pure lead

[Rex]

A fellow brought me a large brick of lead that was radiation shielding from a nuclear power plant. He wants me to make him some .38 bullets to load to plinking speed. Will pure lead work or not. I don't have anything to harden it with and as I'm doing it "just for fun" ain't going to a lot of work finding any.
Rex

[docone31]

Should work for a plinker. I can push my pure also.

[lwknight]

I would think that you will need a little tin in it.
That lead is probably the purest and totally dead soft.
Even with less than 2% tin the casting will go better and your hardness will go up to about
an 8 on the scale which is still pretty soft.

[maddog2020]

A fellow brought me a large brick of lead that was radiation shielding from a nuclear power plant. He wants me to make him some .38 bullets to load to plinking speed. Will pure lead work or not. I don't have anything to harden it with and as I'm doing it "just for fun" ain't going to a lot of work finding any.
Rex

swap some Linotype for some pure lead
got about 14 lbs

[Echo]

Go to Ace and buy some lead-free solder. Blend it with your alloy at the rate of about 2-3% tin to 98% lead. So add one ounce solder per 2-3 pounds lead, and you will have a fine alloy for casting .38 Special boolits.

[MtGun44]

+1 on add tin and good to go. Keep the load down like 2.7 Bullseye or Clays in that
range and with a good design AND PROPER FIT to the throats you will be fine.

Bill