Zinc or to much tin in my lead?

[Spawn-Inc]

so a couple of months ago i got 200 lbs of sheet lead (was used for duct work to close in some return air ducts) it was very soft, i ripped it apart like a sheet of paper. i understand it to be pure lead.

so i melted it all down and took about half of it (100lbs) and mixed in some 95/5 solder as i was making ingots. i had about 2 lbs of 95/5 solder i mixed with it.

once i made the ingots they sounds very different from the pure lead ingots i made, it almost sounded like zinc or steel. a high pitched ting sound.

so i just finished using my new 600 grain 502 cal mold from miha and they sound like if you hit 2 AA batteries together.

i don't know how zinc could have made it's way into the mix i never had any wheel weights at the time.

here is a picture,

http://i386.photobucket.com/albums/oo304/Spawn-Inc/IMG_20130114_191342_zpsbdf6b069.jpg
(still new'ish to casting, or at least using quality molds like miha, i normally use lee)
TIA

[leadman]

Was the solder lead free? 95% tin and 5% antimony?

[runfiverun]

50-1 lead alloy would be still very soft.
your sheet lead was probably very soft alloy lead that had been work softened.
once you melted it and cast it you changed it back to it's basic alloy, not the work softened one you thought you had.
2-3-5% antimonial lead is still very soft, especially if it's been hammered/rolled flat and thin.

[Spawn-Inc]

yes it was lead free solder, and some 50/50 may have been in the mix too.

i used the same for my 357 mag and i don't seem to get any leading with them. i water drop everything and don't size, just 45/45/10 alox mix. i will have to size for the 500 though as my cases are bulging to much and won't fall into the cylinder.


it seems to cast fine with the lee molds, i just need more heat for the miha mold. so i guess there isn't much to worry about, just getting more lead!

[runfiverun]

the frosting and rounded bands are a dead give away of the presence of antimony.

[220swiftfn]

the frosting and rounded bands are a dead give away of the presence of antimony.

Yeah, but there should have been enough tin there to offset..... Looking at the voids, rounded edges and wrinkles would have me saying "clean the mold and cast faster".......... Especially since he says that the alloy works better in his Al Lee molds......



Dan