need help new to casting

[10mm]

I have 300 lbs of coww, 350 lbs of pure lead and 300 lbs of 63/37 solder. I'am looking to cast target loads for 158gr 38 spl, 180gr 40 cal & 10mm. Should i do a 50/50 mix of coww & pure lead & no solder. How can i use up the solder in my mix. Can i use it in hot loads.

[Lizard333]

Me personally, the 50-50 COWW to Pure would be good for the 38 special.

The 40 and 10, I would do with just COWW air cooled, with maybe water dropping if you need the extra hardness.

Size is your first concern as well as a good quality lube.

[cbrick]

I agree with lizard except I would use the solder to add 2% Sn to the straight WW and 1% Sn to the 50/50 mix.

Rick

[Defcon-One]

I agree with lizard except I would use the solder to add 2% Sn to the straight WW and 1% Sn to the 50/50 mix.

Rick

I agree with this 100%! You have a large supply of Solder, why not use it? 2% Tin will make your metal cast very easily. You'll get better bullets with less effort. They will probably shoot a bit better with the better fill-out and quality that the Tin will give you. Tin will also make them a bit more malleable or, if you prefer, less brittle.

I'd keep a healthy stash of Solder and then trade some off for some Linotype (4% Sn, 12% Sb, 84% Pb). Linotype gives you the Antimony you'll need for hotter/magnum loads. Your Solder is a gold mine, it is worth about 4 or 5 times what Linotype would cost you. So, trade some.

Then you could make almost any alloy that you want, from 25:1 for Hollow Points bullets all the way up to Lyman #2 (5% Sn, 5% Sb, 90% Pb) or Hardball (2% Sn, 6% Sb, 92% Pb).

With the following metals, your options are almost endless:

Pure Lead (for the Lead!)
COWW (a solid Antimonial base!)
Linotype (For the Antimony and some Tin!)
Solder (Any known type, for the Tin!)

You could replace the COWW over time with Large Core Isotope Lead (1% Sn, 3% Sb, 96% Pb). You can trade a bit more of your Solder for it! Then you'd have all your base metals of known quality/quantity metal. There would be no guessing and you could make exactly what you want.

You'd be a small lead foundry making very close to certified alloys!