some water quenching questions

[corvette8n]

I have about 50lbs of mostly pure lead and want to try casting some
.309 150fngc for my 30-30. If I water quench can I push these gas checked babies to 1800fps or so.

Do I have to add anything to the mix, I do have 24lbs of chilled lead shot
I could add, but do not have a pot or heat source big enough to melt it all.

[44man]

Pure lead will not water harden. It needs some tin and antimony plus a trace of arsenic.

[mag_01]

Corvette---You will need to add wheelwrights or Linotype or Babbitt to your soft lead any of the three will do--- Then water drop them-- lead in itself (pure lead) can not be hardened.---Mag

[randyrat]

I'm not 100% but i think most chilled shot has Antomony and arsenic in it. All you need to do is figure how much and your on your way to makin good bullets.

[454PB]

Cbrick, a forum member, wrote a great article on heat treating:

http://www.lasc.us/HeatTreat.htm

As long as there is some antimony, the alloy will heat treat. To really understand the process and maximize the effect, you need to read the article.

[Ricochet]

I've got some not-quite-pure lead NuJudge boolits in the oven right now that I'm going to quench in ten minutes. They'll harden up to the air cooled wheelweight range. I'll push 'em out of my Mosins at about that speed. Only way to know what your lead will do with quenching and aging is to try it. Pure lead won't harden, but a lot of "pure" lead isn't.