sonofrobert

[sonofrobert]

I am very new to reloading. And want to cast 9, 44 mm bullets and one ounce slugs. Can I use the same lead alloy for all three situations? And what would the best alloy be?

Thanks for the help

[CastingFool]

Instead of trying to learn to reload three different projectiles, I recommend you pick one and learn with that one. Once you feel comfortable, and get decent accuracy w/o leading, then proceed to the next. Reloading one ounce slugs is a very different ballgame, although the mechanics are similar. JMO

[country gent]

The 9mm and 44s may benifit from a slightly harder alloy than what the 1 ounce slugs want or need. The first question is what performance level do you want from these firearms? WHat alloies do you have available to use, are you scrounging ( scrap yards, tire shops, ect) or buying known alloy from a dealer. For the 1 ounce slugs 30-1 lead tin should work well possibly even pure lead, but the addition of a small amount of tin may aid fill out and or consistancy. A alloy slightly harder and tougher for the pistol bullets maybe 50-50 purelead and wheel weights or there abouts should be a good starting place. Do you have a means to blend alloys in batches? cleaning wheel weights, scrap lead, and range lead in a small electric furnace can be a pain and cause problems with a bottom pour spout. Also getting clips and rud out of thesmall dia pot can be fun. A larger ladle pour pot allows cleaning and skimming easier and quicker. Depending on batch size a steel pot or cast iron dutch oven makes a nice sized smelting pot. It is also handy to blend alloies in batches once you know what you want. Wieght out a smelt pot of lead antimony and tin melt and blend flux a couple times then pour into ingots and ID as to what they are. Use these clean and blended ingots in your electric furnace for casting as needed. Blending in batches of 100 lbs has advantages from being simple math to figure, a batch of ingots all the same to work from, and saving on set up time. Alot depends on how involved you want to get and howmuch time you have to work with.

[MBTcustom]

Yes you can use the same alloy for all three, but that's IF you use the right alloy.
I would suggest you use wheel weight lead and create three different alloys for your purposes, each matched to the gun.

The slugs are easy. Cast them from the flat stick on wheel weights. This will be nearly pure with just a small amount of antimony, and will be perfect for that job in my opinion. Just cast them and drop them on a towel on the bench.

The 44 will also be easily made from the clip on style of wheel weights, and I recomend you add 2% tin by any means available to you. Cast these slightly frosty, and drop them on a towel on the bench. Lube them with a good grease lube, powder coat, or tumble lube. Size them just small enough to slip through the cylinder throats of your revolver when pushed with a pencil using finger pressure.

The 9mm is something that I do not cast for, and have no desire to do so, because I would pay the price of jacketed not to have to handle those itsy bitsy cases. Therefore I will let those with experience answer this.

[Wayne Smith]

Itsy bitsy cases, Tim? I'm loading the 32 S&W (short). Now that's a small case, but not the .25ACP.

Ap'Robert, start with the .44 caliber - I assume you are in Europe since you wrote it as 44mm. You didn't state the cartridge, but if the 44 Special or 44 Russian you are good to go with a soft lead-tin mix. If you have access to wheel weight metal that would be fine, it can be cut 50/50 with lead and work great. If you are shooting the .44Mag you can use ww, 50/50, and water drop either for a harder boolit. Once you are comfortable and have mastered the .44 you can go on to the 1oz shotgun slug. It can be pure or 30-1 (lead-tin) for castability.

While you are doing these things read up on the stickies on loading cast in the 9mm. Then decide if you want to go that route.

[Harter66]

Well these guys know more about this than me . I made the presumption that you meant 44 mag . For that I can reference some moderate loads ,which are pretty authoritive in a 45 Colts. I can use 50-50 WW 1-1-20 in that I would use 1- 30 or close for the slugs and water drop the WW for the 9mm.