Zinc Casted Bullets

[Ejg]

What are people's opinions on Zinc bullets?

While pure lead typically has a Brinell hardness number (BHN) ranging from 5 to 15, pure zinc registers at 30 BHN. Even Zamak 3 boasts a BHN of 80. Some have expressed concerns that Zinc may be too abrasive on barrels. However, solid copper bullets, such as those made from Gliding Metal, have a BHN of 80-110. Interestingly, Zamak 3 is approved for hunting in states like California, which have banned lead for hunting.

The photo is a 429303 that supposed to weigh 200gr in lead, but weighs 131.5gr in zinc.

[Winger Ed.]

As Lead dries up, and more & more ranges prohibit Lead, it's is the future of casting.

Some folks are already doing it.
I picked up one in range scrap a couple years ago. Search youtube for 'casting bullets with Zinc'.
There is a bunch of videos on it.

You'll need a different heat source than our common electric Lead pots, and probably Iron molds.
They'll weigh about 60% what a Lead boolit does from the same mold,
and you can push them on up to jacketed speeds.

Something else coming down the road:
We've seen Zinc WWs phase in, and easing out Lead.
People are saying they're finding Steel wheel weights now days too.
If you're getting away from Lead, and into casting with Zinc---
ya might want to start stocking up before folks come in here asking about casting with Brass or Copper.

[Recycled bullet]

Zinc is frustrating to cast with.

It does not flow the way lead does.

It requires too much heat.

It is a pain in the butt to clean zinc smears from a mold.

The bullets stick in the halves.

[Ejg]

I bought a Lyman Mould Master Electric Furnace and modified it. Also put together a PID to get temps up to 1200F. It gets Zinc to flow really smooth and to prevent it sticking I've only used steel molds with the match stick method.

[justindad]

What’s the match stick method?

[Ejg]

What’s the match stick method?

Lighting a match stick in each cavity that leave a black coating. It's helped prevent zinc from sticking.

[Recycled bullet]

What alloy of zinc are you using? What I tried last week was Zinc wheel weights for balancing tires.

[Ejg]

What alloy of zinc are you using? What I tried last week was Zinc wheel weights for balancing tires.

I've used both pure zinc and Zamak 3. Both have worked well as long as you get your pot to 1000F. Zinc wheel weights from what I've found out are either Zamak 3 or Zamak 5.

[Recycled bullet]

I've used both pure zinc and Zamak 3. Both have worked well as long as you get your pot to 1000F. Zinc wheel weights from what I've found out are either Zamak 3 or Zamak 5.Yeah I noticed that I had to keep it as close to a thousand degrees or pouring and fill out between the ladle and the mold was just terrible. I was eyeballing zinc from Roto metals but after my experiment with zinc wheel weights I don't really want to do that anymore.

I was casting long skinny 225 grain 30 caliber plain base bullets. It's just so much easier to make them out of lead. The other night I made 16 lb of lead bullets with a two cavity iron mold. In the same amount of time AKA several hours I only ended up with less than 50 out of zinc.

[Ejg]

Yeah I noticed that I had to keep it as close to a thousand degrees or pouring and fill out between the ladle and the mold was just terrible. I was eyeballing zinc from Roto metals but after my experiment with zinc wheel weights I don't really want to do that anymore.

I was casting long skinny 225 grain 30 caliber plain base bullets. It's just so much easier to make them out of lead. The other night I made 16 lb of lead bullets with a two cavity iron mold. In the same amount of time AKA several hours I only ended up with less than 50 out of zinc.

When I first started with zinc it was just a headache, but after getting the correct pot and a PID everything ran smoothly. In 1 hour I made close to 300 9mm bullets from a 2 cavity.

[Recycled bullet]

How do they load and shoot?

[Ejg]

How do they load and shoot?

Here's one of the 35893 I put together. I shot them out of a PCC 16in barrel. Decent group at 100 yards.

[Recycled bullet]

Does the difference in material density present challenges when selecting and working load data?

[Ejg]

Does the difference in material density present challenges when selecting and working load data?

