Lead for 45ACP

[_4_]

So I went lead hunting this morning, and because I live in CA it's much harder to find lead than you would think. I am debating just buying off of rotometals.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a 45ACP 230gr RN bullet to be fired out of a 1911? I am looking to buy some alloys and was wondering what the best alloy is. Pure lead? Antimonial?

[williamwaco]

Cheapest you can get.

I prefer range scrap.

Second choice clip on wheel weights.

Third choice miscellaneous scrap adjusted to around BNH 10 by adding either Linotype or pure as needed.

Then. If it doesn' cast and full out nicely, add 1% tin.


.

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

First of all, Welcome!
Second, you are going to get an avalanche of answers on this. PERSONALLY I would suggest something close to clip on wheel weights, and water quenching. My 1911 likes hard boolits, I prefer to shoot soft alloys when I can, they often perform better, but in MY 1911, and in many others, hard alloys do better because of the shallow rifling in a 1911 barrel.
So for alloy I suggest something along the lines 1/3/96 (tin/antimony/lead) which is 1 lb of hardball mixed with 1 lb of lead, or 1 lb of linotype mixed with 3 lbs of lead.

This alloy should be around 12 BHN and by water quenching the boolits (dropping straight from the mold into a bucket of water) you will raise the BHN to 15-16.

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

But...

You might want to try buying lead from someone here before buying from a commercial foundry like Rotometals.

[garym1a2]

My 45's shoot mostly clip on weights and misc scuba weights mixed in. Its so slow it really does not matter in my 45acp nor 40 S&W minor.

[Lizard333]

I would buy your lead from here. Every time I have gotten lead from members here its been good. Never had a problem.

[Defcon-One]

Here it comes:

Don't waste your time Water Dropping for the .45 ACP! Just get good lead and use it.

This is what I'd do:


But...

You might want to try buying lead from someone here before buying from a commercial foundry like Rotometals.

I'd get some COWW lead here on site, maybe $1.00 per pound, then I'd add enough 50/50 Solder to get the alloy up to about 1% Tin for better casting. At that point, it will work for most of your handgun casting. Then all you'll need is some Lyman #2 for rifle casting later.

[Houndog]

I've got 2 alloys I use for everything handgun related. I use 49% COWW/ 49% pure with 2% LEAD FREE solder for everything except a 9MM. For the 9mm it's 97% COWW and 3% lead free solder oven heat treated at 425 degrees for an hour and dropped into ice water. I don't know what the final hardness is of either alloy, but they work well. On the odd occasion I'm lucky enough to get range scrap I load it as is in everything but the 9mm and only add tin if fillout gets to be a problem.

[Lizard333]

I shoot the majority of my 45 ACP with a BHN of 9. This is air cooled, sized to 452, and lubed with carnuba red. End of story. Never had a single problem. I'm my opinion, the easiest boolit to start with.

[rodsvet]

If your pistol will feed swc, I would go that route. You'll save 30 grains of lead for each boolit and you and the target (inanimate or alive ) won't know the difference. At the price of metal these days , a 15% saving per pound is something to consider. Unless you load them hot, it will be easier on the pistol too. Rod

[_4_]

Thanks for all the tips.

So, who wants to sell me lead at $1 per pound?

[zomby woof]

Find myself going softer and softer for my 1911. This round doesn't need to be very hard. I stopped water quenching too.

[rexherring]

If you need to buy from a metals dealer, start with a Lyman #2 alloy. It usually works for most everything. I have bought clip on wheel weight ingots from e-bay dealers if the price was right. Every gun seems to like a different alloy mix. My compact .45 likes harder cast but my .45 colt and .38's like a little softer cast.

[dualsport]

No one has mentioned a mold. For fast production take a look at Lee's 6 cavity molds. They have some good ones for a .45.

[Jon]

Wheel weights or range scrap will work. I use all range scrap in mine. I'm not sure what the hardness is, but it's probably fairly soft.

The 1911 is very forgiving.

[PbHurler]

Thanks for all the tips.

So, who wants to sell me lead at $1 per pound?

You might have a look at this Range Lead

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?181556-Clean-Range-Lead

[cs86]

Hello everyone, I'm new to the site myself and I'm casting for the same .45 caliber. I've been collecting some WWs for awhile now and refining them untill I get a pot that I can start casting with. I was just wondering if range brass is pretty close to having a BHN factor close to WWs? Or do you find yourself adding the 1% of tin (or other alloys) to either of them very often?

[Lizard333]

Range lead is typically softer. IMO range lead is perfect for 45. I find that a properly heated mold saves me the 1% tin.

[cs86]

Is Tin just primarily for helping fill out the mold or partially for hardness? I've read some places saying tin adds hardness, but I would of thought it wouldn't do much for hardness since it has such a low melting point.

[badgeredd]

Is Tin just primarily for helping fill out the mold or partially for hardness? I've read some places saying tin adds hardness, but I would of thought it wouldn't do much for hardness since it has such a low melting point.

The primary use of tin in scrap lead is to help fill-out. Tin does harden pure lead, but can have the reverse effect on antimonial lead mixes. Too much tin can contribute to leading trouble and can also soften a good alloy. Tin is a tool to be used as necessary, not a cure for all alloys. As was mentioned above, proper mold pre-heating will solve many fill out problems without tin.

Also adding tin to COWW will help balance ones alloy for a stronger alloy. BUT again, it is not always necessary.

Edd