Using pure lead

[LittleBill]

I live very close to a battery factory. I was able to buy some pure lead from them for more than what some people would pay, but it was worth it to boost my small stash just a little. Dollar wise, I am still doing well.

The question is this. I have bunches of wheel weights as well as this pure lead. Do I mix it all together, or do I need to add something else? I plan to cast mainly for .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .357 magnum, .44 magnum, and eventually .30-06. I realize the mix may differ for different calibers, so I am open to advice on how to parcel it out.

[runfiverun]

i use 3 parts ww's and 1 soft.
some use half and half.
you might need some tin, i usually hang out in the 1% added area.

[williamwaco]

i use 3 parts ww's and 1 soft.
some use half and half.
you might need some tin, i usually hang out in the 1% added area.

Ditto!

I add at least one half percent tin. If they still don't fill out nicely, I add another one half percent.
I have never found it necessary to go beyond that.

[KYCaster]

Yeah, what they said.

Air cool for the easy stuff, maybe heat treat for the higher pressures depending on powder and velocity.

Jerry

[LittleBill]

Thanks guys. Since I am writing...

I am going to go search, but what do you all use for a source of tin?

[badbob454]

I live very close to a battery factory. I was able to buy some pure lead from them for more than what some people would pay, but it was worth it to boost my small stash just a little. Dollar wise, I am still doing well.

The question is this. I have bunches of wheel weights as well as this pure lead. Do I mix it all together, or do I need to add something else? I plan to cast mainly for .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .357 magnum, .44 magnum, and eventually .30-06. I realize the mix may differ for different calibers, so I am open to advice on how to parcel it out.

i agree with all the above but would use coww (clip on wheel weights ) plus a little tin ,add1-2%, water dropped no pure added for the 06 ,,,... 3-1 should work with the others 3coww/1pb
for tin you may use any of pure tin , babbit . radiator drippings (solder) , solder ,pewter,swiping solder, check rotometals good source of antimony , superhard , and tin , in many forms ...bob

[masscaster]

Hi Littlebill,
I have both Solder (90/10) & Clip Ons I would gladly trade for Pure Lead.
Best tp keep Pure Lead Pure, especially in my case.
PM me if interensted in some swappin'.

Jeff

[LittleBill]

Hi Littlebill,
I have both Solder (90/10) & Clip Ons I would gladly trade for Pure Lead.
Best tp keep Pure Lead Pure, especially in my case.
PM me if interensted in some swappin'.

Jeff

I've got about 400 lbs of wheel weights at the moment, but what is 90/10? I've soldered bunches of pipes in my life, and a few electrical connections, but it was always just solder to me.

[Nose Dive]

Mmmmm... Be sure you got PURE from the battery fellas. There is some nastys in battery lead. But, believe you should be OK if the place is indeed a 'battery salvage and remanufacturere'. A place that takes in old batterys and recharges them may be suspect to supply 'pure' lead. be careful.....

Now... as to mix... I go 50/50 WW and lead. I add some tin... Get the pellets from ROTOMETALS and drop in about 1 to 2 %... helps the fillout of the mold. I water drop everything....Dunno why...just do and makes things fine. But..shoot pistol boolits at around 1100 FPS or so...45...44...41...38.. and 32. No gas checks....Lube with BEES was and Molybdenum grease at 50/50 mix too..... My 45s have dropped out at .453 and 454 lately...water dropped.... BUT...have been heavy duty into alloys.... Linto type...ROTOMETALS 'hard metal" and such... Plus...beed dumpen in LYMAN #2 mix... say 5 pounds to my 50/50 mix ww and lead. Yep...very hard...and have not shot any. So....here we go....resizing... yep need to go to 452 as my Rugers cyclinders 'slug' out at .452 to the point in each cyclinder..... Good ole Ruger...

I would smelt the 400 lbs of WW's and ingot them and save them. Mr. Obama and the EPA are getting nasty about ww's made of lead. I am jealous of the 400 LBS... good grab!

Battery lead...be careful. Good Luck.

Nose Dive.

Cheap, Fast, Good. Kindly pick two.

[sdshootermsd]

Check Graingers Supply (50/50 lead/tin bar solder) $8.58 per half lb.

gets you 1/4 lb. tin; 5EGC1 is the stock # IIRC.

sdshootermsd

[LittleBill]

Mmmmm... Be sure you got PURE from the battery fellas. There is some nastys in battery lead. But, believe you should be OK if the place is indeed a 'battery salvage and remanufacturere'. A place that takes in old batterys and recharges them may be suspect to supply 'pure' lead. be careful.....

