jonk
12-09-2013, 12:22 AM
I have long had trouble getting a 9mm load that would cycle the gun, and not lead, using the Lee 124 gr 6 banger. Tried most every suitable powder on my shelf from the manuals- from bullseye to unique to red dot to 700X to HS-6 to etc. etc. Different lubes, etc. Some did pretty well, in so far as the leading could be removed with a brush and I didn't have to break out the Lewis.
Well, a few weeks ago I posted that I thought that I had gotten some zinc contamination in a melt with wheelweights. I cut the alloy with pure lead, and it still came out as registering about 10 on the bhn. SO whatever was in it was pretty damned hard, to come out at a 10 after a 50% cut with pure lead. It was hard to get fill out; even with the pot on 10, it solidified almost instantly on pouring. 10 is, btw, about the same as I get with ACWW normally (well, usually they are around 9, but close enough).
I was just loading up some blasting ammo, and, with the unknown alloy, I got poor fill out at the bases for about 30% of the boolits.
Resigned to it, I just loaded them up, figuring i'd have to scrub out lead. I was loading for a Luger P08 and a P38. I just didn't have time to re-cast, and had too many that would normally be defects to just toss them- I wanted 100 rounds (50 per gun) to let a co worker shoot.
So: 50 rounds per gun. Rounded bases. Inconsistant weights. 4 gr of bullseye, which has leaded for me in the past. Normal 50/50 lube.
No leading. Boolits were sized to 1/1000" over for both guns.
Now I have to wonder: was it the 1 point higher on the BHN scale (doubtful as I have tried WQWW before), the zinc in the alloy, or this particular batch of otherwise unremarkable lube? Or was it just a fluke, made to make me pull out my increasingly white hair?
Well, a few weeks ago I posted that I thought that I had gotten some zinc contamination in a melt with wheelweights. I cut the alloy with pure lead, and it still came out as registering about 10 on the bhn. SO whatever was in it was pretty damned hard, to come out at a 10 after a 50% cut with pure lead. It was hard to get fill out; even with the pot on 10, it solidified almost instantly on pouring. 10 is, btw, about the same as I get with ACWW normally (well, usually they are around 9, but close enough).
I was just loading up some blasting ammo, and, with the unknown alloy, I got poor fill out at the bases for about 30% of the boolits.
Resigned to it, I just loaded them up, figuring i'd have to scrub out lead. I was loading for a Luger P08 and a P38. I just didn't have time to re-cast, and had too many that would normally be defects to just toss them- I wanted 100 rounds (50 per gun) to let a co worker shoot.
So: 50 rounds per gun. Rounded bases. Inconsistant weights. 4 gr of bullseye, which has leaded for me in the past. Normal 50/50 lube.
No leading. Boolits were sized to 1/1000" over for both guns.
Now I have to wonder: was it the 1 point higher on the BHN scale (doubtful as I have tried WQWW before), the zinc in the alloy, or this particular batch of otherwise unremarkable lube? Or was it just a fluke, made to make me pull out my increasingly white hair?