Intentional softening of alloy

[DrCaveman]

Hello

I have tried to search around for discussion of people intentionally softening their boolits through alloy manipulation, and the only suggestions I can find say: add pure lead.

Wheel weights are all I can get my hands on (at this time...things may change). I have been recycling my shot boolits and jacketed rounds, so my alloy has become quite the literal "melting pot" of randomness. At this point all my casts are testing right around 15 bhn hardness. I have added some 50/50 solder to aid in mold fill-out, so this action may have also inadvertently increased hardness.

My question is: can I do anything to reduce the hardness of my boolits, from a heat/skimming standpoint? I would like to reduce it to maybe 10 bhn or less. I have only shot my casts in revolvers, 38 spl & 357 mag, and have had absolutely no indication of hardness-related leading. I want to see more expansion/deformation in the boolits and would like to see how low I can go without experiencing leading.

When first reading up about casting, I read that certain alloy components oxidize at different rates, and melt at various temps. The Lyman casting handbook details a lot of this. Is there a chance that I can somehow skim off some antimony and tin?

I know this seems backward from most people's goals, which is probably why I had such poor luck searching out a solution.

Thanks! Happy casting & shooting.

[stubshaft]

I've shot pure up to 850fps.

[Defcon-One]

....Is there a chance that I can somehow skim off some antimony and tin?....

No, none at all! At least, not enough to make a difference.

I hate to say it, but you only have one good choice, "add pure lead"!

I have some if you need some. About 40 lbs. of SOWW lead which is 99.75% pure lead with a bit of Tin.

LMK,

DC-1

[runfiverun]

those jaxketed bullet cores are usually pure.
22's are 1.5% antimony.
the copper plated boolits are pure lead.
roofing lead is pure [think home depot]

if you cast and size the same day and shoot them in the next few days you'll still have soft lead.

[alfloyd]

You could always trade your WW/range lead for soft lead with others here on CastBoolits.

Just a thought.

Lafaun

[nwellons]

Since I shoot a lot of black powder cartridges, I have swapped clip on ww lead for stick-on lead using the swappin and sellin forum. With cheap USPS flat rate shipping, it is not a big deal. Just make sure you pack the lead so it won't bust out. My swap partner and I ship back and forth in a wood box with screwed lid that fits inside the flat rate boxes.

[fryboy]

if ( and yes that's a big word ) you run a pot quite hot and dont flux some tin will collect on the top , you can skim it off but wont get much every time and it takes alot of effort to seriously reduce it , antimony is just the opposite , it melts best at the higher temps and if you are at low temp and see an oatmeal-ish top to the melt scrape it out , again it wont get much so i have to agree that he best/easiest way is either adding pure or trading

[Bob Krack]

Around here in Ohio, clip on weights are pretty hard to come by but stick ons are usually much more likely to be available. In smaller quantities, but not with-held for re-use. Stick on weights are usually fairly close to pure lead. Some stick ons are Zinc or Steel also.

Bob