alloying for weight ?????

[wyattjames]

ok I need to change my alloy for weight IE: my 125 grn boolits are weighing 128 grn I wish to change the alloy to get them down to 125grn, I am thinking I have to add antimony which should drop my weight and up my hardness. am I on the right track the lead i have is a unknown mixture. any input that you may have would be greatly appreciated thank you !

[silverado]

Lee molds tend to drop heavy for others and myself. I would not sweat it. Unless you are loading max loads I doubt you would see any difference.

[jsizemore]

Since your unsure of the present alloy try adding COWW alloy and see if it makes a difference. You could add type metal also. What's the melt temp of your unknown alloy?

[rollmyown]

My Lee 125 gn 357 RF mold drops 10 grains over. You must have a "precision" one!
I'd put my time into getting it to shoot well rather than chase an exact bullet weight with no real gain.

[wyattjames]

My mold is a magma and usually I cast with Lyman #2 and it is usually right on the weight I want to keep the weights all the same so the difference between what I have loaded and am loading is the same just I got a half ton of this stuff and I figured I could get it mixed to match

[500MAG]

Have you determined the BHN of the alloy? I would add tin before trying antimony.

[dh2]

as long as they all wight about the same I would work up the load with them , being heavier or lighter than what the mould maker said they come out with is no big deal , I would worry about quality and consistent before all else

[wyattjames]

Have you determined the BHN of the alloy? I would add tin before trying antimony.
brinell is 14 on cabintree! my regular mix runs 19 and 23 if water dropped!

[bangerjim]

3 gn.........no big whooop! Don't sweat it. Cast 'em and shoot 'em.

I see slight variations in all my boolits from the "advertised" weight and pay no attention. Unless you loading for some kind of super dooper looper precision shooting contest.

Some guys weigh every boolit. I just shoot them while they are still in the weeds weighing!

But if you must insist.......add some Sn.......not Sb.

banger

[OnceFired]

I just encountered the exact same issue you mention. I use a 6-cav Lee mold that is supposed to see 125gr drops, but I was getting 128-135, mostly 128-129. Same advice was just given to me. If they're good quality drops, use them.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

I've been doing this a long time , I weigh a boolit when I start casting ,befor I start shooting it.....adjust my powder charge and away I go.....never have had a problem, but I'm just a shooter, not a perfectionist...uses up to much time I could be shooting. Each to his own, I'm not making fun of the way you do things, Just had to say something I guess....:veryconfu Good Shooting.

[petroid]

If you have half a ton of the stuff just work up a load with that weight and alloy and go with it. As long as it shoots well no reason to waste the time and money to realloy it. What is the hardness of the bee alloy if water dropped. You don't always need harder.

[jsizemore]

Since you want to get to Lyman #2 your going to need one of the type metals or babbit to get you where you want to be. Is it worth that expense? If it's for competition, then it's cheap by comparison to all your expenses. If your blasting then ....? Have you loaded any to see if your POA has changed or leading of the firearm?

[twc1964]

My lee .358-158rf drops em at 162 gr and it shoots great. Just get as close to your weight in a manual and start a bit low and work up.