Has anyone here used

[S.B.]

the sponser here, Rotometals for bullet alloy? Shipping cost prohibitive?
How about other alloy dealers, how about Mayco-Granite City Inc?
If so , what alloy did you order?
I like to cast for my handguns but, WWs and other alloys(that I'm familiar with) seem gone now.
A local commercial bullet caster uses Mayco for his alloy but, orders three semi loads at a time.
Steve

[jmort]

If you could use some hard ball, then Missouri Bullets will deliver it for around $2.37 a pound. I believe it comes from Mayco.

Magic Alloy
6Sb2Sn92Pb Antimonial Lead
Modern equivalent of Lyman #2 Casting Alloy
Commonly also known as Hardball or Magnum alloy
Foundry Bullet Alloy with Certified Analysis 66 lbs. @$2.07/lb.
Price: $136.62
http://www.missouribullet.com/results.php?category=12

I like using Magnum Shot which is about $2.00 a pound delivered. Just add a little tin and you have a sweet alloy.
http://www.zipmetals.com/EAGLE-MAGNUM-LEAD-SHOT-2-Bags-Mix-Sizes-_p_115.html

You can get COWW from vendor/members here for $1.50 or less. add some tin and cast away. Check out The Captain or Phoenix. There are others as well.

I have used all of these. And will use them all again.

[lancem]

I buy shot from Roto, fast shipping and good prices. Their recycled shot is nice, never bought any alloys from them. I get email discounts from them pretty regularly, currently there is a 10% off the order for Columbus day.

[harvester]

I have had success from Rotometals, they have a sale this weekend, 10% off....

[S.B.]

jmmortimer, you failed to mention how much tin and what BH your "Magic" alloy is? Maybe the other members you mention will chime in on this?
Steve

[S.B.]

harvester, what alloy from Rotometals did you buy?
Steve

[jmort]

It's not my Magic Alloy, that is what Missouri Bullets calls it. As noted, 'Hardball" is always 92% lead and 6% antimony and 2% tin. I always add 2 to 3% tin. I like to have a similar amount of antimony and lead. I like tin some like it a lot less. Standard, if there is such a thing, is 2% for complete fill out and improvement in alloy.

[Mike W1]

I was very satisfied with my dealings with Rotometals when I ordered from them. I bought enough stuff at the time I believe they paid the shipping and my alloy came out to just what I wanted. Will use them again if occasion demands. Bought tin and super hard from them.

[S.B.]

jmortimer, 2-3% tin by volume or weight, and I assume you're talking about the magnum shot here? I've got to tell you, I just bought a 25 lb bag of shot it was $40+???
Steve

[harvester]

Lyman number 2.

[Dale in Louisiana]

I've gotten several orders from Rotometals. I have no complains. They deliver what they advertise. And it is amusing to see the post-ladys face when she delivers an itty bitty box that weighs sixty pounds.

dale in Louisiana

[jmort]

"jmortimer, 2-3% tin by volume or weight, and I assume you're talking about the magnum shot here? I've got to tell you, I just bought a 25 lb bag of shot it was $40+???"

By weight. Magnum shot at $2.00 a pound delivered is a real good deal. Usually has some arsenic to boot. You paid $2.00 or less. Nothing wrong with RotoMetals, Bless them for supporting this site. But using 50 lbs of magnum shot and a pound of tin for around $120.00 is all-in cost of $2.40 per pound for 2% tin and 4 to 5% antimony and 93 to 94 % lead. That will do anything you could want. Lyman # 2 from RotoMetals will be over $3.00 per pound delivered. You could add a second pound of tin to my mix and get essentially the same thing as Lyman # 2 for $2.80 a pound all in with arsenic to boot. BTW you could go even lower, I was using the RotoMetals price for tin which is around $20.00 a pound.

[S.B.]

