MidSouth Shooters SupplyLoad DataTitan ReloadingLee Precision
Reloading EverythingRepackboxWidenersInline Fabrication
RotoMetals2
Results 1 to 17 of 17

Thread: Clip On Wheel Weights

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Southern Nevada
    Posts
    73

    Clip On Wheel Weights

    I read COWW will cast smaller and heaver then other alloys. What can be added to the WW metal to offset the shrinkage and the weight gain?

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy
    zarrinvz24's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Heart of the Lowcountry, SC
    Posts
    454
    Tin. The more lead in the alloy the smaller and heavier it will cast. There are some other methods of casting that exacerbate this, things like water dropping, etc.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Posts
    2,659
    Pure lead is the heaviest; more antimony or tin content makes the alloy lighter and also reduces shrinkage (at least with antimony; I have zero experience with lead/tin binary alloys).

    I believe COWW is around 3% Sb, with a small amount of tin and a trace of arsenic. Typemetal or Rotometals SuperHard both have much more Sb, and mixed with COWW should make a lighter, harder boolit with less shrinkage.

    IIRC, many if not most molds are cut assuming a certain alloy composition. At least one custom mold maker (Accurate) asks that you specify the alloy when ordering. Supposedly Lee molds drop at the specified diameter, but I don't know what alloy they assume will be used.

  4. #4
    Moderator


    Winger Ed.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Just outside Gun Barrel City, Texas
    Posts
    9,484
    The common molds, Lyman, RCBS, etc. are made to cast what they are listed as with the Lyman #2 alloy.

    More Lead, or a softer alloy will make them heavier.
    For example: I cast what is listed as a .45 cal. 405 grain for my .45-70.
    I make mine with much less Tin than #2, and they come out at around 422-424 grains.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


    OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
    This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
    EVERYONE!
    Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.

  5. #5
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Southern Nevada
    Posts
    73
    Thanks for the replies.
    I'm using a Lee 356-125 and didn't want the bullets any smaller then .356. Actually I would prefer them larger.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    SE Missouri
    Posts
    315
    Powder coating can get your bullets a bit fatter.

  7. #7
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Southern Nevada
    Posts
    73
    I will be powder coating.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Posts
    4,338
    That PC will add at least a couple thousandths. It will also let you use a little softer casting alloy for better obturation.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master fredj338's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    kalif.
    Posts
    7,203
    Most molds are made with a given alloy in mind, like Lyman #2. So more lead, heavier & smaller, more tin, lighter & larger. Its really over thinking it imo. Just cast what you have. If PC & sizing, your final dia will always be the same & small weight diff between alloys means nothing when talking handgun bullets.
    EVERY GOOD SHOOTER NEEDS TO BE A HANDLOADER.
    NRA Cert. Inst. Met. Reloading & Basic Pistol

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master


    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Southern France by way of Interior Bush Alaska
    Posts
    5,286
    Alloy temperature can play a part in the final size of boolits. The hotter you cast, the smaller the boolits. When an alloy is heated it expands like most things. When it cools after being poured into the mold it shrinks.

  11. #11
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Southern Nevada
    Posts
    73
    Once again thanks for the help.
    I have lead, lino, tin, and of course the wheel weights. I just didn't know how the addition of the different metals would effect the outcome.
    I think I will try the addition of tin first. I sounds like what I'm after.

    Any suggestions for percentages of tin for 10# of wheel weights?
    Last edited by MR CHEN; 05-27-2021 at 06:31 PM.

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master fredj338's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    kalif.
    Posts
    7,203
    Quote Originally Posted by MR CHEN View Post
    Once again thanks for the help.
    I have lead, lino, tin, and of course the wheel weights. I just didn't know how the addition of the different metals would effect the outcome.
    I think I will try the addition of tin first. I sounds like what I'm after.

    Any suggestions for percentages of tin for 10# of wheel weights?
    1% is all you need for nice casting. Anything else is just wasting tin. When I make LHP I use 25-1 or 20-1 depending on the HP design. Though for general shooting of solids, I just cast range scrap or clip ww cut with pure. You dont need hard bullets for most applications. I really dont care about final weight either. IF the mold says 124 & they come out 128, dont care.
    EVERY GOOD SHOOTER NEEDS TO BE A HANDLOADER.
    NRA Cert. Inst. Met. Reloading & Basic Pistol

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Baton Rouge, Louisiana
    Posts
    9,254
    Quote Originally Posted by MR CHEN View Post
    Once again thanks for the help.
    I have lead, lino, tin, and of course the wheel weights. I just didn't know how the addition of the different metals would effect the outcome.
    I think I will try the addition of tin first. I sounds like what I'm after.

    Any suggestions for percentages of tin for 10# of wheel weights?
    Take the COWW and mix 50-50 with soft scrap lead , add 1% linotype for added tin to help castibility (fill out) if you have it . The boolits from this mix drop from Lee #356-120-TC ( double cavity ) right at .357" ... I run them through a .357" lube/sizer die to round them out ... powder coating should get you the size you want . I confess to not weighing one ... I use 120 - 124 grain load data and don't exceed max charges . Agonizing over exact weights is a waste of time ... every time the boolit metal mix changes the weight may vary slightly...slight variations are not worth trying to correct ...
    Trying to correct for a slight weight gain will drive you crazy so don't worry about that .
    I'm not sure what alloy Lee uses to set their mould weights ...Lyman uses Lyman #2 and NOE uses COWW . Try not to let all the variances get to you ... this stuff isn't an exact science .
    Do the best you can with what you got !
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  14. #14
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Southern Nevada
    Posts
    73
    Thank you fredj338 and gwpercle.
    I wanted to target the published weight of the mold. I have cast 20# of CLOWW/w 2% tin with the Lee 356-125 and I'm seeing what you have described........ You get what you get, run with that.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    3,572
    just do it, get good molds, lots of clip on wheel weights, add a little tin and cast away. don't get too hung up on exacting weights as long as you get consistancy of good mold fill out and you work your loads up. size .002 over or as big as you can so loads still chamber. use good proven lube or as others say powder coating will be better than traditional lube sizing. this is just my opinion as a non expert but this formula for casting has been loading most of my guns for quite some time now with zero problems

  16. #16
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Southern Nevada
    Posts
    73
    Quote Originally Posted by farmbif View Post
    just do it, get good molds, lots of clip on wheel weights, add a little tin and cast away. don't get too hung up on exacting weights as long as you get consistancy of good mold fill out and you work your loads up. size .002 over or as big as you can so loads still chamber. use good proven lube or as others say powder coating will be better than traditional lube sizing. this is just my opinion as a non expert but this formula for casting has been loading most of my guns for quite some time now with zero problems
    Thank You farmbif
    This is just what I have done. COWW + 2% tin. They fill the mold just great and are coming out a little heaver and a little bigger, but I see now that, that's all good. I was having good success running the melt at 695* according to the PID.

    The wheel weights I have are form the 70s. I'm not sure of their exact composition but they make nice bullets.

  17. #17
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Posts
    35
    Is there a large range of hardness for COWW, I think some of mine are much softer than others.
    I have the same issue my bullets come out 150gr instead of 147.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check