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GTH
09-11-2005, 09:33 AM
Hello, My name is George I'm new to casting and I have a question (one for now) regarding lead alloy. I have a surplus of pure lead that I have accumulated over years (approx. a ton) and I was hoping to use it when I start casting so I'm looking for some good recipes. I shoot mostly revolvers a 357. Mag, 5 shot 45LC and a lever action in 38-55. My velocities are around 800fps all way up to 2000fps but mostly between 1100-1400fps. I'm thinking I could get away using pure lead up to 1000fps for my plinking needs but things get dicey past that. I'm guessing mixing different alloys is the ticket for make harder cast bullets but out of all the alloys that's out there WW are the cheapest but in my area they are very difficult to find and when I find them they consist mostly the stick on type and I'm thinking they are made of pure lead not like the clip ons. Is there an alternative besides using WW? Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
GTH

felix
09-11-2005, 10:09 AM
Best bet is to trade straight up with WW if you are a shooter first, experimenter second. For the converse, you are extremely lucky by having the capability of mixing repeatable mixtures. Get in on the 60/40 buy, and get three times as much of 50/50 lead/antimony from the antimony man. Guys on the board have the addresses. ... felix

MOA Shooter
09-11-2005, 11:48 AM
Hello, My name is George I'm new to casting and I have a question (one for now) regarding lead alloy. I have a surplus of pure lead that I have accumulated over years (approx. a ton) and I was hoping to use it when I start casting so I'm looking for some good recipes. I shoot mostly revolvers a 357. Mag, 5 shot 45LC and a lever action in 38-55. My velocities are around 800fps all way up to 2000fps but mostly between 1100-1400fps. I'm thinking I could get away using pure lead up to 1000fps for my plinking needs but things get dicey past that. I'm guessing mixing different alloys is the ticket for make harder cast bullets but out of all the alloys that's out there WW are the cheapest but in my area they are very difficult to find and when I find them they consist mostly the stick on type and I'm thinking they are made of pure lead not like the clip ons. Is there an alternative besides using WW? Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
GTH

Felix provides some good advice George.

Another tack is just scoring some linotype which is 12% antimony-4% tin--84% lead. Getting antimony powder into lead isn't that easy. Something richer in valuable metals works too, ie-- monotype & stereotype. Try your scrap dealer.

Look to the BCPR crowd for a trade. They like their straight lead. Don't trade straight up for ww alloy right off as your pure lead is more valuable to them.


MOA.

Buckshot
09-12-2005, 08:47 AM
.............George, if you like just rambleing around the creek bottoms and dry washes busting dirt clods and chasing the occassional jack rabbit, or maybe even some 25 yard target shooting cast some of that pure lead up into full wadcutters over 2.7 Bullseye in a 38 SPecial and have at it. Lee Tumble lube is all you need.

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