Is magnum shot just regular shot gun shot only harder, what exactly should I ask for? I'm not familiar with magnum shot, sorry for my ignorance.
Steve

[jmort]

This is from BPI site:

"Magnum & Chilled Lead Shot
Lead shot is classified by its antimony alloy content as either chilled or magnum. Antimony is the metal used to harden lead. Antimony is a brittle flaky, crystalline metal with a density of 6.7 grams/cc. Lead, when alloyed with antimony, becomes a harder pellet. As more antimony is added, the overall density of the pellet is slightly reduced.
Chilled Lead Shot is softer and slightly denser than Magnum lead shot. It is better for short-range applications. Many shooters, like Don Zutz, prefer the increased density of chilled lead for hunting loads. Chilled lead shot usually contains about 2-3% antimony.
Magnum Lead Shot is harder and slightly less dense than Chilled lead shot. Harder shot is more prone to retain its spherical shape during the firing sequence. Some shooters prefer Magnum's hardness advantage because it will likely pattern more predictably than softer shot. Magnum lead shot usually contains about 4-6% antimony."

Shot also can contain arsenic which can be useful.
The link I gave you to Zip Metals is a good source.

[S.B.]

So, I should just ask for magnum shot from my dealer and then buy some tin from Rotometals?
Steve

[jmort]

That would work, and work well. If it is for handguns, the chilled shot would work if it had 2 to 3% antimony and 2% tin and it is not too hot a load. You have match your alloy to your pressure. check out link if you have not done so.

http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletAlloy.htm

Another good option that I highly recommend is The Captain. Get 50 lbs of COWW and add a pound of tin for around $80.00 total.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?63886-Lead-Ingots-For-Sale-Buyer-s-Choice

[wch]

I've gotten several orders from Rotometals. I have no complains. They deliver what they advertise. And it is amusing to see the post-ladys face when she delivers an itty bitty box that weighs sixty pounds.

dale in Louisiana

I have had the same experience as Dale, right down to the expression on the postal ladys' face!

[S.B.]

Thanx for educating this old ignorant caster. I always thought I had I'd have plenty but, mixing lead, 50/50 bar solder and antimony isn't available now. Neither is wheel weights to smelt, my next source.
Steve

[farmerjim]

I buy the super hard alloy ( 30% antimony) and Tin from them to make my alloys from whatever I can buy cheep. I use the lee hardness tester to get an idea of what to add to unknown lead, then make up 50 pounds of ingots of the new alloy and give it a try.

[bangerjim]

I buy the super hard alloy ( 30% antimony) and Tin from them to make my alloys from whatever I can buy cheep. I use the lee hardness tester to get an idea of what to add to unknown lead, then make up 50 pounds of ingots of the new alloy and give it a try.

+1 on this method. I now search for hard alloys in the yards to dope my soft lead to get it to the hardness I want and make up a bunch of 1# ingots.

Use the Excel spreadsheet on here (search for it) to do your calcs for mix.

banger

[Ed_Shot]

+2 for super hard. Mix 5# of super hard with 45# scrap mystery lead and add a little tin and you have a good substitute for COWW.

[S.B.]

And the acronym COWW is??? I can figure out the last 2 letters, wheel weights.
Steve

[jmort]

Clip On as opposed to Stick On COWW SOWW

[S.B.]

Thanx.
Steve

[bruce381]

look up "the captain" in the vendors page. she has range and WW lead at a little over $1 per pound del.

It is real clean in nice ingots that fit my small Lee dripomatic, ships very fast first rate stuff.
Kathie is only place i buy from anymore cause it is pemo stuff, i use the range lead striaght no prblems.

[S.B.]

look up "the captain" in the vendors page. she has range and WW lead at a little over $1 per pound del.

It is real clean in nice ingots that fit my small Lee dripomatic, ships very fast first rate stuff.
Kathie is only place i buy from anymore cause it is pemo stuff, i use the range lead striaght no prblems.
Ya I've tried looking the members mentioned up but, what's pemo stuff?
Steve

[dverna]

My last buy a couple of months ago was through Mayco. I think it came out to $1.81 for "hardball" alloy delivered to my door. 2000 lb order. I am set for life now as I will be reclaiming most of my lead - plus I am no spring chicken.

At that price it did not make sense for me to drive around begging and bribing sources for reasonably priced lead alloys and I got a consistent product. No smelting or alloying needed.

Rotometal could not even come close on a bulk order. They seem to cater to users buying smaller quantities.

Don Verna