Babbitt

[Gussy]

After having the stuff for several years, I finally tried using some babbitt in a mix. I got a bunch of old bearings and had no idea what the stuff was for sure. Made some ingots but they looked a bit odd (hard and very crystalline appearance). Sunday was lousy weather so it looked like a casting day. I used mainly WW and added some babbitt to sweeten it up. At first melt I thought oh shxt, it looked a bit lumpy and I was thinking I just toasted 20 lbs of WW. After getting over 700 it looked great and made some fine large bullets (410-530 gr BPCR). I will give them a try soon along with a new batch of lube. Still haven't checked hardness as I usually wait a week.
Gus

[TAWILDCATT]

Babbit Has Copper In It,so You Were Lucky You Did Not Spoil All Your Mix
Wildcatt

[arkypete]

Gussy
I happily cast some wonderful 375 bullets out of babbit, turned out they were like AP, Armour Piercing. I had the red babbit which had copper in it and another variety that was blue, both were harder the a 'soiled dove's' heart.
If want a bullet that would shoot clean through a buffalo, stem to stern, this is your alloy.
Jim

[mag_01]

I use babbitt in my casting sessions about 5 to 10% and have no problem with it makes good hard boolits---- Tried strait babbit one time and it was so hard it was brittle and spoiled my sizing dies----5 to 10% dose well----Mag

[Hayfield]

I was just thinking of a use for some babbit that I found in a scrap lead drum I picked up. I was going to try alloying it with lead and WW to drop shot. Probably be OK for clays, maybe a little too light for hunting though. This babbit appears to be from some kind of statue casting. It's hard as all get out. Can't hardly even mar the surface with a knife. Whatta ya think?

[arkypete]

Hayfield
Using the babbit to harden you WWs and watr drop it you'd be in fat city. Chances are it's pewter, if it was a statue.
Jim

[Pepe Ray]

What size statue??
For the fireplace mantle?
For the flower garden?
For the city park?
For a cemetary memorial?
Size will dictate material because of costs. Anything over 18-20 in. it will not very likely be pewter.
If its very hard beware of Zink. Good luck! Pepe Ray

[Hayfield]

It must have been a pretty big statue. The animal's arms are that long. Didn't get the whole animal though. Just some parts. The reason for using it in shot is because of my fear of zinc. But Heavy shot has got to be that hard at least and I'm using the alloy to drop #7 1/2 shot. I just now smelted some into ingots. Mushy as all get out till I got to 800 F. Then it poured out of the ladle pretty much OK. Lotta yellow though.