Range scrap v WW

[MKT]

I have a small supply of WW, already smelted into ingots.

I had the opportunity to get to the range today to test out some of my newly cast .41 Mag SWC's. I am pleased to report that the straight WW SWC's gave me absolutely no leading, even when ushed to 1,000 FPS. Needless to say I was a happy camper.

Aftre my range session I was able to scrounge up probably 20 pounds of range scrap, just laying on the ground like placer gold. Easy pickins. I smelted maybe 1/3 of what I picked up and the yeild was 7 pounds of lead.

I know range scrap is softer than WW from my reading. I did a very unscientific test to gauge how much softer. My test consisted of a simple center punch and a hammer with approximately equal taps. The range scrap ingot produced a dimple twice as big/deep as the WW ingot. Definitely softer.

Can I add some lead-free solder to the range scrap to increase the hardness? If so, how much? I'm thinking .5 lbs solder to 9.5 lbs range scrap, does that sound close?

Thanks all,

Mike

[missionary5155]

Greetings MKT... It is good to read another 41 mag shooter is hanging about. Yes it is a Joy when the hammer falls and another boolit accuratly impacts a target without any smears in the barrel.
Your range scrap is what I would be shooting at 1000 fps. SAVE your pure WW. Pure WW can be launched at 1200+ fps with no leading. With a good lube you can launch WW and water dropped (or heat treated) WW real fast.
In my 44-40 Colt New Service I am launching range scrap mixed with pure lead at 1000 fps. The cast boolits can easily cut with a finger nail. I use the same mix in my 44-40 winny 18 inch barrel with 9-10 grains Unique and the Lyman book shows it be moving 1250+ fps. My lube is bearing grease and beeswax... not real high tech stuff. NO leading.
So anyway... try that range scrap as is... cast up 30 or so. Just be sure they fill the chamber throats. Save your WW for some Magnum chargers.

[MKT]

Thanks for the insigth MIssionary.

This morning, as soon as I awoke, I realized my thinking was a little off. I believe my math is right, but my approach wrong. I had forgotten that the range scrap is a fair mix of jacketed and hard cast, so there should be tin in the mix. My math was using pure lead to arrive at about 5% tin.

I will try to cast a few from straight range scrap and compare them to the straight WWs already cast. My other alternative thought, if I find straight range scrap to be too soft, is to blend range scrap with WW.

For another .41 Mag shooter I will share the two best loads from yesterday. This will be just between us, no one else will know. The RCBS 41-210 SWC, pushed by 4.9 grains of Hodgdon's Clays = 824 FPS avg and produced a 1.5" group at 25 yards, while 9.0 grains of IMR SR4756 = 992 FPS avg and produced a 1.25" group at 25 yards.

Mike

[NSP64]

MKT are you water dropping or air cooling?

[MKT]

Air cooling now. I might give water quenching a try in the near future though.

[imashooter2]

WW dried up around here a long time ago. Indoor range scrap is the vast majority of my current alloy stocks. If I water drop my scrap I wind up with about the same hardness as air cooled WW, maybe a bit more. I generally cast the stuff as is and have no complaints. I've shot it both air cooled and water dropped up over 1,350 fps in an 1894C. I didn't notice any difference in the results.

Range scrap varies widely as to composition, but I alloy in 150 pound batches and then mix the ingots randomly from different batches to help even everything out over the whole mess. If I had to estimate the stuff I get over time, I'd say it is about 25% jacketed, 25% commercial cast and the rest .22's.

[MKT]

OK, I went ahead and cast a batch from straight range scrap. They turned out pretty nice, about as well as my straight WW boolits. The range scrap boolits cast out at close to .411, maybe a hair closer to .412 and weight almost a full grain more than the straight WW. The WW boolits weighed and average of 217.5 gr while the range scrap weight in at 218.3 gr. I guess my next test will be to see if they shoot as well and without leading.

[missionary5155]

Good morning MKT
Thanks for the loads... I have not tried Clays in 41...
With your velocities you could shoot near pure lead. But stick with the range scrap. Apparently there is enough WW and othere Mix in that scrap figured by the wieght simularity to WW that you can merrily push those boolits to some higher FPS.
As you move along in your reloading you can try increasing the powder charge (but stay within the SAFE confines of the loading manual ). Some boolit / barrel combinations group better as the speed / pressure increases. My Dan Wesson 41 mag shoots best when the boolit is seated out (longer overall length) to the end of the cylinder. With the Dan I can get some heavy boolits (250+) moving fast that will not fit into the cylinder of my S&W 57. Rugers..you just have to experiment with each one... they seem to be made with varibles included to keep casters / reloaders happy.
But I have yet to own a 41 mag that would not shoot well. They are out there. But I hope I never see one.
If you see a used 41 mag for sale and are thinking about buying it... do not walk away without putting money down...

[MKT]

http://home.roadrunner.com/~mktangas/41clays.JPG

This is how the 4.9 grains of Clays performed through my Model 57 shooting the first boolits I had cast. If everything works right, the picture below will be a shot of my first castings, sized & lubed and ready to load.

http://home.roadrunner.com/~mktangas/3sized1.JPG

[Boerrancher]

I shoot a good deal of range scrap. I generally run 1400 to 2300 fps with a 50/50 range scrap and WW mixture. I will toss out this reminder, that 22 LR rounds are made of pure lead and average around 1200 fps. Also keep in mind that the larger diameter a boolit is the faster you can push it because it has a greater bearing surface. I don't see any issues with you using your range scrap strait with the velocities you are running.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch

Joe