Shotgun shot for bullets

[Carrier]

I have gotten so many opinions on this and need some straight answers. I have 45 lbs of new #4 extra hard shot and 100lbs of new pure lead. Will the shot be too hard by itself for casting 38,357, 44 and 45 Colt handgun bullets? Can it be added to the lead and what percentage of each?
I have no other use for the shot. According to the chart here it would make fairly hard bullets by itself.

[dannyd]

What size pot are you using? Shot is hard to melt, but if you could get everything into one pound units it would be easier to work with. If your pot was 20 lbs. You could start out with 15 pure lead and one pound of shot. Then check to see what bn you get.

[Carrier]

The plan is to smelt into one pounders first.

[dannyd]

That's a good way start; flux the shot good because of the graphite.

[RickinTN]

Magnum shot is usually 3 to 4% antimony. Cutting it in half with pure lead should give you a pretty good alloy for the cartridges you mention.
Rick

[Carrier]

Magnum shot is usually 3 to 4% antimony. Cutting it in half with pure lead should give you a pretty good alloy for the cartridges you mention.
Rick

Would that be close to clip on wheel weight for hardness?

[GregLaROCHE]

To be sure of what you will end up with, do a small batch and test it for hardness, as was mentioned. If it turns out too hard or too soft, it will be a lot more work and propane (or whatever your heat source is) to get it to what you want. If you don’t have access to a tester, consider using the lead pencil test. You can find out about it, if you don’t already know, by searching the forum.

[RickinTN]

The clip-on wheel weights I've had analyzed over the last 10 years or so have been about 2 1/2% antimony so it wouldn't take equal parts to get there, just a little pure with the shot. Might be best to have BNE test each for content before mixing to remove the mystery.
Good Luck,
Rick

[Carrier]

Well we still have lots of snow here so it will be awhile before I get outside to do this. I would think a little tin will need to be added? Right now only thing I cast is for 45/70 trapdoor and that’s with 20 to 1 lead/tin.

[dannyd]

Well we still have lots of snow here so it will be awhile before I get outside to do this. I would think a little tin will need to be added? Right now only thing I cast is for 45/70 trapdoor and that’s with 20 to 1 lead/tin.


Trying to in find the recipe for making Lyman #2 with chilled shot. Used it probably 30 years ago when someone gave me a bunch of shot.

[dondiego]

That #4 shot is worth way more to a shotgunner than as alloy.

[Carrier]

That #4 shot is worth way more to a shotgunner than as alloy.

If it was #6 or more or if it wasn’t banned for waterfowl then yes it would be around here.

[dverna]

I would sell the #4 shot and buy what I needed. You should get about $40/bag for it.

[AndyC]

Trying to in find the recipe for making Lyman #2 with chilled shot. Used it probably 30 years ago when someone gave me a bunch of shot.
Chilled shot has no tin and about 2% antimony, so whatever it is will have to be tin-rich.

[Carrier]

Chilled shot has no tin and about 2% antimony, so whatever it is will have to be tin-rich.

From what I found the shot I have is 5 to 6 percent antimony. So adding a couple percent of tin should be close.

[ebb]

This post is timely, a friend just gave me a 25 lb bag of 8 or 9 shot. I have a shotgun loader, but have never used it. not sure if i need to keep the shot or make 9mm/38 bullets with it.

[Carrier]

This post is timely, a friend just gave me a 25 lb bag of 8 or 9 shot. I have a shotgun loader, but have never used it. not sure if i need to keep the shot or make 9mm/38 bullets with it.

I would have no issue selling 8 or 9 shot here but there is no interest in #4 lead shot so into the pot it will be going once things warm up.

[jim147]

I just had a guy asking if I had any 4 shot yesterday. I think he can get wheel weights. I told him I would help him cast some but I'll see what he can get maybe a swap could be in order.

[Martin Luber]

Shot contains arsenic to make it clump into, well, shot. It can be used in small quantities bit otherwise doesn't cast well, that's my personal experience. Sell it or trade it. Folks are paying $50-80 a bag now.

