newbie wants to know about solder

[Wandering Man]

I'm slow, but I'm coming along.

I'm awaiting the last few pieces of my set up (handles for the lyman mould and resizing die ... oops didn't know I needed 'em), and now I'm in search of 50/50 solder per Lyman's handbook to convert my wheel weights into #2 bullet alloy.

Locally, it looks like I can get spools of "lead free" solder, but not 50/50.

On line, solder seems to cost more in postage than it does for the solder itself.

Now, I'm questioning whether I need solder at all, if I can get by with whatever I find locally, etc.

Tin with no lead?

Silver?

Just go with the wheelweights?

What's your advice?

I'll be using the boolits for cowboy action shooting.

The targets are large, and while accuracy is moderately important, saftey in hitting a steel plate at (realtively) close range is more important.

Thanks.

WM

[docone31]

I am not sure you can get Lyman #2 from wheel weights easily.
I use wheel weights. With my .45ACP, really, straight wheel weight casts pretty well. I do add three inches of 95/5 per 20lbs when I start getting wrinkles.
I may be wrong here, but, I believe bore sizing is more important here than wheel weights without tin, or with. I never knew that for years either. If the mold says .45, I pan lubed and fired away. Then I started adding a tad of tin.
I use Lee molds rather than Lyman. I started on them, and still use them. I like them hot! I wait a little longer to cut the sprue, but I like the finished product.
For me, clean the mold, smoke the dickens out of it before casting. From what I read, iron molds take a few castings to break in. Expect that. My first three or four with Lee are always a remelt.
What I do, I start with 20lbs of wheel weights. I do pig before the pot. I prefer to keep the pot as clean as possible. I make the pot hot. I let the mold sit in the melt untill the lead falls off the mold, then start casting. If I get heavy wrinkles, I add tin. If I get some wrinkles I keep casting. If I need to, I add some tin. Most of my wheel weight castings come out pretty much the way I want them. I do weigh them randomly. If they get much over a gn lighter, I figuire I have too much tin, however, sometimes not. Wrinkles are another guide I go by.
50/50 solder, I also guess at the addition.
I haven't really fired many in my rifles, mostly pistols. I wonder, with pistols, if my adding tin really helped that much. Wheel weight seems to flow pretty smoothly on its own for me.
I like sharp lands on the bullet. If I get smooth castings and soft lands, I add tin. Sometimes I bump up the heat. It seems to me, Cowboy calls for soft lead. Tin seems to make the bullet harder.
My first venture into casting with new molds is to add tin. More than I usually use for the first molding. After that I adjust the tin for the mold. I also water drop.
I do not really know if I answered anything here. I am just throwing my experiences out in case something helps. Casting is a lot easier than I made it the first time. I can tell you that. I went out and got brake cleaner, cleaned like no tomorrow, smoked the mold, let it sit and read and reread everything I could on casting. Then fired up the pot. I gripped the handles too hard, did not look to see if the mold was closed the way it should, made some messes, got frustrated. I made a sprue dowel, got really prepared to do everything just so.
I laugh. Now, I relax, take my time, start casting. If a mold gives me some crap, I just toss the crap back into the pot and do it again. I look to the alignment pins everytime I go to pour. One mold likes the sprue plate to be closed then shut the mold. One mold likes the sprue plate open then shut the mold. You will figuire this out fairly quickly.
If it is a bottom pour pot, have something to rest the mold on to pour. Another trick I do. I keep the pour spout at eye level rather than looking down on it. That helps me center the pour better. Sawdust helps keep the melt deoxidized. I sprinkle a little on top of the melt. A little, very little smoke.
Once you get past the first few excitement rushes, casting is going to be relaxing.
Down the road, when you want to fine tune, this forum is definately the place to learn from.
I have found, the few people on it I have contacted, to be very helpful. They have certainly helped me.
You gonna like it here.

[DLCTEX]

For cowboy action shooting I don't think you need anything but WW. I cast everything from 45 colt, 45 ACP, 38 Special, 22 cal., 243, 30, 257, 7.62X39, And black powder 45 , 36, 54,58, etc. using only WW and pure lead. I use bottom pour and aluminum, iron, and brass molds. Any fillout problems are corrected with heat adjustments or technique changes. For cowboy loads (low velocity) I would not water drop so that the boolits will obturate as much as possible. If you encounter problems, tell us what cal., mold , alloy, and temp setting you are using. It also helps to know if you bottom pour or ladle. I don't know of a problem that this board hasn't heped solve. DALE

[Wandering Man]

Thanks guys.

Like docone pointed out, I'm new and things are looking overly complicated to me.

I'm using Lyman's mini mag that comes with the kit. That means I'll be ladeling. I'm already confused about how one is supposed to "clean out" this type of pot.

I'm also confused about how you get 10# of lead into that little bitty pot.

I've melted my wheelweights down into 1/4 # ingots, and it doesn't look like I could get four of these into the pot, much less forty.

I'm using a Lyman mould for .38 special bullets. It has four moulds in it.

As far as I can tell, the minimag does not have any adjustment for temp. That must be why the kit doesn't come with a thermometer.

I've been doing a bit more reading in the handbook tonight. That in combination with what dale and docone have said are helping me feel a little less intimidated about getting the "exact formula" for lead.

I've not worried too much about "slugging" my barrel, since I will be casting for two rifles and two to four revolvers. Slugging would either be meaningless, or I would need to cast specifically for each gun. I've been pleased so far with Oregon Trail's bullits that measure out to .358, and plan to aim for that size.

WM

[454PB]

The idea that iron moulds need to be "broken in" isn't true. Yesterday I used a new RCBS .35 200 FN for the first time. I degreased it thoroughly, preheated it, and the second pour yielded perfect boolits. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Lee mould fan, but I don't use them exclusively.

Straight WW alloy is fine for nearly any plain base handgun boolit, and most rifle boolits fired at less than 2000 fps., if they wear a gas check. Since Lyman #2 calls for 5% tin and 5% antimony, simply adding tin to WW's won't produce that mixture. Most WW's are 3% or less antimony and probably 1/2% to 1% tin. You will either need some linotype, or some antimony to make Lyman #2.

Here's an excellent alloy reference site by one of our forum members:
http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm

[runfiverun]

that will hold 10 lbs....
get your mold clean brake cleaner and a rag, then again.
warm up your mold and pour away leave a nice puddle on top of each sprue hole.
experiment a little you'll get it. i like to add a bit of tin with iron molds. it just helps fill-out better especially at the start.
and add small amounts of lead to your pot so it will keep up with you.

[JIMinPHX]

My local Ace Hardware carries both 50/50 & lead free solder.

If you want to use a recipe for a boolit mix that calls for 50/50 & all you have is lead free, then just use half as much solder & you will be hard pressed to notice a difference.

You should slug all your guns that you are going to cast for. If you're lucky, they will all be pretty close. If not, then you have two choices. The better one is to size differently for different guns. The other one is to size for the largest one in a particular caliber.

[DLCTEX]

My method of determining boolit diameter is to shoot what I have and if it works with good accuracy and no leading, end of story. So far in my pistols .452 and .358 have worked in all guns tried. DALE