First try with zinc

[jonp]

1 heat lead
2 throw on saw dust
3 stir & skim
4 repeat 2 more times
5 pour into ingots

About as clear cut as it gets

[ubetcha]

This just a thought,but, if a zinc bullet cast's under size and is lighter than lead, could the zinc bullet be paper patched and the paper be used to protect the bore?. Just a off the top of the head question. That hard of a bullet is definitely not good for hunting, but what about for just punching paper targets or long range steel gongs

[USAFrox]

I guess my OCD will have to drive me to be "that guy". The past tense verb for making bullets out of lead (or in this case zinc), is "cast", as in "you cast a bunch of bullets out of zinc a couple of days ago." No such word as "casted".

Sorry, had to say it...

[Recluse]

Some people will never ever get it

Guess I'll never get it either, then.

There was a time here in which we WELCOMED people trying new things and learning things for themselves and experimenting and gleaning some knowledge from those endeavors.

I'm so glad the recent influx of shiny new casters are here to save us from ourselves with their incredible year or two of knowledge--primarily gained here and from other members who dared expose themselves to ridicule by daring to wander off the accepted and beaten path.

A lot of you folks are flat out of line.

For one, this is not how we typically greet a new member making their first post. That's a big one.

Two, unless you live under a rock, lead is getting harder to get and more and more regulated. If you want to keep shooting, you might want to start re-thinking about alternative alloys.

And three, the friggin' "tone" of some of the comments here from relatively new members who seem to think that their way is either the only way or the best way is starting to get old.

Can't believe how much this place has changed in just the past few years.

SMH.

[Old Dawg]

There you done it. Don't you realize that a lot of people take pride in their illiteracy and it is not only on this forum. It is all over the internet.

[tomme boy]

Recluse

I am relatively new here. I don't bash anyone. I am up to hear anyway that is going to help me shoot longer and at a reduced cost. Lead is going to come to a end in my lifetime. There is no way I am going to be able to shoot the copper solids. They will have to be bought. What are you guys going to shoot in another 20 years???

[Old Dawg]

I doubt that home casting of zinc bullets will ever be practical. There is simply too much expensive equipment necessary to make a quality product. Industrial die casting machines are quite capable of producing consistently good bullets but it is doubtful if there are enough shooters brought up on traditional bullets who would be willing to make the conversion. Without a reliable market it would be risky for a die caster to make the investment. I once asked a die caster what it would cost to make a set of commercial dies and was told about $10,000. This is for a multi cavity mass production die set exclusive of the automated die casting machine. Well out of my league.

[Recluse]

I doubt that home casting of zinc bullets will ever be practical. There is simply too much expensive equipment necessary to make a quality product. Industrial die casting machines are quite capable of producing consistently good bullets but it is doubtful if there are enough shooters brought up on traditional bullets who would be willing to make the conversion. Without a reliable market it would be risky for a die caster to make the investment. I once asked a die caster what it would cost to make a set of commercial dies and was told about $10,000. This is for a multi cavity mass production die set exclusive of the automated die casting machine. Well out of my league.

Same sentiments were bantered about right here some seven to eight years ago regarding the coating of boolits in lieu of traditional lubes. Now we have an entire area dedicated to powder coating.

There was a time in which the only way one thought they could tumble-lube was doing it with LLA and waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting and waiting some more for it to dry. Now we have a respected vendor in WLL producing bulk 45/45/10 and a whole new world of casters have been introduced to quick and easy lubing for a variety of purposes.

There was a time around here in which if a mold was too small, you were stuck. Now we have beagling, courtesy of a member of the same namesake, and we have machinists here who will help you out.

There was a time when the only way you could get a hollow-point mold was to order one from Lyman. Now we have machinists here who will modify your mold into a hollow-point application for you. What's more, we have a member here who figured out a way to do it with Lee two-holder molds, no less.

There was a time around here when Lee molds were absolutely hopeless. Have you checked out the Lee-menting stickies? Holy cow! New life to old molds and the Lee-menting opened up the door for a LOT of new casters to get a feel for pouring their own without having to invest big bucks.

There was a time with Lee furnaces, and even Lymans, that the temp setting was a guestimate and you had to put up with wandering temperatures of your molten alloy. Now we not only a sticky dedicated entirely to making your own PID controller, we have a member who will also do it for you.

There was a time not so long ago in which conventional wisdom--including respected gun writers--said you couldn't push lead projectiles over 1000fps without leading, and that you'd never be able to push lead projectiles out of rifle calibers much over 2000fps. We've blown that conventional wisdom to hell and back.

