need some help quick

[1911fan]

I bought 80 pounds of pure lead that someone was using for roundball black powder. I am wanting to harden it up to use in my 1911. I have a small Lee electric "drip-o-matic" that holds about 5 ingots of lead at a time. How much 95% tin/5% antimony wire solder should I add to get a harder bullet?

[nhrifle]

I get good results by adding 1 pound of that solder to my 20 pond pot, and it could probably be proportioned for your pot as well. Doesn't take much. Also try dropping the boolits from the mould directly into cold water. Water quenching does a nice job of hardening the lead.

[montana_charlie]

holds about 5 ingots of lead at a time. How much 95% tin/5% antimony wire solder should I add to get a harder bullet?
What is the weight of five of your ingots?

If they come to ten pounds, a half pound of solder sounds about right.

[1911fan]

1 pound ingots

[largom]

5 one lb. ingots would require 1/4 lb. solder.

[Smitty's Retired]

You should be able to use 1% to 2% and it will be fine in the .45 acp, your not going over 950 fps. On 5 lbs, 1% would be .8 oz, or for 2 % it would be 1.6oz

[lwknight]

Keep in mind that the Lee drip-O-matic holds 14.2 pounds and I mean not 14.3 pounds

Actually upon reflection , maybe it was about 16 pounds but definitely not 20 pounds

[MT Chambers]

Much of it will drip out before you get to cast them up, some tin is always good esp. if the bullets are used on game.