Were zinc bullets a thing years ago?

[Patrick L]

A few months ago I posted about how I inherited some stuff from a deceased old time NRA bullseye shooter, most notably a 38-45 Clerke barrel, bushing, and die set.

Well, there were also a few hundred cast boolits (normal lead) but there were also a few of a different style. I didn't think much of it at the time, but since it was only about 10-12, I just threw them into my lead pot to remelt.

Anyhow, this weekend I fired up the pot for my first casting session of the season, and (fortunately) I noticed that these bullets just floated on top and didn't melt. I realized something was up, so I grabbed my needle nose pliers and plucked them out. I then took my side cutters, like I do when testing suspect wheelweights, and these bullets were hard as iron! I'm thinking they were zinc.

I seem to recall something about zinc bullets being a thing back in the 50s/60s, but am not quite sure. Anyone shed any light on this?

[Pine Baron]

Check out this thread:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?89931-zinc-boolits-range-report

[uscra112]

There were small entries in The American Rifleman in the 1950s about trials of Kirksite bullets. In the Dope Bag column, I think. Would take me a long time to find 'em now. Kirksite is a zinc alloy primarily used for making tryout dies for sheet metal forming presses. 93% zinc, 2% copper, 4% aluminum. As I recall they didn't meet with any success. To get enough weight to be effective the had to be much too long to stabilize.

[GregLaROCHE]

I don’t know historically, but Elvis from Elvis Ammo was casting some up not too long ago. Can’t remember how they turned out or if I ever watched the part where he shot them. If you’re interested in it check out his site. He does a lot of off the wall stuff and some of it can be interesting.

[Walks]

There were molds made to take a zinc washer that was put into the mold before filling with alloy.

My DAD & his buddies tried them. Slow casting and accuracy disappointing.

[country gent]

Zinc bullets were being experimented with some in ISPC. The idea was the lighter weight in the same basic bullet style would lower recoil for the timed events. As I remember accuracy was never that great.

[gwpercle]

And Harvey's Prot-X-Bore Bullet. Hawkbullets.com has info on these.

With all the zinc wheel weights popping up I'm surprised someone hasn't made moulds for casting boolits with them.

[dbosman]

With all the zinc wheel weights popping up I'm surprised someone hasn't made moulds for casting boolits with them.

Standard iron and brass molds work fine. No lube needed.

[blackthorn]

To test for Zinc---get some Muriatic acid (pool supply store) and put a drop on one of your bullets. If they contain Zinc, the acid will "fizz and bubble". Good for testing suspect wheel weights too.

[pjames32]

Late 60's early 70's some Bullseye shooters tried 38 wadcutters. Think they cast about 100gr. Accuracy was not there. I don't think anyone tried them twice. I cast 100 or so. Plinked most of them.

[country gent]

Zinc can be a bear to cast in the home set up. Higher melt temp and slightly different flow characteristics. Die casting machines casting zinc parts have a shot tube that fills the moulds cavities under pressure at a fast rate. Our zinc ans mixh metals when poured in a can or mould with no pressure were gummier and softer than the parts with the shot tube injecting the moulds.

[Patrick L]

Yes, there were a few of what were clearly .38 wadcutters, a few that looked like 158 SWCs, and a few .45 button type, like the old 185 bullseye bullets.

[wjham77]

There was a commercial bullet caster that was selling zinc bullets about 10-15 yes ago. Cant remember who, but I distinctly remember this being for sell on a webpage, back before I started casting my own. Also remember something about sample packs of these being available on the website

[mdi]

This subject comes up from time to time, and some one will give them a try, unsuccessful. I've been reading about them since I joined castboolits in '08. I did a little research on them (curiosity) several years ago and found much what the fellers above say, basically not suited fr firearms bullets.

I have some of the zinc washers and I may have the mold for a 44 cal bullet. That was quite a few years ago and don't know where to locate them. IIRC they worked, no barrel leading, but as noted above poor accuracy...

[GregLaROCHE]

I wonder how zinc would work for shot, where accuracy may be less of an issue, but lead shot is not allowed?

[watkibe]

Didn't the original HiVel company sell some super high velocity handgun ammo with light-for-caliber zinc bullets ?

[john.k]

There is no point using zinc for shot,as steel has a higher sg. and is much cheaper.....Same goes for bullets,steel is the cheapest substitute for bullets,just needs a hard barrel.Which is why just about every AK bullet fired outside the US is steel jacket,iron core..........The nearest castable substitute for lead is bismuth,it has a lower MP than lead,as to cost ,castabilityhardness,etc,I dont know.

[GARD72977]

Most major bullet manfactures are using zinc core jacketed bullets in lead free ammo. They are using lead free primers.

I would guess it easier to swage zinc to form good bullets than cast . It may be quite a chore for the swage reloaded to aware a zinc bullet.

[northmn]

There is no point using zinc for shot,as steel has a higher sg. and is much cheaper.....Same goes for bullets,steel is the cheapest substitute for bullets,just needs a hard barrel.Which is why just about every AK bullet fired outside the US is steel jacket,iron core..........The nearest castable substitute for lead is bismuth,it has a lower MP than lead,as to cost ,castabilityhardness,etc,I dont know.

Bismuth shot requires a bit of tin to give it malleability as well as form. The early Bismuth shot looked pretty rough and was uneven and not round. I have some newer stuff that has more tin in it. Bismuth is also somewhat brittle and the bottom shot of the shot column in the shell would break up. It pretty spendy but some South American shot shell manufacturers have brought the cost down and are offering good shot shells. Those with older non steel shotgun barrels benefit from its use. It is also a little lighter weight than lead. A Bismuth 4 will weigh about the same as a lead 5.


There has been some interested in its use in muzzle loaders and Boolits for lead prohibited areas. I have not heard of any success.

DEP

[GregLaROCHE]

Most major bullet manfactures are using zinc core jacketed bullets in lead free ammo. They are using lead free primers.

I would guess it easier to swage zinc to form good bullets than cast . It may be quite a chore for the swage reloaded to aware a zinc bullet.

I didn’t know they were using zinc as a core in lead free ammo. I just hope I don’t accidentally get some in my range scrap. That could be enough to ruin a whole day or two of work.

I was thinking of gearing up to do bigger batches of melts for ingots. I figured I’d have a closer average BHN. Now if zinc is going to be finding its way into range scrap, maybe smaller batches are better.