Zinc? I've read a lot of stuff on it and how it can never work. Same as I used to read how only LLA could be used effectively for tumble-lubing and how powder-coating would never be practical (read: affordable) for the average caster and how you'd never be able to get a Lee furnace to keep a constant temperature and so on and so on.

I remain a paying, sponsoring member of this forum because of the NEW ideas and NEW things I'm constantly learning.

There are plenty of other forums out there with experts who will tell you it can't be done. This ain't one of 'em.

[brotherdarrell]

I dont usually get in the middle of these things but the response by some just amazes me!!!

"I have more respect for my molds", really? Its a $20 hunk of aluminum that could fall apart at any moment.

To the OP I want to give a big thank you for taking the time to not only try something a little different but for also sharing the results. I also hope that you continue so those of us who arent closed minded can learn along with you. Weights and diameters would be some good information also.

I think tomorrow I will grab my Lyman 405 gr 45/70 mold and pour some molten zinc in it. Dont worry, it has never come close to .458" with lead so it has not earned my "respect".

Thank you again sir.

Darrell

[RJM52]

I remember reading an article on zinc bullets for handguns many years ago. As I recall they are about 30% lighter than lead ones. They could be driven very fast with only modest recoil.

A friend once had a Lyman .44 180 grain spire point mould that was damaged so he milled off the gascheck base of the mould. I have always wondered what that bullet cast from zinc would be like for a defensive round at say 1600 fps...easily obtainable as the lead ones would due more that....and little recoil.

Thanks for the post 40...one more thing to think about....

Bob

[MGySgt]

Zinc and Powder Coat???? Might be the way of the future shooters.

[mrbill2]

Time will come we'll be buying custom Accurate molds to cast zinc. Are you ready, Tom.

[fryboy]

on the bright side ? zinc ( powder coated or not ) can in no way lead up your barrel

[leadman]

Zinc is self lubricating so no additional lube needed. Zinc has been cast successfully in years past and from the article I read in a Handloader's Digest it was not that difficult. The author fluxed the zinc with aspirin tablets.
I have been saving up my zinc and will try casting with it probably this summer.
The article did mention to use a mold that dropped a zinc bullet that would not have to be sized to make it usable.
To the OP: no reason for you to not experiment with zinc. Sometimes what is needed is a person that doesn't know it won't work to go ahead and make it work.

[Super Sneaky Steve]

Recluse, that's an epic post if I ever saw one.

[sawzall]

Recluse, that's an epic post if I ever saw one.

Probably one of the best posts I've read on here...or anywhere for that matter! Too bad it's so long or it would be great sig material!

[Jammersix]

Confucious say man who says it can't be done shouldn't interrupt the man who is doing it.

[jonp]

I think some people are too quick to judge others. I am also "guilty" of dabbling into the unforgiving world of zink casting. The melt needed to be over 850 degrees and you had to cast at an accelerated rate. But at least I know how to make good boolits... even from zink.
Yes, it does stress the equipment , but my H&G iron monsters shrugged off the abuse that probably would have destroyed an aluminum mould.
Inquiring minds just gotta' know.

Yes, but what were your results? Did you load them up and how did they compare to the lead ones.

I have been on this site for only a year or so and just took the plunge several weeks ago and started casting doing much reading and research beforehand but I am one of "those guys" that can't leave well enough alone and despite what I read about casting zinc will most likely buy a lee mold and use that bucket of zinc ww I have up to see what happens for myself and compare it to other results.

Those who say "It can't be done" are those to whom people like me say "oh, yeah? Stay the heck out of my way and watch me at least try"

[roysha]

Many years ago (35 or so and the bullets were old then) I acquired a box of ABC (Arizona Bullet Company) .30 caliber bullets through a trade for a bunch of stuff. (I'm a STUFF kinda guy). They were silver colored and made of one piece of metal. I really didn't pay much attention to them (actually none at all) and later threw them into another box of stuff that I sold at auction. I remember thinking they were perhaps made of aluminum but seemed quite heavy for aluminum. In retrospect, I believe they may have been zinc. Whether they were cast, swaged or turned, I haven't a clue.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that zinc projectiles have more than likely been around for quite a while and I would speculate that within a couple of years casting zinc will, in all likelihood, be as routine as casting our beloved lead. The infrastructure is in place and it will only require a bit of tuning as regards tools and technique.

[MrWolf]

+1 Recluse - well said