Soft Lead poor fill out?

[barnabus]

I purchased some lead from a guy who cuts keels out of sail boats i plan to use for muzzleloading bullets. The lead is plenty soft and i have fluxed it several times but it takes 850 for it to pour a decent looking bullet and decent fill out using a TC aluminium mold. Do i need to add a little tin? It seems like its a little too "thick". I have a RCBS 20lb pot so how much tin would i need to add to get a thinner more consistent flow.Its diffucult to pour it into a round ball mould with that itty bitty hole.Thanks for any help!

[Outpost75]

I use 1:40 tin-lead for all of my black powder balls and bullets, both muzzleloading and cartridge. Good fill out and only minimal hardening from slight addition of tin. Over 750 degs. F will "cook" off any tin present through drossing. Do not depend on the analog thermostatic control on your lead pot, ALWAYS check melt temperature with a thermometer.

[TexasGrunt]

How are you measuring that 850°?

I poured 45 lbs of fishing lures today with pure lead and my Pro-Melt works just fine at 750°, confirmed with my Lyman thermometer.

[Soundguy]

I also agree that a very low tin content addition should help fill out, but not harden too much, even for revolver balls

[scottfire1957]

Actually, we can't know, since we DO NOT KNOW the composition of your keel metal.

It is as simple as that. All anybody here can do is guess. You have a mystery metal.

It is up to you to have it analyzed or not. Until then, you WILL NOT know any more than anybody else.

Good luck.

[runfiverun]

check the alloy temp.
work the mold temp higher.

[barnabus]

here is a little more info on my lead pouring. the mold im using is a TC 240 grain Aluminium mold maxi ball. with this alloy its dropping at 241 grains. My rcbs .495 round ball mold is dropping at 181 grains.the lead is from a boat keel.i dont beleive its junk alloy since its dropping at the mold weight.i have zero experience with aluminium molds.i did discover if i run it fast and hot i get get bullets.however im not crazy about pouring at the max temp on my pro melt.

[runfiverun]

the aluminum mold is shedding heat quickly you have no choice but to pour more heat in it to keep up.
I go through a single cavity 375 cal ball steel mold and never quit moving.
it's fill open dump close fill open dump close fill.
just around and around in circles.

[PtMD989]

My expectations aren't real high for the first few castings. When I first start my casting session usually about the first dozen casts are ugly. I don't even think about keeping them. But once the mold heats up they look a lot better. This with a Lee real 320 aluminum mold and pure PB.


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[country gent]

My TC aluminum moulds are the smallest blocks in outside dimensions I have they are harder to keep up to casting temp due to this. Less mass looses heat faster. Though they do come up to temp faster also.

[Nose Dive]

Yep...aluminum molds cool quickly.... also...think about adding some pewter to your mix...it help fill out...

Nose Dive

Cheap, Fast, Good. Kindly pick two.