How much printers lead should I add to range meltdown?

[Rambo7]

How much printers lead should I add to the range scrap meltdown mostly fmj,washed and melted I want to stretch out my printer lead and still make good bullets for 40s&w, 9mm, and 300blk subsonic all will be powder Coated.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Rambo7,
Welcome to the forum.

I would blend it 4 to 1, which will probably give you something a bit harder than COWW. If you feel the need for it to be harder, then you can always WD.

[tomme boy]

I shoot range lead as is in pistol calibers. Rifles get 4 parts range to one part lino.

[Winger Ed.]

I cast boolits as soft as I can get away with for the application to conserve 'goodies'.

If you powder coat, you can go a little softer than lubed too before leading starts to happen.

[prs]

The common printer's lead formulation is linotype; when new or "fresh" it should be about 4% tin, 12% antimony, and 84% lead. Problem is it becomes less rich the more it was re-melted in use. Range lead can be mystery metal; but generally mostly softer lead cores and such. Generally, the more pure the lead the more tedious it is to cast wonderful appearing and consistently weighed bullets; but certainly can be done even with pure lead. For me, the casting sweet spot is 98/2/2 for lead, tin, antimony (Pb/Sn/Sb). Getting the tin to antimony in balance seems to be of some positive value in some experienced caster's opinion, but is an elusive goal with mystery lead. If I know the compositon of my lead alloys, I can do the blending with math; but in the real world pudding is tested by the tasting of it. So my common scrap lead is teased up to my somewhat dubious judgement of easy to cast bullets that are dropping pretty at my casting temp of about 700F. Putting the early bullets back into the mix as I add my richer alloy until I hit the "sweet spot". It goes pretty quick. If you can scarf a bit of tin or pewter to augment the lino, your task will be easier; I think happiness is around 2% Sn for good range loads. Agree with above comment about powder coating letting us get away with less rich mixes in regard to barrel leading and some protection against bullet damage in transit/storage/loading. So short and sweet version; get your clean scrap up to your preferred temperature and add just enough of your lino, little by little, until it casts to your desire.

prs

[Sasquatch-1]

If you don't have one get a hardness tester. I suggest the Cabine Tree, but get what you can afford. Find out for sure how hard your alloy is.

I cast straight range scrap (mix of jacket and cast) for handguns and consistently get between 20 to 22 BHn. A lot of the guys who shoot cast at my range are shooting the commercially available hard cast bullets.

[Larry Gibson]

I wouldn't mix any printer's lead (linotype) with "range scrap meltdown mostly fmj" because that range scrap is mostly lead with 0- 3% antimony. Adding printer's lead will only exasperate it to a higher antimony %. Rather i would get some pure tin, pewter or plumber's solder and add that (knowing the approximate % of tin of what you're adding) to balance out the approximate % of antimony to tin at 2% each. Basically just add 2% tin to your range scrap. That will then give you an excellent alloy for 90+ % of cast bullet shooting.

[Three44s]

I cast boolits as soft as I can get away with for the application to conserve 'goodies'.

If you powder coat, you can go a little softer than lubed too before leading starts to happen.

This +10!

Three44s

[Three44s]

I wouldn't mix any printer's lead (linotype) with "range scrap meltdown mostly fmj" because that range scrap is mostly lead with 0- 3% antimony. Adding printer's lead will only exasperate it to a higher antimony %. Rather i would get some pure tin, pewter or plumber's solder and add that (knowing the approximate % of tin of what you're adding) to balance out the approximate % of antimony to tin at 2% each. Basically just add 2% tin to your range scrap. That will then give you an excellent alloy for 90+ % of cast bullet shooting.

I just learned a bit more about range scrap!

I have been liking Tin for quite some time as well.

Thanks

Three44s

[Conditor22]

Welcome to CB and the madness :) Rambo7

yes there are several types of printers lead, strips of lead with letters on one edge = linotype generally 19-21 BHN (binary hardness)
small and large single letters could be either monotype or foundry this runs 30 - 33 bhn

I never found the need for expensive hardness testers (yes I do have one) I always use drawing pencils -- gets me close enough for what I do -- https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?378866-Lead-hardness-pencil-testing-trick

[murf205]

I wouldn't mix any printer's lead (linotype) with "range scrap meltdown mostly fmj" because that range scrap is mostly lead with 0- 3% antimony. Adding printer's lead will only exasperate it to a higher antimony %. Rather i would get some pure tin, pewter or plumber's solder and add that (knowing the approximate % of tin of what you're adding) to balance out the approximate % of antimony to tin at 2% each. Basically just add 2% tin to your range scrap. That will then give you an excellent alloy for 90+ % of cast bullet shooting.

Welcome to the forum, lot's of help here. What Larry said is exactly what I do and my range lead comes from a place that shoots muzzle loader matches so it is pretty soft. With 2% tin I have shot some loads up to 2k fps with no leading , but I powder coat those. The best tool I bought in a long time is electronic postal scales, which, as Larry said, will let you know what % of tin to add to your mix. Remember to slug your barrels, because as it has been said many times, "fit is king".

[tomme boy]

I have more lino than anything else. That is why I add it to range scrap. It will not hurt anything. Don't get all wrapped up in what you have to have for a mix. Strai hgread t range will do just fine for 95% of what people shoot.