These weighed 81gr and the bullet length was similar to Lehigh Defense 90gr bullet. I used the load data from there as reference for Silhouette. Worked my way up from 6gr to 7.5gr.

I recently purchased the Garmin Chrono. So once that arrives I'll have an actual idea of what the fps are.

[Recycled bullet]

My blackout bullets scale 225 grains in lead and 135 in zinc.

[Ejg]

My blackout bullets scale 225 grains in lead and 135 in zinc.

Seems about right for the 60% weight. You just have to make sure you're using a steel or cast iron mold and temps at 1000f to get a nice bullet.

[mike_kaleigh]

Right now I have literal tons of lead, but I have already started accumulating zinc. I am an electrician, and a lot of our fittings and parts are zinc, at the end of the job when we clean off the job I get as much as I can before it hits the dumpster. have a half a 5 gallon bucket of ingots. I do not have a casting pot yet for zinc or steel molds and will not switch over until I have to. It is a lot harder to deal with and I will gladly buy antimony right now to harden up lead to my needs. But who knows the future so if I was you, I would a least collect the free stuff in the mean time.

[Ejg]

Right now I have literal tons of lead, but I have already started accumulating zinc. I am an electrician, and a lot of our fittings and parts are zinc, at the end of the job when we clean off the job I get as much as I can before it hits the dumpster. have a half a 5 gallon bucket of ingots. I do not have a casting pot yet for zinc or steel molds and will not switch over until I have to. It is a lot harder to deal with and I will gladly buy antimony right now to harden up lead to my needs. But who knows the future so if I was you, I would a least collect the free stuff in the mean time.

Especially if it's Zamak 3 or 5 that stuff is as hard as Copper bullets since that's gliding metal.

[11th Corps]

I had a buddy bring me a plastic bucket full of wheel weights about 3 years ago. I would say 1/2 of them at least are not lead.
R.I.P. Mike. thanks for the gift.

[Ejg]

I had a buddy bring me a plastic bucket full of wheel weights about 3 years ago. I would say 1/2 of them at least are not lead.
R.I.P. Mike. thanks for the gift.

Free would be the best gift

[BJung]

I don't shoot often and accumulated enough lead to last me past my able years in retirement. After then, I could shoot air rifles and pellets.

[Ejg]

I don't shoot often and accumulated enough lead to last me past my able years in retirement. After then, I could shoot air rifles and pellets.

Nice, all WW??? Also never hurts to try something new.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I also have a lifetime supply of lead alloys, BUT, I worry about the californication of the rest of the States, where they ban lead for hunting...actually my State is real close. Then the worry is, will the State mandate leadfree ammo at public gun ranges?

[Ejg]

I also have a lifetime supply of lead alloys, BUT, I worry about the californication of the rest of the States, where they ban lead for hunting...actually my State is real close. Then the worry is, will the State mandate leadfree ammo at public gun ranges?

This is from one of the Cali Govy website on approved companies for hunting material/bullets. They have Roto Metal with the following options.

[JackQuest]

Lighting a match stick in each cavity that leave a black coating. It's helped prevent zinc from sticking.

A better approach is using colloidal graphite in isopropyl alcohol. A dry lubricant I've been using since the 1970s and my nuclear Navy days. Prevents stainless steel galling. Also resists hot lead and zinc; bullets usually fall out after that tap on the handle pivot.

Micro-Mark has it. Small bottle, it's pricey but it will last you 20 years if you use it correctly. Completely disassemble mould, clean with alcohol. Apply 2 thin coats, allow drying between coats. This stuff sticks in place.

www.micromark.com catalog number 83181 brand name Neolube $27.95/bottle as of February 2024.

If you decide to use as a lube on firearms, understand that it behaves like a lubricant AND polishing compound.

Dad bought brand new 1911 long slide pistol from San Diego manufacturer. Complained how rough it was. I did the neolube and told him to run 200 rounds through it then use alcohol to remove all of neolube and use a teflon lube after that. He claimed it felt like a brand new weapon (smoother). Graphite IS abrasive, it is also slippery.

[Ejg]

A better approach is using colloidal graphite in isopropyl alcohol. A dry lubricant I've been using since the 1970s and my nuclear Navy days. Prevents stainless steel galling. Also resists hot lead and zinc; bullets usually fall out after that tap on the handle pivot.

