Pure + 2% tin adequate for 45 ACP?

[ghh3rd]

I just acquired 72 lbs of pure lead. I wondered what kind of BHN would result from adding 2% tin, and whether that would be adequate for 45 ACP.

I’d rather conserve my shrinking WW ingots for my rifles and .44 SBH.

Thanks

Randy

Edit: if I could get them to fill out with less tin perhaps I could coat with Hi-Tek .. in fact I wonder if Pure lead and Hi-Tek would work Ok?

[MyFlatline]

I am using 8 BHN and powder coated with decent accuracy. Haven't had time to tweek it yet. My mix does include some copper tho..

[David2011]

There’s a lead alloy calculator in the “Lead and Lead Alloys” section stickies. In my experience pure + 2% tin is fine. There’s not much difference between the requirements for .45 Colt and .45 ACP. I believe the original.45 Colt bullets were about the same as your pure + 2%. Regardless, your alloy will be fine for light to standard .45 ACP loads.

[USSR]

Randy,

Pure and 2% tin ain't gonna do much for you in the hardness department. BHN of somewhere near 6. However, here is something that will use little of your precious WW and give you something that will work well: 8# pure, 2# COWW, and 5 oz. solder. This will give you an alloy of about 97.5/2.0/0.5 which will work quite well. Sorry, but no plastic bullets or guns for this guy.

Don

[gwpercle]

I'm using pure lead / COWW in a 50/50 mix in all my handguns, even 45 acp and 9mm Luger and 30-30 rifle . Works fine and conserves the COWW supply .
Gary

[JBinMN]

I'm using pure lead / COWW in a 50/50 mix in all my handguns, even 45 acp and 9mm Luger and 30-30 rifle . Works fine and conserves the COWW supply .
Gary

Ditto for me, with the exception of shotgun slugs(pure lead) & 30-06/.308 (I go a lil harder with the rifles)
I use both TL & pan lubing with .001-3 oversize & no leading so far...

I just tested a boolit for hardness just a day or so ago that I cast about 3 months ago at 50-50 & it was around +/- 10 bhn.

You could likely get away with a 2/3rd lead & 1/3 COWW I am thinking. Be a little softer than the 50/50 but harder than pure lead/tin.

I only add tin to help fill out molds.

Plenty of folks selling COWW in the Swap & Sell section & also the Captain in the Vendor area sells it among others, IIRC.

I am no expert like some here, but what I have been doing has worked for me so far.

G'Luck!
:)

[Green Frog]

Most folks I know are in the reverse state from the OP... I know I'm running into a bit of difficulty keeping my supply of pure lead where it should be, while I still have hundreds of pounds of processed COWWs. Of course, since I'm shooting more Black Powder than I used to, so I'm using more of the pure lead than I used to. Years ago I had a deal arranged to swap a goodly amount of COWW ingots for ingots of pure, but then the guy came to his senses. :-( I'm really having to scramble around for good sources of pure.

Froggie

[JBinMN]

Looks like a trade might be in the works here...
;)

[RogerDat]

One thing to be said for doing 50/50 + tin is that bullets in 45 ACP cast from it will probably work well across the entire range of loads. From low power, through max load. If softer alloy is limited to doing mild to moderate loads it could be sort of a bummer if at some time in the future you wanted to try a hotter load or new powder and found the softer bullets already cast weren't up to it.

I think coating can allow a softer alloy to be used. I use PC but I think Hi-Tek would work the same. I do like being able to just tumble lube a pile in 1/2 gallon zip lock baggie, dump on tray and load after they dry without all the added bench time spent on coating them. I might PC them but don't have to and can use tumble lube unless loading them hotter is the alloy I like to cast.

Might be worth thinking about the problem the other direction too. Not how do I stretch out available COWW but how do I get more of it in my stash. If not traded for then it costs money but is not likely to become cheaper or more available at some future date. Probably won't regret going to S&S for an additional 60# box as one can afford it just to stock the pantry so to speak. When you can only buy from commercial foundry sources such as Rotometals because WW's are all zinc or steel that same lead won't cost less. Holidays can be a bad time for extra expense but I think if done over time it is the best solution.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Once I move (which will improve my money situation quite a bit) I plan to save up $ and buy a ton or so of pure lead, literally, just get a pallet or two shipped to me. Makes shipping more efficient, but you DO have to plan on where you're going to store it!