I'm pretty sure it is pure. These folks bring lead in by rail car, and my purchase appeared at the dock in stick form. I think it is from the manufacturing process, when the sticks become too short to use. And I asked, which resulted in a phone call to get the answer, so I didn't get blah blah blah, at least from the person in person. I was actually surprised they were willing to sell lead, since they are hungry for the stuff. But I will take it.

Thanks for the mix and lube recipe too. I appreciate the info.

[LittleBill]

Check Graingers Supply (50/50 lead/tin bar solder) $8.58 per half lb.

gets you 1/4 lb. tin; 5EGC1 is the stock # IIRC.

sdshootermsd

Thanks. We have a Graingers near here.

[Bob Krack]

Some great information above. My ONLY disagreement - in my case only - is I never add Tin until I test the fill out attributes of the mix.

Most all COWWs and most range lead (cast) contain varying amounts of Tin.


For what it is worth, I never season my food until I taste it.

Bob

[357shooter]

For the handguns I would use 2 parts pure with 1 part WW, air cooled. I use pure plus 1.5% tin for most handgun loads, but you might as well use what you have.

For the rifle, I'd use the 2/1 pure/WW and water drop them, when exceeding 1,600 FPS. With gas checks.

[LittleBill]

Some great information above. My ONLY disagreement - in my case only - is I never add Tin until I test the fill out attributes of the mix.

Most all COWWs and most range lead (cast) contain varying amounts of Tin.


For what it is worth, I never season my food until I taste it.

Bob

I don't season my food until I taste it either. I figure I will get some tin just to have on hand in case I need it, but I also figure on doing a little bit of casting and shooting to see what is what.

For the handguns I would use 2 parts pure with 1 part WW, air cooled. I use pure plus 1.5% tin for most handgun loads, but you might as well use what you have.

For the rifle, I'd use the 2/1 pure/WW and water drop them, when exceeding 1,600 FPS. With gas checks.

Do you use gas checks for the handgun loads as well, or do you cast two different boolit profiles? I ask because I will eventually be casting for both rifle and handgun in at least three calibers - .357 mag, .44 mag, and .45 Colt.

Thanks for the continued responses.

[357shooter]

I use gas checks in rifle loads over 1,600 or so. Really though my light 357 rifle loads are 1,200-1,300 FPS and heavy 357 rifle loads are 1,800+ FPS. I only use them in the heavy. For revolvers I seldom use gas checks. If I have 357 bullets loaded with gas checks, they shoot just fine in the revolver. Usually they aren't necessary. The revolvers tends to like heavier bullets, which lower velocity. My particular slow twist Rossi's like lighter bullets, which end up with higher velocities. Your situation and needs may be different.

For something like 308, I load 1,600FPS or higher and always use a gas check.

[josper]

To keep things simple ,when I'm cleaning up my lead I use 1# ingot molds from Lee or Lyman. Then when it is time to cast all I have to do is count the ingots for what alloy I'm mixing. For example: 357's alloy for his handgun 2 parts pure to 1part WW. In a 10# pot = 6 ingots of pure lead & 3 ingots of ww.

[runfiverun]

i have a mold that takes gas checks for my 44 mag.
i have some boolits in a box all lubed and checked, they are starting to get pretty dusty...

[LittleBill]

I use gas checks in rifle loads over 1,600 or so. Really though my light 357 rifle loads are 1,200-1,300 FPS and heavy 357 rifle loads are 1,800+ FPS. I only use them in the heavy. For revolvers I seldom use gas checks. If I have 357 bullets loaded with gas checks, they shoot just fine in the revolver. Usually they aren't necessary. The revolvers tends to like heavier bullets, which lower velocity. My particular slow twist Rossi's like lighter bullets, which end up with higher velocities. Your situation and needs may be different.

For something like 308, I load 1,600FPS or higher and always use a gas check.

Thanks. My rifle is a Marlin. The revolvers are S&W, both of them snubbies, so I won't be doing lots of precision shooting with them. That'll be more defensive practice than anything else.

To keep things simple ,when I'm cleaning up my lead I use 1# ingot molds from Lee or Lyman. Then when it is time to cast all I have to do is count the ingots for what alloy I'm mixing. For example: 357's alloy for his handgun 2 parts pure to 1part WW. In a 10# pot = 6 ingots of pure lead & 3 ingots of ww.

Great idea! Thank you.

i have a mold that takes gas checks for my 44 mag.
i have some boolits in a box all lubed and checked, they are starting to get pretty dusty...

Do you shoot boolits unchecked in the .44 mag then? I have a bunch that were given to me that use checks, but I have not yet gotten around to shooting them all up yet, much less buying a mold. Again, I'm planning on loading for both rifle (in this case a Winchester 94) and a S&W 629 snubbie.