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Thread: Testing tin to lead ratio?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
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    246

    Testing tin to lead ratio?

    I melted my small collection of lead pipe solder joints down. How could I get a rough idea of tin to lead mix? I do have the pencils but not sure what hardness to ratio I'm looking at.
    Swaging. Keeping the 40's running for the price of .22's
    and .223 bullets for a fraction of a cent!

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    NE Kansas
    Posts
    2,435
    When I melt the solder joints from lead plumbing pipes, I get about 30% tin. If you cut the entire joint out and melted them all together, consider an XRF scan by BNE.

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
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    Ingots slightly warm, pencil test 3B, if it dosent Harden from here that's 20:1, if that sounds right.
    Swaging. Keeping the 40's running for the price of .22's
    and .223 bullets for a fraction of a cent!

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Posts
    246
    I was kinda thinking XRF scan, but this small of a batch I didn't think it paid.
    Swaging. Keeping the 40's running for the price of .22's
    and .223 bullets for a fraction of a cent!

  5. #5
    Boolit Master



    Springfield's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    San Jose, California
    Posts
    3,685
    You can't get a lead/tin ratio with a hardness tester, as tin and copper and antimony can raise the hardness but use different metals. XRF tester will give you actual rations. Contact BNE on this forum to find out how to get your lead tested. I can pm his address if you can't find a post by him here.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Posts
    246
    Thanks, that's what I was wondering
    Swaging. Keeping the 40's running for the price of .22's
    and .223 bullets for a fraction of a cent!

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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