[Carrier]

Shot contains arsenic to make it clump into, well, shot. It can be used in small quantities bit otherwise doesn't cast well, that's my personal experience. Sell it or trade it. Folks are paying $50-80 a bag now.

It may be where you are at but it’s not where I’m at. Can’t give it away. If some doesn’t cast well then I’ll just use it for shooting bags.

[GoodOlBoy]

It's odd that you can't sell hard #4 on here. If I was still able to mess with lead I would buy it in a heartbeat for loading BP Brass shells for my old single shot 20 gauge (#4 is great for coon and possum hunts). But alas the oncologist and thus the wife have banned me from directly handling lead anymore. I can only tell you that in my experience other posters are correct. #1 it is worth more as shot, #2 it doesn't typically cast well, and #3 depending on when and who made it it could have graphite, arsenic, leftover antifreeze, etc coating it. Even as trade you could probably find somebody to swap you actual tin/antimony for it and that would be a heck of alot easier to mix to get your lead where you want to be.

Anyway, it is your shot, your lead, and your bullets. Good Luck with whatever you wind up doing, and if it works out(or doesn't), please post pictures and processes. Stay safe!

God Bless

Richard

[Carrier]

It's odd that you can't sell hard #4 on here. If I was still able to mess with lead I would buy it in a heartbeat for loading BP Brass shells for my old single shot 20 gauge (#4 is great for coon and possum hunts). But alas the oncologist and thus the wife have banned me from directly handling lead anymore. I can only tell you that in my experience other posters are correct. #1 it is worth more as shot, #2 it doesn't typically cast well, and #3 depending on when and who made it it could have graphite, arsenic, leftover antifreeze, etc coating it. Even as trade you could probably find somebody to swap you actual tin/antimony for it and that would be a heck of alot easier to mix to get your lead where you want to be.

Anyway, it is your shot, your lead, and your bullets. Good Luck with whatever you wind up doing, and if it works out(or doesn't), please post pictures and processes. Stay safe!

God Bless

Richard

Where I am in Canada there isn’t a big demand for this shot.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I could never get the shot to melt. It just floated on top of the molten lead. Too much graphite I think. I quit trying. I don't need it anyway. I just thought I would recycle the stuff.

[Carrier]

Well I got to melting that shot down this morning and it went well and the graphite worked really well as a flux. The shot melted like any other lead but had to keep temperature about 750 degrees. Out of 40lbs I got just over 38 lbs.
I’m going to try casting a little with it and see how it goes. On another forum some say it works well as is and some say to add some tin so I’ll try both.

[richhodg66]

Turkey hunters use #4 shot around here. I'd have traded pound for pound lead for shot for it. Sure seems like a waste.

[richhodg66]

This post is timely, a friend just gave me a 25 lb bag of 8 or 9 shot. I have a shotgun loader, but have never used it. not sure if i need to keep the shot or make 9mm/38 bullets with it.

Still got the shot? Let me know if interested in trading for some casting ingots.

[Carrier]

I cast some using a Lee 252-252 SWC mold with just the shot ingots and then with some tin in the mix. The ones with just the shot turned out not to bad but the ones with the tin added has to be the best bullets I’ve every cast.

[ebb]

I would but I am afraid sending it to Kansas from south Florida would be make it cost way too much for both of us.

[jim147]

That's what flat rate boxes are for.

[JMax]

I inherited about 100# of mixed sizes of shot, mixed it 50/50 with lead and a dash of tin and it has made great rifle bullets. No problems reducing into ingots and alloying it with lead.

[Carrier]

281189This is how the shot turned out with a bit of tin in the mix.

[GoodOlBoy]

Congrats on it working for you. I couldn't tell you what there is and isn't demand for in Canada. I just know in the East Texas Piney Woods in particular #6 is pretty much king for us lowly pot hunters, and #4 is a close second because tough old big coons will sometimes spit #6 back at you then cuss you for trying. Squirrel, rabbit, and possum go down smooth and easy on #6 though, and you can manage quail, dove, etc with a bit of practice. #4 works well on coyote, and fox. I'd just like one time to see boxes of shells labeled "lowland bottom" instead of "upland game".

Anyway, I'm off track. Again congrats on it working for you.

God Bless

Richard