[Bzcraig]

I'm using pure lead / COWW in a 50/50 mix in all my handguns, even 45 acp and 9mm Luger and 30-30 rifle . Works fine and conserves the COWW supply .
Gary

Me too

[Kraschenbirn]

For the same reason(s) as the OP, I've been casting ALL my handgun boolits from 2 parts (outdoor) range scrap to 1 part COWW + 2% Sn for the last couple years. Mix yields a fairly consistent 9-10 Bhn (air-cooled) which, after powder coat, works just dandy for both my .45 ACP boolits...a 200 gr SWC for 'softball' and a 225 gr. TC for 'hardball'. I use the same alloy for my PC'd .38/.357s, too; including the 162 gr RNFPs that clock a little over 1400 fps from my Rossi 92.

Bill

[Shiloh]

I use range scrap for my .45 ACP. Works just fine. You can dig your thumbnail into the boolit and scrape it. I found no need to go hard.


SHiloh

[Texas by God]

Knowing no better I've used straight COWW air cooled for everything. After reading this I'm going to make some 50/50 corncobs and start all my load development all over again.
Thanks, enablers!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[RogerDat]

Once I move (which will improve my money situation quite a bit) I plan to save up $ and buy a ton or so of pure lead, literally, just get a pallet or two shipped to me. Makes shipping more efficient, but you DO have to plan on where you're going to store it!

This is close to COWW lead https://www.rotometals.com/antimonial-lead-metal-5-pounds-3-5-antimony-lead/ Rotometals is a site sponsor so their link to bullet casting alloys is right at top of page. Nothing says have to get whole pallet of one type. Little bit of premium such as linotype, bunch of COWW antimonial lead, and plenty of soft plain.

They have a sort of a deal of 2 ingots at 33# each of recycled bullet lead for $109 shipping included. https://www.rotometals.com/recycled-melted-bullet-alloy-66-lbs-2-33lbs-ingot-with-freight-included/

Of course nearly the same COWW lead from S&S would probably run around $75 and already be in smaller ingots that are easier to use but if you wanted foundry.... not that bad a price.

[Echo]

There’s a lead alloy calculator in the “Lead and Lead Alloys” section stickies. In my experience pure + 2% tin is fine. There’s not much difference between the requirements for .45 Colt and .45 ACP. I believe the original.45 Colt bullets were about the same as your pure + 2%. Regardless, your alloy will be fine for light to standard .45 ACP loads.

Plus One...

[toallmy]

I'll go with a yes , or a definite probably will work , I started using soft lead casting for a couple 45acp's but I had to add tin to get good fill out . Then there came the 9 mm - problems occur with this round at times - witch made me go to the 50/50 mix of coww / soft when doing this I noticed I didn't need to add tin to get good fill out and the other handguns don't mind the mix . As others have mentioned a 25/75 - coww/ soft would make the coww last a wile longer .

[Lloyd Smale]

in a good gun with a good lube and sized properly they will work just fine. My guess though is your not going to find the absolute most accurate load your gun is capable of with that alloy though. All things equal I usually find accuracy increases right along with hardhess. You could probably even save your expensive tin because 2 percent isn't doing much for hardness anyways. Id about bet a pc coated pure lead slug wouldn't lead a bit in a good 1911 45acp.

[6bg6ga]

I've used straight lead that was sized properly in my 45acps without the hint of leading. The velocity is less than 1000fps so what's the problem?

[Mr_Sheesh]

RogerDat - Wasn't saying JUST one pallet long-term, I do want something to cast for the MLs, also something for the 45, have to see what I think once I try PC. So much to do, such wet weather here LOL

[OS OK]

That mixture w/2%Sn will make 'Lone Ranger' looking boolits...better load them in nickel! . . . :bigsmyl2:

[NoAngel]

I've used straight lead that was sized properly in my 45acps without the hint of leading. The velocity is less than 1000fps so what's the problem?

Exactly. People use pure lead in muzzle loaders all day. The 45 doesn't need anything hard, not even remotely.

Most of the time I use stick on wheel weights and powder coat them. I use jacketed data and have never seen anything but good results.

[gnostic]

I'm casting, .244, .309, .358, .430 and .452 out of pure range scrap, water dropped without issues... I'm not seeing any leading of barrels, even at 1900FPS out of a model 94 Winchester...