Micro-Mark has it. Small bottle, it's pricey but it will last you 20 years if you use it correctly. Completely disassemble mould, clean with alcohol. Apply 2 thin coats, allow drying between coats. This stuff sticks in place.

www.micromark.com catalog number 83181 brand name Neolube $27.95/bottle as of February 2024.

If you decide to use as a lube on firearms, understand that it behaves like a lubricant AND polishing compound.

Dad bought brand new 1911 long slide pistol from San Diego manufacturer. Complained how rough it was. I did the neolube and told him to run 200 rounds through it then use alcohol to remove all of neolube and use a teflon lube after that. He claimed it felt like a brand new weapon (smoother). Graphite IS abrasive, it is also slippery.

I'll have to try that out once I fix my Lyman Mould.

[Recycled bullet]

Are you getting any Barrel deposits or are zinc bullets self-cleaning?

[Winger Ed.]

Are you getting any Barrel deposits or are zinc bullets self-cleaning?

Some Mini-balls had Zinc washers as far back as the Civil War that were supposed to clean the barrel between shots.

Commercially made Zinc bullets have been around off & on since 1930.
Remington made them to be sold to law enforcement to punch holes in a car since the .38Spec. didn't do that very well.
When the .357Mag came along, they were obsolete over night.

Zinc bullets are offered here and there, but never seem to do well, at least not yet.
Midway has sold them here & there.

When offered, they were sized, but not lubed.
The idea was that it isn't needed since all sort of things have Zinc castings with steel shaft going through them-
Gear cases, carbarators, etc. and do fine.

Given the chance, I'd think Zinc will want to bond to Steel & foul about as much as Copper jackets do under heat & pressure.

[Recycled bullet]

Some Mini-balls had Zinc washers as far back as the Civil War that were supposed to clean the barrel between shots.

Commercially made Zinc bullets have been around off & on since 1930.
Remington made them to be sold to law enforcement to punch holes in a car since the .38Spec. didn't do that very well.
When the .357Mag came along, they were obsolete over night.

Zinc bullets are offered here and there, but never seem to do well, at least not yet.
Midway has sold them here & there.

When offered, they were sized, but not lubed.
The idea was that it isn't needed since all sort of things have Zinc castings with steel shaft going through them-
Gear cases, carbarators, etc. and do fine.

Given the chance, I'd think Zinc will want to bond to Steel & foul about as much as Copper jackets do under heat & pressure.Yes I am interested to find out, but NOT at the end of a cleaning rod :-)

[Winger Ed.]

Yes I am interested to find out, but NOT at the end of a cleaning rod :-)

That's kind of how I am.

I certainly learn from my own mistakes--
However; I've found it to be cheaper, and less painful to learn from the mistakes of others.:bigsmyl2:

[dtknowles]

I would not worry about being hard to remove zinc fouling. Mild acid like vinegar or citric will dissolve zinc and will not hurt the bore.

[Ejg]

That's kind of how I am.

I certainly learn from my own mistakes--
However; I've found it to be cheaper, and less painful to learn from the mistakes of others.:bigsmyl2:

I have an AR9 that I've seen maybe 5k zinc bullets through. This AR has only shot zinc bullets since I've put it together and I haven't had any issues bonding. The bonding thing is mainly when you have molten zinc on steel where it'll melt the steel.

How I know is my PID had a steel rod in the melted zinc for roughly a year and melted. PID was set to 1000F

[Recycled bullet]

I have an AR9 that I've seen maybe 5k zinc bullets through. This AR has only shot zinc bullets since I've put it together and I haven't had any issues bonding. The bonding thing is mainly when you have molten zinc on steel where it'll melt the steel.

How I know is my PID had a steel rod in the melted zinc for roughly a year and melted. PID was set to 1000FWhat other things have you done to make refining, casting and loading zinc bullets easier and more convienent?

[Ejg]

What other things have you done to make refining, casting and loading zinc bullets easier and more convienent?


The equipment has to be dedicated to zinc. You can't switch from one to the other.