Optimal metal content?

[Rich219]

Is there an optimal metal content for cast boolits? For example, a certain % of lead, % of tin, etc?

If I were to buy raw lead, etc. would you measure the makeup % by weight, volume, etc?

I may be completely off target here but the question popped into my head so I thought I'd ask.

[imashooter2]

The answer will change depending on application. Very low speed handgun are generally made very soft. Very high speed rifle are generally made very hard. Hunting boolits need to expand and not shatter. Target boolits can be brittle. The possibilities are endless.

Makeup is calculated by weight.

[kelbro]

Tough question and imashooter2 spelled it out well. You are probably going to need a couple of different metals and blend the appropriate alloy for your application. A bucket of mixed wheelweights and a couple of rolls of 50/50 solder is a good starting point. That will allow you a pretty broad range of hardness and toughness and will cover 90% or more of your shooting.

[357shooter]

That's a great question,I'm just learning and have some real life specifics. What "mix" would you guys recomend as the WW that I've gotten have been 2/3 clipon and 1/3 stickon. I don't have a huge amount and really need to use it all which means I need to mix the two and probably add some tin.

I only shoot 38 special and 45acp and it's all been below 1000FPS, all at paper targets, no hunting.

If I mix 2 to 1, clipon to stickon (having one alloy/mix would be ideal so I can cast both calibers from the same pot), how much tin would you add?

Or, what would you do with about 50 lbs of WW on hand. Haven't run into 100-200 lbs yet but I take my buckets with me!

[randyrat]

I would pick Wheel weight metal. Measured in % of wieght of each alloy( i think)
95% lead
1/2% Tin
3-5% Antimony
1/4% Arsenic

I would pick WWs because it covers casting,straight up, water droping, heat treating, adding soft and water dropping, you name the bullet/load it works for smokless.

[randyrat]

That's a great question,I'm just learning and have some real life specifics. What "mix" would you guys recomend as the WW that I've gotten have been 2/3 clipon and 1/3 stickon. I don't have a huge amount and really need to use it all which means I need to mix the two and probably add some tin.

I only shoot 38 special and 45acp and it's all been below 1000FPS, all at paper targets, no hunting.

If I mix 2 to 1, clipon to stickon (having one alloy/mix would be ideal so I can cast both calibers from the same pot), how much tin would you add?

Or, what would you do with about 50 lbs of WW on hand. Haven't run into 100-200 lbs yet but I take my buckets with me! Go 50/50 and try... If you need it harder for whatever reason, Water drop to harden. Don't add Tin unless you need for fillout..Only after all is up to temp, mold is clean,alloy is fluxed.

[Wayne Smith]

Running under 1000fps in those low pressure rounds you could be running pure lead. That's what the swaged .38 wadcutters are. Anything harder is because you have it and you need to use what you have, not something demanded by the gun. If you move up to higher pressure rounds, .357 or 9mm, or up to high pressure rifle rounds you will have a gun that demands a harder mix.

At this point don't worry about it.

[Slow Elk 45/70]

As stated, depends on what you are shooting and what velocity you want, lots of things enter into a answer for ONE Optimal mix.....only you can decide what is best for your needs.

[Rich219]

I plan on casting for 9mm only when I start this spring.

I would search for wheel weights but I think a few local castboolit members have the area cleared out.

[Edubya]

I plan on casting for 9mm only when I start this spring.

I would search for wheel weights but I think a few local castboolit members have the area cleared out.
I have been casting for .45, .44, .38 and 9mm for some time now. I have more trouble with the 9mm than the other three together. In other words, I wouldn't recommend casting your first boolits with the most difficult caliber. I've heard more casters say that they're having similar problems with this caliber. It's a matter of getting the right alloy and the right mould then finding what your gun likes as far as pressure without leading. The semis like a little more pressure and if the boolit is too soft, it will skid on the lands in the first inch or two it, if too hard it might not obturate (fill up the barrel) then you've got gas cutting that will lead up the whole barrel.
It's frustrating! Frustating enough to make you wonder if it's all worth it.
EW

[357shooter]

Ok guys. Today I cast using just WW, clipon to stickon was 3 to 1 (that's what ended up fitting in my melter. A Lee 4-20 doesn't hold 20 lbs...).

I'm guessing that's BHN of 7, pretty soft lead. They are 45acp loaded for 800 FPS with HP-38.

I didn't add any Tin at all and this being my 3rd try at casting I was able to cool the mould on a rag and also brought the lead temp down. Wow, it worked great. They all dropped fine, they look great and filled out well. They range in size from 452 to 454, most being close to 454.

Seems like kinda soft bullets to me, but I'm optimistic cause it went so well and they turned out so great.

I loaded enough to test and make sure they cycle the gun then I will load a bunch this weekend after verifying all is well.

These are also my first 45 handloads...

[243winxb]

Is there an optimal metal content for cast boolits? For example, a certain % of lead, % of tin, etc? if you only had one, this would work 2% tin, 6% antimony, 1/4% arsenic,
91.75% lead, air cooled

[randyrat]

Ok guys. Today I cast using just WW, clipon to stickon was 3 to 1 (that's what ended up fitting in my melter. A Lee 4-20 doesn't hold 20 lbs...).

