Rifle alloy question...

[ShooterAZ]

Almost a year ago I got about 400 lbs of sheet roofing lead. I mixed it in a ratio(by weight) of 3 parts lead to one part linotype. I have been using this alloy for handgun with great results, but I have nearly depleted my rifle alloy (Lyman #2). My question is: Can I use this alloy as is, or should it be water dropped for rifle use? Or should I mix some of it with Lyman # 2? Any other suggestions?

Thanks...Shooter

[btroj]

"Rifle" use is a pretty broad range of velocities and pressures.

I would give it a try unless you are shooting either real small, like 22 cal, bullets or shooting high velocities, like 2200 fps or higher.

A good lube, good fit, and a gas check will let you reach velocities much higher than you may imagine with good accuracy.

[runfiverun]

that does give you some options.
mixing it 50-50 and waterdropping is another one.

for most of my plain ol rifle stuff [30-30/308/8mm/0-6 etc] the 1/3 waterdropped is enough to give
1900+ fps and accuracy.

[Lloyd Smale]

mixing it 5050 with lino should give you a good alloy air cooled or try water dropping 2 parts roofing and one part lino should give your a fair starting point for most guns. It all depends alot like was said on velocity, bore size, bore condition, powder used, lube used ect and whether your looking to shoot a 100 bullets plinking or a couple for hunting that you want to expand. For the most part harder the better for a rifle unless you want expansion.

[largom]

I don't know the hardness of your 3 to 1 alloy but my alloy of 55% lead to 45% WW with a little extra tin works fine in all of my rifles at 1800 to 2400 FPS velocity using Felix lube and gas checks. I might add that most of my bores have been fire-lapped and I pay special attention to boolit fit.

Larry

[sqlbullet]

Assumptions: The sheet lead was pure or very near pure. If it had any other element it was tin.

Mixing pure lead 3:1 with linotype should give you almost exactly isotope lead. If the roofing lead had any tin in it from joints, say 1-2%, then this would be the same alloy I use for M1 Garand, 300 Win Mag and 6.5 Carcano. In the 300 Win Mag I have pushed this alloy to 2400 fps with a Hornady gas check and Felix lube.

[ShooterAZ]

Thanks Guys. The roofing lead was pure, with no solder joints. I will try water dropping my next batch, most likely .30 cal gas checked. I can also add a little more tin in the form of 95/5 solder. Can anyone tell me the tin, antimony, lead content of my alloy? Thanks.

[runfiverun]

the 3-1 mix is 1/3/96
quite similar to ww's with another 1/2% tin added or the same as the big isotope cores.
adding ww's, or just a little #8 trap shot [for the arsenic a grain refiner] or a teaspoon full of gardening sulpher stirred into the mix would help a lot with the water dropping.

[lotech]

First, try your alloy as is. It may work fine. If not, experiment with other mixtures, keeping in mind that the softest mix that does not lead at the desired velocity level will probably be the most accurate.