Lead/Alloy Diameter

[rodwha]

If a mold that drops a bullet at .456" with lead is filled with WW's or an alloy how much smaller will the projectile become when cooled?

[Maven]

If you use an alloy, e.g. WW's, which is harder than pure Pb, the projectile will cast LARGER than the same projectile cast of pure Pb. It will be only fractionally larger though. E.g., I experimented with a Lyman nominally .490" RB mold, which I knew dropped a .488" RB. Using WW's + 1% Sn, and the same casting method (ladle pour), those WW RB's were no more than .4884" in diameter. Btw, there was no difference in accuracy with the latter.

[Hanshi]

My Lee smoothbore mold casts a true .600" ball of soft lead. Cast from WW metal these balls measure .605".

[rodwha]

How much does it change the weight when casting WWs?

[runfiverun]

it becomes lighter with the addition of antimony and tin.
using ww's instead of pure will lower the weight about 2%.