Easier core bonding

[sagacious]

I suspect there's a bunch of people who want to make bonded-core bullets, but don't want to deal with the q-tip + flux hassle. There is an easier way.

Soak the brass in a citric acid solution until it's shiny. Rinse and allow to dry. This step cleans the brass, removes any tarnish, and allows the lead to bond easier.

The lead cores should be of a size that fits loosely and easily within the case. Place your lead cores in a ziplock bag or plastic container. Add a teaspoon or two of powdered rosin-- just enough to dust the cores. Shake until the cores are coated.

Place the cores into the cases and heat until the brass is dull red hot. If using a torch, direct the flame at the brass, not the core. The lead will melt and solder to the brass, and the case will be annealed. Let the cases cool slowly. After cooling, repeat the citric acid soak/rinse and the cases will be made shiny again. The citric acid will not affect the lead.

Rosin works very well for soldering brass. I learned a long time ago that regular rosin-core solder was the best choice for soldering brass using lead-based solder. Rosin works in this application too. This method avoids expensive or difficult-to-find flux-- I use Bishop Pine rosin that I dry and powder myself-- so one can do this completely for free. Rosin smokes when heated, so do this outdoors.

Good luck, and good shooting. :drinks:

[BT Sniper]

Thats What I'm Talking About!

Sounds simple and effective, now I'll have to find some Rosin. I'm not fimilar. Only thing that comes to my simple mind is baseball and the pitcher bouncing a rosin bag in his hand. Care to school me a bit on rosin and where to find it. Maybe even a link for those of us so challenged :)

Thanks

BT

[ANeat]

Sag Ive been meaning to try the citric acid on some annealed brass. Our local grocery had some in the canning supplies

Rosin can be had at Midway or Brownells, its handy when removing barrels and such to reduce slippage

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=846792

[sagacious]

Thats What I'm Talking About!

Sounds simple and effective, now I'll have to find some Rosin. I'm not fimilar. Only thing that comes to my simple mind is baseball and the pitcher bouncing a rosin bag in his hand. Care to school me a bit on rosin and where to find it. Maybe even a link for those of us so challenged :)

Thanks

BT
BT,
You got it! You can get powdered rosin (rosin bag) at a sports store. I got some rosin at a sports store many years ago to mix with some paraffin wax-- adding rosin makes VERY hard wax... if you need a very hard wax. I know sports stores still carry rosin today.

Your local hardware store may have rosin. Many artist supply stores carry powdered rosin-- usually around $7-8/lb. Calling your local art supply store may locate a low-cost source for rosin immediately. That's the first place I'd check, as it avoids a shipping charge, and the price should be good.

Aneat provided a good link below for Midway, and as noted, Brownells also has rosin. Brownells price is pretty steep, though.

You can also make your own powdered rosin. I like free. If you have pine trees nearby, all you need to do is collect a bit of the dried, crumbly rosin. Avoid the sticky stuff! Take a few clumps of dried rosin and freeze it in your freezer. Then place in a container and crush it with a thick wooden dowel. The frozen rosin will crush and grind into powder. When it reheats to room temp, it won't crush as easily, so refreeze it and crush it again until all powdered. Store covered in a cool place away from light. If it gets hot and sticks together during the summer, just refreeze and crush. Rosin is good to have around for various uses, so if you see some rosin on a pine tree, grab it.

Hope this sheds some light on it. Good luck!

[a.squibload]

I was gonna say, climb a pine tree, you WILL find rosin...

[jcunclejoe]

I have about 40 Ponderosa pine trees on my property. I've been sitting on a gold mine this whole time.
I never knew rosin was powdered pine pitch.
Read and learn, read and learn. It just takes so darn long to sound out all the words.
Thanks guys
Joe

[MightyThor]

You can also find Rosin at any store that sells violins etc. can't use a bow without it. One caution, Powdered rosin is VERY flammable. We teach the Boyscouts to use it as a fire starter and from experience I can assure you it burns hot and fast and will stick to you while doing so.
[smilie=w:

[sagacious]

I have about 40 Ponderosa pine trees on my property. I've been sitting on a gold mine this whole time.
I never knew rosin was powdered pine pitch.
Read and learn, read and learn. It just takes so darn long to sound out all the words.
Thanks guys
Joe

Joe,
Ponderosa pine pitch/rosin works perfectly. Gold mine for sure! Ponderosa pine rosin is often totally dry and crumbly when found on the tree. That makes powdering it very easy. Smells great!

I collected about 5lbs of Ponderosa pine rosin (that's a LOT of rosin) years ago, and melted it down into rosin blocks. They look like shiny black glass blocks. It's handy to keep some rosin available on the work bench. Good luck.

[sagacious]

You can also find Rosin at any store that sells violins etc. can't use a bow without it. One caution, Powdered rosin is VERY flammable. We teach the Boyscouts to use it as a fire starter and from experience I can assure you it burns hot and fast and will stick to you while doing so.
[smilie=w:
Good source suggestion and safety warning. Thanks.

[a.squibload]

You can also find Rosin at any store that sells violins etc. can't use a bow without it. One caution, Powdered rosin is VERY flammable. We teach the Boyscouts to use it as a fire starter and from experience I can assure you it burns hot and fast and will stick to you while doing so.
[smilie=w:

Hence the phrase: That fiddle player was SMOKIN'!

[michiganvet]

I have a giz that is made from a block of aluminum with holes drilled into it that hold the jackets. You insert the swaged cores with some flux then set it on the burner of the gas stove to melt the cores. Turn off the stove and let cool then core seat and point form. This one does about 20 .458's
at a time.

[firefly1957]

I use the same method as michiganvet Except I just wipe core in solder flux from a plumbing supply before inserting then in Jacket. Works fine every now and then one will bubble though?and lose core.