question on my lead

[danthman114]

i used a search; let me point that out first. last week i was given a 5 gallon bucket of mixed wheel weights and read mainejunkers stickey on the different alloys and decided to melt down what "micro" labled weights i could find. after fluxing and it starting to cool, i noticed what looks like crystals for a lack of a better name. much like how ice forms on a pond. is this normal or is that ingot scrap now? the others i made dont have it...

[William Yanda]

I think it is evidence of antimony. When I see that, and add 1-2% of tin, it goes away.

[danthman114]

so is that too much or would it be safe to go plink? im new to this casting thing and would hate to destroy my blackhawk...

[62chevy]

so is that too much or would it be safe to go plink? im new to this casting thing and would hate to destroy my blackhawk...

Keep in mind Fit is King and Hardness matters with how fast you push it. Mold fill out is what you are after, nice sharp corners, no voids and wrinkles. Adding 1-2% tin will help with those problem. To answer your question yes that will work in your Ruger.

[danthman114]

ill post a pic if i remember. it may be nothing to worry myself about. it didnt cover the entire top, just alittle nickle sized spot...

[danthman114]

what im going to be loading is form the 250gr lyman mould. im trying to take all this in from other threads but not so many people ar saying so many different things. i read the 45colt from winchester and remington was 40:1? 40:1 what? like i said, im new to this casting thing so please be patient with me.

[62chevy]

what im going to be loading is form the 250gr lyman mould. im trying to take all this in from other threads but not so many people ar saying so many different things. i read the 45colt from winchester and remington was 40:1? 40:1 what? like i said, im new to this casting thing so please be patient with me.

40 to 1 is 40 parts lead and one part tin. Check this site out for tons of good info on casting; http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm

CBrick owns the site and has gleaned all the good info into one location, read it with confidence.

[badbob454]

you can also cast without adding tin just increase the lead temp @ 20 degrees it may not make a shiny boolit
( called a frosty boolit ) but it will help mold fillout , but if you have tin that is the way to go ...

[danthman114]

thanks guys. i need all the info i can get...

[fredj338]

Try the alloy first without adding tin. Most of the time you can get good bullets. Flux the alloy often when smelting & again while casting. This helps to keep things combined & flowing.

[danthman114]

will do, thanks.

[danthman114]

My first boolits....
129276

[45coltnut]

looking good!!! those look allot better than my first one :) welcome to the world of casting my friend.

[danthman114]

they arent as shiney as most of you guys but theyll do. no wrinkles, nice and smooth from point to base. cant wait to load em' up in the blackhawk. next is a .490 mould for the hawken and a .440 for the 51 navy... im liking this casting stuff but its addicting...

[45coltnut]

Lol. Yes, it is addicting. At first it was just a fun hobby. But, somewhere down the road I went from what I'd like to call myself a respectable person to now a begger. That is begging at local tire shops. Now I plan gun purchases around the fact "can I cast for it"? [emoji12]

[danthman114]

same here. here on base we have an "auto skills center" where the marines can work on their vehicles and i ask the attendants/mechanics that work there for all the scrap lead. its less paperwork for them to fill out for the environmental section so they give it all to me. i have a wheel barrow half full of mixed weights. now im looking at a lever gun in 45 colt, and an h&r single shot that looks like a sharps in 45-70. cant remember the name. my wife likes the idea af free bullets and told me to start doing some for her 9mm. lol, i can use it as an excuse to for more moulds and a better way of melting lead...

[twc1964]

Not as shiny......well truth be known, lots of guys hit em with steel wool and shine em up when taking pics, lol. I powdercoat mine so the semi ugly ones look great and shoot great too. I just toss em back in the pot when i see voids or messed up driving bands.

[62chevy]

Now I plan gun purchases around the fact "can I cast for it"? [emoji12]



Is there something wrong with that? I'm doing the same think we should change? Then we could always have a custom mold made for our new guns, Ranch Dog does that. :bigsmyl2: