solder help please

[reloader28]

Went to Lowes and they had some lead free solder. I wont tell you how much it was, cause I know I got screwed. I needed it, I was there, so I bought it.

I've never used anything but straight WW before, but now with my fall hunting boolits that I plan on using, I think I need tin. I'm using 50/50 alloy, heat treating, then softening the nose. Performance has been pretty satisfactory I think, except I'm losing way more of the nose than I want and want to add tin to keep it together better from what I've learned here.(malible)

The question is...
I bought Lenox lead free, solid wire solder. Thats basically all thats on this box.

Is this basically pure tin??? The Lenox box next to it said something about tin, copper and something else that I forgot, but this box really dont say anything.

Another question. Everyone says that you should add 2% tin. Thats what I'm planning on using unless you guys think 3% is better for a 50/50 pure lead/WW boolit going a little over 2000fps???

Like I said, I always use straight WW so I'm new to tin. I've never used these for big game rifle hunting before. Would like a little help please.

[lwknight]

I think the 3% idea might be just the ticket in the higher velocities. My (roughly) 40:1
mix with very little antimony (if any ) still hardened up over time. I'm shooting a 44mag @1500 fps with PP. You can stand the boolits harder in the rifle velocities.
I did have 99% weight retension and the boolits turned inside out in a perfect mushroom.
I have not tested them since they have hardened.
I think , maybe a higher tin should harden the boolits some and prevent age hardening.

[KYCaster]

Lennox makes different compositions of lead free solder, but all I've seen have been 95% Sn. The one I normally use is 95 Sn - 5 Sb. I ask for it at the plumbing wholesaler and they usually have it in stock. Check with them often, the price fluctuates a lot.

As for expansion at 2000 fps, I use ACWW to cast RCBS 35-200-RF for my 35 Rem and find the performance to be identical to Rem and Win jacketed soft points. I see no reason to soften the alloy, heat treat it or anneal it...works just fine the way it is.

But that's just my opinion. (and the deer I've polled all agree)
Jerry

[lwknight]

There ya go.
The added tin should help with weight retensiion at least.
And it will not harden enough to matter.

[reloader28]

Thanks guyes.
I guess I should have mentioned that I'm using a 30-06 at around 2000fps and it shoots good.
I have a good load for 30-30 at 1850fps with ACWW that I'd like to try too.
Cant wait to shoot a deer with some of these! Its getting close.:lovebooli

[cbrick]

My 308 shoots AC CWW with 2% added Sn at 2000 fps with zero leading and good accuracy. I also see no need for the HT at this velocity in the 30 caliber but your bore, powder burn rate and many other things could effect this. Adding Sn will add minor hardening to the alloy.

For many years I automatically added 2% Sn to all of my WW alloy, then as an experiment for a few years I added 3% Sn. In all of my shooting and all of the calibers I noticed no difference in the boolits, in leading, on the targets, with the chrono or in any other way. I did notice that my tin disappeared 50% faster. I have since gone back to the standard 2% Sn and again noticed no difference in the boolits or how they shoot. In bullet alloy the Sn% shouldn't exceed the Sb% and in CWW it's safe to say that today that's 2-3%.

I haven't priced solder at the hardware store for some time but it seems that ordering tin from Roto Metals cannot be much more expensive. 2% Sn in 1 pound (7000 gr.) of WW alloy is 140 gr., in a 20 pound pot that's 2,800 gr. of Sn.

1 pound of Sn at today's price of $14.00 is enough for 50 pounds of WW . . . How much is that solder costing you per pound at the Chinese mart? (Home Depot) Is Home Depot or the Chinese a sponsor of this site?

Just a little something for the grey matter to chew on.

Rick

[HodakaGA]

Last time I was in HomeDepot a roll of leadfree solder was $18.00+ but it wasn't a 1 lb. roll. Offhand I don't remember if it was 8 or 12oz.

[cbrick]

Last time I was in HomeDepot a roll of leadfree solder was $18.00+ but it wasn't a 1 lb. roll. Offhand I don't remember if it was 8 or 12oz.

I didn't check the solder prices but that's kinda what I thought. That's either $27.00 or $36.00 per pound. I think I'll continue to send my money to Roto Metals for 99.9% pure Sn @ $14.00 per pound.

Rick

[lwknight]

I'm glad I loaded up on tin a couple years ago. I ended up with 60 pounds @ under $9.00 per pound. I also loaded up on high antimony lead cause most all antimony comes from China and if the dollar folds , antimony will be in the unobtainium class metals.

[reloader28]

My solder at Lowes was $20.80/pound. I was there and needed it cause I'm going out right now to start smelting. I'm running out of time.

I think I'll add 2% tin to the 50/50 and see what happens. I'm hoping it will be close. Shooting thru water jugs and the sand trap I built, I'm losing anywhere from 80-120gr from my 180gr boolit depending on alloy. The ACWW was the worst at losing 120gr.

The wet sand was the worst, but I kinda figured on half way between the sand and the water jugs. I have no idea how an animal compares to all this, but I lost the boolit nose in all the tests I've ran so far.

I'm sure it would take a deer right now, but I still have a little time and want it as good as I can get it.:-D

cbrick
Thanks for those numbers. I hate math and you made it easy for the 2% I'll go for. It came out to exactly 7" for 140gr.

[lwknight]

The haedware company that I bought Oatly tin solder fromat $8.95 a few months ago are now $15.95 per pound.
#1 Lead free solder 95/5 SN/SB (https://www.hardwareworld.com/1-955-Leadfree-Solder-p7OAJUE.aspx)

I guess $20.00 at a retail outlet is not all that out of line.
What a dragggg!!!

[a.squibload]

Just checked that, add $8 or $9 /lb for shipping one roll.

[lwknight]

Ouch!! I bought a 10 rolls box. The shipping did not hurt that much.
The total was still about $10.00 per pound back then.
I'm saving the solder for soldering though.

[wiljen]

If you have a Ferguson plumbing supply in your area they have the dutch boy 95/5 solder in 1 lbs spools for $13 last I was in. Might be worth grabbing a few before they go up again if you need it.