I'm guessing that's BHN of 7, pretty soft lead. They are 45acp loaded for 800 FPS with HP-38.

I didn't add any Tin at all and this being my 3rd try at casting I was able to cool the mould on a rag and also brought the lead temp down. Wow, it worked great. They all dropped fine, they look great and filled out well. They range in size from 452 to 454, most being close to 454.

Seems like kinda soft bullets to me, but I'm optimistic cause it went so well and they turned out so great.

I loaded enough to test and make sure they cycle the gun then I will load a bunch this weekend after verifying all is well.

These are also my first 45 handloads... Remember it takes a couple (2) weeks for lead to harden to it's full hardness

[lylejb]

That's a great question,I'm just learning and have some real life specifics. What "mix" would you guys recomend as the WW that I've gotten have been 2/3 clipon and 1/3 stickon. I don't have a huge amount and really need to use it all which means I need to mix the two and probably add some tin.

I only shoot 38 special and 45acp and it's all been below 1000FPS, all at paper targets, no hunting.

If I mix 2 to 1, clipon to stickon (having one alloy/mix would be ideal so I can cast both calibers from the same pot), how much tin would you add?

Or, what would you do with about 50 lbs of WW on hand. Haven't run into 100-200 lbs yet but I take my buckets with me!

I'd say try it as is!! I've used 2 clipon to 1 stickon, +2% tin in mid 357's up to about 1200 fps with no problems. I originally picked that mix because, like you, that's what I had at the time. Works fine. Actually, you could should be fine with anywhere between 50/ 50 and 100% clip on.

As far as your boolits at BHN 7, I think you may be underestimating them. My 2-1 mix was about BHN 10.

Boolit fit, however, is more important any exact BHN. A well fitting boolit will give you greater latitude with your alloy. A poorly fit, undersize boolit won't work as well regardless of your alloy.

There is no magic BHN that you need to be at. It all comes down to what works in YOUR guns. The only way to find that is to try it.

[243winxb]

What alloy is in factory ammo. Have a look. http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/july2002/peters.htm
Bullet leads analyzed from CCI, Federal, Remington, and Winchester have contained "Up To" 0.42 percent arsenic, 6.8 percent antimony, 2.5 percent tin, 0.2 percent bismuth, 0.22 percent copper, 0.031 percent silver, and 0.011 percent cadmium. The wide ranges in concentrations of all of these elements within sources provide for thousands of distinguishable melts of bullet lead at any one time.

[357shooter]

Remember it takes a couple (2) weeks for lead to harden to it's full hardness

I didn't know that. I haven't even been casting for 2 weeks so I've gotta shoot what I have. The input though is appreciated since if I get leading today it may be due to not being hardened. I now have close to 400 of these bullets so eventually they will reach full hardness.

Would shooting them today be a waste of time? Might not be ideal but I think I'll give it a go as I have to leave for the range in 10 minutes...

Thanks for the info.

[357shooter]

I'd say try it as is!! I've used 2 clipon to 1 stickon, +2% tin in mid 357's up to about 1200 fps with no problems. I originally picked that mix because, like you, that's what I had at the time. Works fine. Actually, you could should be fine with anywhere between 50/ 50 and 100% clip on.

As far as your boolits at BHN 7, I think you may be underestimating them. My 2-1 mix was about BHN 10.

Boolit fit, however, is more important any exact BHN. A well fitting boolit will give you greater latitude with your alloy. A poorly fit, undersize boolit won't work as well regardless of your alloy.

There is no magic BHN that you need to be at. It all comes down to what works in YOUR guns. The only way to find that is to try it.

I've been looking at some recipes from the web and estimated their hardness of 3 to 1 clipon to stick on to be about 7. I didn't add any tin at all and since I don't have a way to tell for sure I'll just shootem and see what happens. Per the previous reply I'm heading out at lunch to the range so I'll know if the lead or are accurate and post back.

Any idea what the BHN would be of my 3 to 1 mix of WW?

I've gotta admit, they look great! Can't believe those filthy things could turn out so good. The moulds filled at well too.

Thanks

[MK111]

I think you will find that most commerical casters use 2% tin for the automatic machines so the bullets drop out freely. I have never found it useful to use over 1% tin for hand casting.

[357shooter]

OK, I shot the bullets today and wow they are awesome. No leading at 800 fps and accurate as all get out.

Mixed 3 to 1, clipon to stickon WW and waited only one day which means they aren't even fully hardened yet.

Thanks for the great advice!

[randyrat]

I plan on casting for 9mm only when I start this spring.

I would search for wheel weights but I think a few local castboolit members have the area cleared out.

There are some good people on this Forum that sell WWs in "ingot" form very cheap. Around a $1/lb or so......... shipped to your door. Keep an eye open in the "Swapin & Sellin" threads....Also in the "Vendor" section
Remember 9mm is not the best/easiest one to start casting for. Everything has to be perfect to be succseful.......

[Lloyd Smale]

I probably use more #2 then anything. It will work from low velocity handgun to high velocity rifle if you have a good gun. It casts nice to boot.