new and questions on w/w

[iron mule]

hello to all i am new to all of this and have some questions about the use of wheel weights as a source of casting metal // what is the hardness of them // anything special i need to do/// can i add pure lead to them to make them softer if needed/// also any other hints you all would like to hand out to a tinhorn will be helpfull//// the bullets i want to cast will be used for cowboy shooting and also some for 45-70 and 38-55 mostly for hunting some mid range target shooting//thanks----mule

[targetshootr]

Straight wheel weights are around 12 bhn but no one thread could contain everything you need to know. Might use the search feature to find some good threads from the past.

[Buckshot]

................Whell weights have 2 things going for them. One is that they are (or used to be moreso) cheap and easy to find. Secondly they will generally cast a fine pistol or rifle boolit just as they are. For pistol with a GC you can go pretty fast. For rifles Ww's will take you to at least mid-velocitiy area. Say maybe 1800 fps. Both will naturally depend on firearm condition and the correct load for the alloy.

Yes you can add lead to soften it. You can add linotype to harden it, or you can water drop (WD) to harden, or heat treat in an oven to even higher hardness. As targetshootr said, they run about 12 bhn. However, since there are not real guidlines for it's makeup other then it's supposed to weigh somewhat close to what's cast on it for weight, they can vary sometimes quite a bit. Old WW's up to the 1970's were a bit heavier in tin, and nowadays the tin content is scant.

If you're gonna cast, the secret is to glom onto all the lead of any description you can find. If you can't use it now someone will be sure to buy it from you later.

...............Buckshot

[Pepe Ray]

As Buckshot said, Acquire all the lead you can find and hoard it.
Just to answer your ONE question we should be camped out for the weekend, setting around the fire w/a case of something and rapping into the night. Then next day could have some on hands demos. More lectures and questions and etc. etc. This would give you enough to START.
1st. get a Lyman Reloading Manual. Preferably the Cast bullet handbook but since they cover cast bullets in the standard man. it's a goodie too. Even an old issue will serve your purposes. Study it.
2.nd. Hang around here, read the posts. Time is your biggest investment as you must invest it whether here or in a manual.
Pepe Ray

[iron mule]

ok thanks for the info and help here fellas //like i said i'm just getting started in this reason i asked about ww was i have an unlimited supply of them at no cost // i have the lyman cast book and have read it // been looking here and have learned a lot by reading different post // thanks again----mule

[Bob Jones]

Just a suggestion, take advantage of that source of lead and put a couple of thousand pounds aside right away, connections like that have a bad habit of disappearing when you least expect it and they you're sorry...

[iron mule]

hello again /// just wanted to say thanks for the info and to let you know had a couple of pards over this weekend to help me get started on my first session had a good time cast and lubed about 2,000 45 big lube bullets/// enjoyed the heck out of it and think i'm hooked now //// also had a guy that works for me told me today he thought he knew where some one had about 2 or 3 thousand pounds of linotype metal told him to check on it gonna take the advice to get all i can and save it even though at this time i have no use for linotype/// thanks again---mule

[crabo]

You never know what you are going to need in the future. Linotype can always be used as trading material for lots of things. (you can even tradit for money) In the Dallas area, it is getting really hard to find.

Crabo

[leftiye]

Yeah, what he said! You could even trade some to me!

[iron mule]

Yeah, what he said! You could even trade some to me!

hey leftiye if he does have some linotype i will be happy to trade with you but i think he is just trying to impress the boss but you never know will let you know what comes of this////mule