Weight and Mix Question.

[poppa]

Hello guys
I'm brand spanking new to this stuff and need some help.
I am reloading some 45-70 for a friend. He is casting from a 500 grain Lee mould.

He tells me he mix 30:1 lead wheel weights and tin.
His bullets all weight in about 512 to 514 grains . Are they heavy because of his mix?

I cast the same boolit from just ww and they run 498 to 502 for me.

I can adjst the powder load if it is something he can't correct.
Sorry for being so dumb

Also if this needs to be moved to the right section ..feel free,
Thanks so much for any help here.
Stay safe and God Bless.

poppa

[44man]

Yes, all mold makers base the weight for their alloy. Some custom mold makers will ask what alloy you use.
There will be almost no difference in the powder charge needed. Myself I would not change unless you are at very max or over to start with. A few gr more boolit means little with cast.
All you are seeing is his lead is different then yours.

[poppa]

thanks , it is not a big difference and here we do not have much over 250 yards for our ranges.
appreciate the help.

God Bless

poppa

[Wayne Smith]

Same mold or same mold number? Two different molds from the same maker will be different. Alloy differences will make a difference, and in a boolit that big that's not a big percentage difference.

Loading BP or smokeless? If BP it's still a case full.

[Larry Gibson]

Given the same mould the higher the % of lead the heavier the bullet. His bullets have a higher % of lead with the 30-1 lead-WW mix than yours of straight WW.

Larry Gibson

[whisler]

Diluting the WW with Tin should reduce the weight, although only slightly with 30:1.
Probably a difference in molds, or possibly fill-out.

[poppa]

Thanks guys for your replies. They are the same molds , again not a big difference. he is useing a mixx of pure lead and tin as to my old ww's. Therein lies the diff.
Enjoy
poppa
God Bless

[TNFrank]

Most Mold Makers, from what I've seen, base bullet weight on #2 Alloy. With wheel weights the bullets I cast normally turn out a few grains heavier. I think consistency is more important then coming out exactly with the weight the mold is suppose to throw. If my 158gr SWC, .358" mold is throwing them at 162grs + or - a couple grains then I think I'm pretty much good to go, I'll just drop my powder charge by a couple tenths of a grain to make up the difference in extra bullet weight.

[MarkS]

While this is an old thread it answered the question I had as to why my 158gr SWC mold is producing 162gr SWC's. Thanks TNFrank

[Wayne Smith]

Yes, old threads are useful for such things. There is a huge library of information here.