Reducing Alloy Hardness

[GregLaROCHE]

I have a great source for range scrap. Most people want to harden range scrap, but mine comes from a handgun range where you can only shoot lead boolits. Most shooters either buy their boolits pre cast or buy rounds with hard cast boolits.

It’s not that easy for me to find pure lead, except making a long trip and paying a high price for it. I do find some old water pipes or lead flashing, but not as much as I need.

Is there any way to soften an alloy besides adding pure lead? Can I cook antimony off or add something that will mix with it and make it removable ? Any other ideas?

Thanks

[NyFirefighter357]

Have a few batches tested by BNE and trade it out for soft lead in S&S.

[Hickory]

It has been my experience that most shooting needs can be accomplished with boolits in the 8-12 BHN range. Because specialized alloy for hunting is a very small % of your shooting.

[GregLaROCHE]

I wish mine was 8-12 BHN. It’s more like 16-18 BHN.

[toallmy]

I wish mine was 8-12 BHN. It’s more like 16-18 BHN.

You might consider offering up some for trade with a member that has a softer range scrap that wants to harden their alloy .

[Dusty Bannister]

If you had a general location in your profile, you might find someone willing to do FTF for several hundred pounds of good soft lead. Shipping FR boxes is a lot of work and needless expense.

[truckjohn]

The easiest thing is to dilute the mix with pure lead.

The next option to reduce alloy hardness is to oxidize the alloy out as you re-smelt it. Get it really hot and stir stir stir for hours - skimming off the dross as you go. The big downside of this is that you lose a LOT of lead by oxidizing out the tin, antimony, and arsenic. Tin comes out first and fairly readily. Next - the other stuff starts to come out, but you will oxidize out a LOT of lead in the process.

Hopefully it makes sense why simply cutting the alloy with pure lead is the preferred option if you can....

Another final option is to trade harder lead to sinker casting guys or with other rifle and pistol bullet casters for soft lead they have accumulated.... This acknowledges that you often end up with a hodge podge of stuff over the years... For example - I ended up with probably 100# or so of soft lead plate. I am just saving it for someday because I basically only use hard lead.

[trapper9260]

For what was side already water it down is the best way to reducing the alloy BHN with pure lead.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

there is no reasonable way for a home boolit caster to cook off antimony.
The only real answer to soften a 'hardcast' range scrap alloy, is to add pure or near pure Lead. You just need to keep looking for sources in your region.
good luck.

[Mitch]

I have a great source for range scrap. Most people want to harden range scrap, but mine comes from a handgun range where you can only shoot lead boolits. Most shooters either buy their boolits pre cast or buy rounds with hard cast boolits.

It’s not that easy for me to find pure lead, except making a long trip and paying a high price for it. I do find some old water pipes or lead flashing, but not as much as I need.

Is there any way to soften an alloy besides adding pure lead? Can I cook antimony off or add something that will mix with it and make it removable ? Any other ideas?

Thanks

You did not say how you know the hardness.I agree to have it tested then you know what alloy you have and where you want to be.Ypur lead my not be as hard as you are thinking enough 22lr or soft wad cutters in the mix.You could just cast some and see how they shoot and save all the bother.

I am the other way around.I find much more soft lead than harder stuff.May be you can get enough soft stuff to last a while and keep lookin for more soft stuff.If you have it tested you will be better off in trading or selling.I for one would be happy to have the alloy in my stock pile.


trying to cook off any alloys would be a realy spencive [propane] and take a lot of time.Then still no know what you have.

cast some and shoot em

[ShooterAZ]

Try to find some "Stick On" wheel weights if you can. They are very soft lead, and would be useful to "dilute" your hard lead if you can find some. Check with your local tire shop, or even the scrap yards might even have some.

[Conditor22]

Scrapyards sell pure (ish) any roofing lead should be pure or close to it.

[Geezer in NH]

Real lumber yards, not the big box named , will sell lead flashing. Priced at market rates for the item.

I get flash from a mason who does chimneys and pay him the price of 75% of new. I am happy and so is he.

I also buy lead bullets from 2 gun shops that buy collections of reloaders at 1/2 of market price of clean lead. Works for me and them.

[GregLaROCHE]

I’ve tested the BHN with a Lee tester. I’m sure it varies too. I agree adding pure lead is probably the best way to go. I was just hoping maybe there was a chemical i could add that would bond with the other elements and float them to the top where I could skim it off. No such luck I guess.

I’m currently in Europe, so trading with others is a no go, because of shipping costs. A member gave me a good idea about putting up a sign, where they sell roofing supplies offering to buy scrap at a higher price than the junkyards. I may do the same at a plumbing supply shop. There’s still a bunch of lead pipes getting removed when remodeling.

Thanks to everyone for the help and ideas.