? about zinc

[etcher1]

Can you cast zinc ww in an aluminum mold? If so would they be good enough for dummy rounds? Don't want to ruin any molds.
Was just a thought as not to waste good cast boolits for dummy rounds.

[imashooter2]

You can do it, but how many dummies do you need? Not worth the bother. Save your zinc and swap it for lead with shadygrady.

[shadygrady]

thats right send that zinc to me to be cast in a steel mold al tens to melt

[OnHoPr]

I have cast zinc WW's and/or mixed with WW's and didn't seem to have a problem with damaging the mold. They did not turn out to be good hunting or fine target ammo though. For shooting pistol rounds though such as the 38 special, .40, 45 acp, 9mm, etc. and casting a TC boolit might be fine. Accuracy in those cals only need to hit a gong or milk jug at 10 - 25 yards. Being of a harder alloy they might prove to be more penetrating also.

[45-70 Chevroner]

I haven't tried it yet. The thing is, we all may be using them at some point, and I am sure it will be a new learning curve.

[olafhardt]

I am sure alloying the zinc with the right amount of the right metal would lower its melting point but I don't know what or how much metal.

[jhalcott]

You have got to have a few bullets with boogered bases that will make fine 'dummy" rounds. I have tried zinc in a couple guns. It was NOT worth the trouble.

[trk]

Zinc can be cast. BUT you have to get it right-much hot. Not easy. For a few dummy rounds you might consider TIN. Easy to cast into a COLD mould. Perfect bullets, but they take forever to cool. Test at ROCKWELL 42 or 43 on the B scale - same as jacketed bullets.

FWIW