Questions on hardening lead

[Jim]

My supply of WWs has run out here in Floyd. It won't be long before I'll have to start buying something from vendors here.

If I start with straight lead, can I harden it with tin to a point that I can push it up to 2K FPS? I would be doing this in the .30 caliber range and a bit smaller, like the 6.5 Swede. Most everything else, I don't push near that fast.

After researching who's selling what, I believe I can buy straight lead for a bit less money that straight WW alloy. With money being limited, I have to do the best I can.

If this is feasable, I'd really appreciate some guidance on percentages of mix and what not.

If I'm going to cause myself more work and grief than it's worth, I'll just swallow hard and buy WW alloy.

'Preciate any guidance y'all can give me. Thanks, guys.

[ku4hx]

I feel your pain.

The hardening effect of tin is pretty slight; antimony hardens the boolits much more effectively. I guess that's one reason you find it in so many alloys for various applications.

I built an Excel spreadsheet years ago to calculate percentages of lead, tin and antimony and it has proven to be quite acurate. Below is a link to a much more elaborate calculator.

www.castbulletassoc.org/downloads/Alloy05.xls You have to have MS Excel installed to open the file directly; it is possible to open the file in OpenOffice.

Formulations change from time to time, but I've found for my purposes over the years, this calculator to be as accurate as I need one to be.

[sqlbullet]

20:1 is 10

16:1 is 11

10:1 is 11.5

As you can see, diminishing returns. And with no antimony, not a lot of benefit in quenching either. Bets bet is to order a couple of cores from Muddy Creek Sam or get some magnum shot to sweeten with.

[williamwaco]

Jim,

I just acquired a .30-30 barrel for my Thompson Contender.

I have only fired about 200 rounds but I am having very good luck with an alloy of reclaimed bullet cores and clip on wheel weights. BNH 11 to 13 ( depending on which bullet you measure ).

I don't think you can get pure lead that hard with an economically feasable amount of tin but is will be easy with the addition of something with antimony.

I have not reached 2000 fps with this load but I am approaching 1900.

Lee 309-170-F
Sized .311
Tumbled in LLA ( twice )
Omit gas check.
IMR 4198 - 22.0 gr.

Accuracy was better than expected, 1.5" - 2" three shot groups at 100yd.
Leading was ZERO.

This is what I mean by ZERO leading:
http://www.reloadingtips.com/pages/leading-zero.htm

This iw what I mean by minimal leading:
http://www.reloadingtips.com/pages/leading-minimal.htm




As I have explained before, I derive great pleasure from doing things that are well known to be impossible.

[Reload3006]

you can harden to some degree with tin but what you get isn't much antimony is your best bet for hardening. Hard to find maybe get it at a metal supply. OR melt down Bird shot. If you have a local trap range you can save a lot of money on it by buying reclaimed. It has a high antimony content. mix it in with the pure PB.
http://www.rotometals.com/product-p/antimony.htm
a good alloy that to me at least comes close to WW is 92% Lead Pb 6% antimony and 2% tin.

so antimony at the price is high but not too bad when it would only be .6 pounds in a ten pound batch.
Still i believe reclaimed bird shot is the least expensive way to harden a mix.