One use for Zn WW

[Rooster]

I was an official function at Mississippi State University over the weekend and had the opportunity to talked to some of the fine staff and students there. While I was manning the spatula with the top grilling engineer at an afterhours event (hic) we got onto the subject of shooting. Come to find out this guy did CW reenacting and he was on artillery. Long, LONG story short he said that they cast their projectiles out of Zn and said he didn't like Pb. I thought that odd, but upon further review generously offered him a three-to-one trade for his hazardous materials for that oh so eco-friendly Gatorzinc. All of this in the time honored tradition of one Southeastern program assisting another and all. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship, Louie.

The question remains, why a zinc casting and not lead and are there any other suckers, er I mean, artillerymen or their ilk out there?

[imashooter2]

Way harder than lead and closer to the weight of the original steel balls is my guess.

[armoredman]

Iron, weren't they? And grape was iron balls, too. Ouch.

[JeffinNZ]

The man with the biggest gun knows best.[smilie=1::-D

[imashooter2]

Iron, weren't they? And grape was iron balls, too. Ouch.

Right you are, iron, not steel.

[bobk]

Oddly enough, I was just researching this idea last weekend, the idea being a smash-bone penetrator load. Went through all the physicals, 63% the weight of lead, which I had guessed, and then I got to the part of the write-up examining toxicity. Hoo, boy! It may actually be worse than lead! And, I do not recall at what temp it starts to vaporize. This stuff could be really nasty!

Bob K

[MT Gianni]

Oddly enough, I was just researching this idea last weekend, the idea being a smash-bone penetrator load. Went through all the physicals, 63% the weight of lead, which I had guessed, and then I got to the part of the write-up examining toxicity. Hoo, boy! It may actually be worse than lead! And, I do not recall at what temp it starts to vaporize. This stuff could be really nasty!

Bob K

A clean galvanized bucket was required for water consumption in many cow camps before wells. Galvanized pipe is common in many homes without apparent health affects. Do no however weld on it with out proper venting. It would seem that the zinc is stable at low temps and vapor ingestion is a problem. Gianni

[bobk]

Yes, it's better than rusted metal, and perhaps the metal has some antibacterial qualities. But, as you mentioned, do not inhale it (I have), and definitely do not ingest it. This was the point of some zinc .38 bullets that I have, an attempt to reduce airborne pollution in indoor shooting ranges. Well, if particulate lead was a problem from shooting lead bullets, then the same situation would apply to shooting zinc bullets, I would think. I still might try my zinc cast bullet idea, but I'll be waiting for warmer weather when I can do my casting outside.

Bob K

[Ricochet]

Zinc's pretty nontoxic when ingested orally in small quantities. It's a vital trace nutrient, in fact. Found in most multivitamins. And zinc supplements are widely used for colds, with some evidence of modest efficacy.

[DLCTEX]

Anyone with some zinc contaminated lead, Pm me, I may have a use for it. DALE

[4570guy]

Sharpe's book discusses casting bullets from pure Zinc. I guess if you have enough Zinc on hand, you can always try it. Of course, you would want to start with a very clean pot so you didn't get it mixed with Lead.

[TaylorTN]

So you were discussing casting and shooting while grilling at teh Left Field Lounge??

Ah...those were the days, skipping afternoon classes while grilling wings and drinking pre-mixed bourbon and cokes.....:mrgreen:

The first person I knew who was a caster lives in Starkville and gave me 250 of his 9mms for my birthday when I started reloading when I was in school.

Interesting trade, good find!!

[trk]

I recently sold 375 lbs to another fellow cannoneer for casting cannon balls.

It has the density of close to iron and is both easier to cast and is stronger / more durable than alluminum.

Zinc is like to be the most common cast metal around - carburetors, pots and pans etc.

As said before, AVOID the vapors - especially from torch cutting or welding!

You CAN cast bullets of zinc - and get VERY HIGH velocities from them too.