pounds of range lead.

Have had great accuracy and no leading.

My question is: Can I pull it down to 1 # WW to 9# range lead and not chance leading?

Could I substitute 1# Lino Type and use that with 9# range lead?

Last 6 months WW supply is dim and Lead supply seems okay. I think that will be the norm in future.
Lino type is even more remote to find but after 3 yrs, I got 70# this last week.

I am thinking if lead is going to continue to be the norm in availability (range or scrap), I could make my WW
and Lino go a long way to harden the lead if I can do 1# WW or Lino to 9# lead.

Your thoughts on the alloy would be appreciated. Would you water or air cool ?

:cbpour:

[bumpo628]

I'll put some numbers on your mixes so that you know @ what you would get in those three scenarios.
I estimate range lead as having 0.17% tin and 1% antimony. I use 0.5% tin & 3% antimony for COWW.

2 lbs COWW and 8 lbs range lead
0.23% tin, 1.40% antimony

1 lb COWW and 9 lbs range lead
0.20% tin, 1.20% antimony

1 lb Linotype and 9 lbs range lead
0.55% tin, 2.10% antimony

Here are a couple of other mixes that get a bit closer to what you are using now and stretch the Lino even farther.

0.25 lbs Linotype and 9.75 lbs range lead
0.26% tin, 1.28% antimony

0.5 lbs Linotype and 9.5 lbs range lead
0.36% tin, 1.55% antimony

Either of these last two look like they'll work just fine. Air cooling is all you need for 45ACP.

[Sonnypie]

I can get Magnum shot locally for $1.40 a pound.
So I'm banking that.
Just yesterday I cast up a small batch of 45's from the magnum shot.
Magnum shot is around 4-6% Antimony. So it makes a bit harder boolits.

Air cooled tested @ 11.8 BHN
Water Dropped @ 12.1 BHN

(Lee hardness tester)

According to what I have read here, that should be fine for the venerable old 45 ACP.
I finally scored a small amount of wheel weights to sort through. Some I know are lead, and a few are steel the guy said.
First score for me! [smilie=w:
(Yes, I am easily entertained.) :groner:

[bumpo628]

Here are the previous recipes using pure lead instead of my estimate of range lead. That way you can see the worst case scenario since your range lead is really soft.

2 lbs COWW and 8 lbs pure lead
0.10% tin, 0.60% antimony

1 lb COWW and 9 lbs pure lead
0.05% tin, 0.30% antimony

1 lb Linotype and 9 lbs pure lead
0.40% tin, 1.20% antimony

0.5 lbs Linotype and 9.5 lbs pure lead
0.20% tin, 0.60% antimony

0.25 lbs Linotype and 9.75 lbs pure lead
0.10% tin, 0.30% antimony

I can't tell you what will work in your gun. However, you already know that 2lbs COWW and 8 lbs of your range lead work well. So, it looks like the 0.5 lbs linotype recipe is the closest without going under to your original. That is the one I would try first.

[btroj]

I have shot 45 ACP using straight range lead. 45 is not a real demanding application in most cases.
The 9mm might be a bit more demanding but I sure would give it a try.
I am going to assume you have much more range lead than WW. If so, give it a shot.
Much of the alloy I use is defendant upon what I have on hand at the time. If I have large amounts of one thing I use it more yet a year later it may be something totally different.

[zomby woof]

Yes 15-20% COWW plus MY range scrap and 1% tin is fine for my .45. I don't cast for the 9mm yet. I keep lowering the COWW from my .45 alloy and it just keeps shooting. I think straight RS would shoot OK.
When I first started casting, I had a very soft alloy, only lead I had. My bullseye .45 with Kart barrel shot it great. My Charles Daley .45 didn't like it at all. A little harder alloy and the CD is OK.

[badbob454]

I can get Magnum shot locally for $1.40 a pound.
So I'm banking that.
Just yesterday I cast up a small batch of 45's from the magnum shot.
Magnum shot is around 4-6% Antimony. So it makes a bit harder boolits.

Air cooled tested @ 11.8 BHN
Water Dropped @ 12.1 BHN

(Lee hardness tester)

According to what I have read here, that should be fine for the venerable old 45 ACP.
I finally scored a small amount of wheel weights to sort through. Some I know are lead, and a few are steel the guy said.
First score for me! [smilie=w:
(Yes, I am easily entertained.) :groner:

sonnie pie test those bhn's in a few weeks and see if they harden up ... they should...bob............/ and yes , milprileb, any of the above mixes should work for the slow ,heavy, 45 acp ... happy blasting ...bob

[imashooter2]

Why not try just range scrap? If it's too soft, try water dropping. I bet it'll work just fine.

[evan price]

Water dropped range scrap works great for me, especially since there's always some cast boolits in the mix for Sn & Sb.

[Sonnypie]

sonnie pie test those bhn's in a few weeks and see if they harden up ... they should...bob............/ and yes , milprileb, any of the above mixes should work for the slow ,heavy, 45 acp ... happy blasting ...bob

Yes Sir, Bob. That is what I was planning. I have my little test soldiers setting here by the compooter monitor with the numbers on them. (As a reminder)
Mostly curiosity and fascination with the new hardness tester on my part. :smile:

I did go bananas yesterday and went through an entire bag +. :lovebooli
28.9 pounds of boolits... :veryconfu
But I'm not going to lube or size them. I think I'll just store them as 230 grain boolit shaped ingots. :lol: