Pure Lead Bullets in the 38-55 and 50-70

[klw]

I've got two Lone Star single shot Remington rolling block style rifles. Absolutely beautiful guns. I've also got a LOT of pure lead. I've shot linotype and wheelweights mostly in the 50-70. RCBS 50-515-FN. I've only shot linotype SAECO 738 I think in the 38-55.

BUT I've got a LOT of pure lead. Any reason for NOT trying pure lead bullets in these two?

[13Echo]

No reason not to try pure lead other than it doesn't seem to fill out moulds as well as a tin lead alloy and it is very soft with an increased tendancy lead, or so I'm told. Also it has very little strength and bullets may slump on firing which can ruin accuracy. With black powder or equivalent smokeless loads a little tin goes a long way with alloys from 40:1 up to 16:1 lead tin commonly used. Give the lead a try then try a 30:1 alloy. I think you'll like the alloy better. VP146b4, a true gentleman, has offered pure tin for the best price you will get anywhere. See if he has some left. You won't regret it.

Jerry Liles

[klw]

Art Green is selling lead. Well under a dollar a pound if I remember correctly. Add in shipping and the price comes up to right at a dollar a pound.

[Bullshop]

Pure lead does have limits but so does any alloy. It can be cast with excellent results, good fill. and clean sharp edges but to do so the mold venting becomes more criticle. Where tin aids flow in poorly vented molds pure lead needs the unrestricted venting. Even with over size vent lines and gaps at the parting line pure lead at the right temp will not cause any flashing problems. Perfect boolits can be cast of pure lead it just requires that the mold be in a better state of tune.
As for slumping under pressure of firing sure it can happen just as with an alloy boolit that has a long unsupported area. Boolits that are well supported with long parillel sides and short noses( Luverin) will not cause problems even at fairly high pressure.
Think of all the pure lead swaged boolits that shoot so well within thier pressure limits. Many of these are limited more by thier lack of adiquite lube than by thier being pure lead.
I sell a couple ton per year of pure lead boolits and receive lots of feed back from customers. What I see is excellent performance in both accuracy and game taking ability at velocities up to 1500 fps.
I have myself of late been shooting pure lead gas check boolits in my hand guns. What I have been finding is that with standard loads say for the 45 Colt pure lead works very well and does expand without HP. When going to the higher end of the magnum performance level then accuracy becomes the problem but with good lube leading is not an issue. Accuracy is gone long before leading becomes a problem.
Put your molds under a good magnifyer, clean up the vent lines so it can breath, maybe even score the parting line at the top and pour some lead. You will likely even notice that with pure lead the boolits drop more freely from the mold. Pure lead boolits within thier velocity/ pressure limits work just the way the makers of premium(price) controlled expansion bullets would like thier bullets to work with good clasic mushroom expansion and high weight retension.
BIC/BS

[floodgate]

I just got 100# of plumber's pig lead in nice 5# blocks through the local Ace Hardware shop at $1.23 per lb. (including tax at 7-1/4%), loaded in my truck. Worth it to me, in this remote rural area. I have a good supply of tin, so that's covered. I shoot mostly slow and soft, 1:30 up to an occasional 1:16 batch.

floodgate