Is Lyman #2 to rich in tin ?

[Wayne S]

Is the 5% tin in the Lyman # 2 mix [5/5/90] to rich in tin for 1100 to 2000 fps rifle bullets from .225 th .30 Cal.??

I'm planning some major smelting this fall and am working on some recipes that will yield an alloy anywhere from 3/5/92 -13.8 BHN to the 5/5/90-14.8 BHN
Thank you

Wayne

[runfiverun]

i hope not i use 4/6/90 alloy in my 223/22-250/220 swift, up over 2700 fps.
i also use it in my 308/7.7 for everyday target type stuff at more like 1900 fps.

[popper]

I was using 95/2.5/2.5/chilled shot & HT in 308 & 30-30 in that range of fps with good results. I recently changed to 97/3/0/chilled shot HT, haven't gotten to the rifle range yet but 40 SW looks great. Yes, 850 is a lot less than 2000, but I expect good results. Maybe I can get a range report next week. Sure cuts the $$ in pistol.

[lwknight]

Is Lyman #2 to rich in tin ?
Depends on who is paying for it.
Most of the time you don't really need that much tin.

[Larry Gibson]

Is the 5% tin in the Lyman # 2 mix [5/5/90] to rich in tin for 1100 to 2000 fps rifle bullets from .225 th .30 Cal.??

Wayne

In my own opinion yes #2 does have too much tin. I have found an alloy with 2.5 - 3 % tin, to 3 - 3.5% antimony and the rest lead to be a very good alloy for general cast bullet use within your criteria. That ratio of tin to the antimony blends it in very well in solution with the lead. the BHN is generall 14 - 17. I find adding 2% tin to COWWs most often gives this alloy.

On the other hand #2 alloy is very good as runfiverun mentions for use up through higher velocities.

Larry Gibson

[runfiverun]

it also offers the advantage of a good sbsn ratio.
you really don't need much more than 4% antimony and 2-3% tin for good tough still malleable boolits.
the 5/5 alloy just offers lower casting temps and a tough boolit that is hard enough, but still balanced and malleable enough to resist shearing forces.
pretty much a cross between hardball alloy and 20-1.
necessary no,works yep.
if i were making it from home and paying for the tin a 2.5/2,5 alloy would work just as well for 99% of the things the 5/5 would offer except for a bit of size.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Yep, I buy in with, lwknight.

For my shooting it is a huge waste of good money and tin, when far less tin will be plenty.

A slight sweetning of the alloy with tin, might help fill out and ability to handle higher velocities, but beyond that it is usually thought to be a waste of good metal.

I realise my rifle boolits are much larger then those you desire, but my alloy is 50/50 - WW and Lead which decreases the tin percentage waaaaaay below that which you are talking about. The velocities I am running with my current boolit are 1600 - 1700fps.

Millions of boolits have been cast with ww, an alloy which may or may not have .5% tin - hard to know because of the limited need to be exact when casting WW.

Likely far more important then that high a percentage of tin, will be the boolit to barrel fit, possible heat treating or much easier, cold water quenching directly from the hot mold, the quality of your boolit lube, AND allowing the boolit to properly age for at least 7 to 14 days before shooting.

Try seating your gas check and sizing to the proper size in a push through type die ASAP after casting, then running them through the luber die about a .001 larger then the push through die after they have aged.

This was recommended by my last mold maker who said his hardness tester said boolits aged less then the 7 - 14 days were OK, but his rifle told a different story.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot