I tried Lyman #2 and I like it

[Brother_Love]

I have always cast bullets with a 20/1 mix. The other day while smelting I mixed up 20# of Lyman #2 alloy. Suddenly the bullets were filling out better, dropping from the mold better and they have more consistant weight. So for so good, I am going to the range with them next week.

Malcolm

[9.3X62AL]

Lyman #2 alloy is usually a genuine pleasure to cast with. All that tin makes molten metal do nice things! The price of tin discourages the use of #2 to some degree, but no two ways about it--#2 alloy is user-friendly plus.

I hope it does good things downrange for you. It always has for me. Good fillout = absence of voids or imbalances.

[sleeper1428]

You might also want to try making up some hardball alloy, also known as Taracorp Magnum alloy. It's a 2-6-92 alloy (2%Sn, 6%Sb and 92%Pb) and will cast pretty much the same as #2. BH will be in the range of 14-17. And with the cost of tin nowadays, keeping the percentage down to 2% will also save you money. I have used this alloy for over 20 years in all my handguns and several rifle loadings as well and have always been pleased with its performance.

sleeper1428

[Shiloh]

#2 casts up some pretty boolits. Perfect fill-out, flawless boolits. A joy to cast with.
I used what I had left to sweeten WW, Range lead, and other acquired scrap lead.

Shiloh

[runfiverun]

god if your gonna make them that hard you might as well buy them

[Char-Gar]

A little antimony works wonders!

[243winxb]

You can't go wrong with #2 and Lyman. Works great in gas checked rifle and/or plain based pistol bullets. No heat treating or water dropping needed. IMO

[kawalekm]

I've been saying that all along, but everybody keeps poo pooing the amount of tin I am using. In reality, my alloy probably costs less because I get all my wheelweights for free and I buy tin/pewter at flea markets and garage sales for ~1$ per pound. My standard recipe to make #2 alloy is 19 lbs of melted wheelweight lead mixed with 1lb of lead-free tin solder or 1lb of recycled pewter.

[montana_charlie]

I have always cast bullets with a 20/1 mix. The other day while smelting I mixed up 20# of Lyman #2 alloy. Suddenly the bullets were filling out better, dropping from the mold better and they have more consistant weight.

Lyman #2 alloy is usually a genuine pleasure to cast with. All that tin makes molten metal do nice things!

I've been saying that all along, but everybody keeps poo pooing the amount of tin I am using.

So...what is the real deal?
The OP was making 20-1 alloy (95/5). He changed to Lyman #2 (90/5/5).
That means he added 5% antimony and reduced the lead to 90%.

The amount of tin did not change.

Has anybody ever claimed that 'more antimony' makes a mould fillout better?
CM

[winelover]

What a bunch of CHEAPSKATES! Most of you boo-hoo TIN as if it were GOLD! If it's FREE use as much as you like, with in reason of course. I just made up a batch of bullet alloy that was close to Lyman's #2 using just pure lead and 95-5 solder because that was all I had and it didn't cost me a DIME! FRUGAL is fine but don't expect your as cast diameter to be what you need if you used a softer alloy! Unless, of course you going to fork out extra money for CUSTOM moulds!! Most mould manufactures list their diameters using either #2 Aloy or Linotype. Anything softer will result in a smaller diameter bullet!!!

[243winxb]

Has anybody ever claimed that 'more antimony' makes a mould fillout better?

Well, in a way it does, Diameter wise.

[KYCaster]

OK guys, I'm not sure I understand all I know about this.

The Lyman book I have says #2 alloy is 90% Pb, 5% Sn and 5% Sb, and there are lots of guys here who claim that they're making #2 alloy with pure lead and solder or WW and solder.

You can't get there from here....I mean, you can add 95/5 solder till the cows come home and you can't get the Sb content to equal the Sn content. Start with 19 lbs. of lead and add a pound of 95/5 and you get 95-4.75-.25.

Results are quite a bit better with WW.... 19 lbs. WW and 1 lb. 95/5 gives you 92.2-5.3-2.4, but Sn is more than double the Sb.

So, am I missing something here? Is there some advantage to having a higher proportion of Sn than Sb?

Just curious.
Jerry

[stubert]

I don't know what it would be called now , I am using the old Lyman recipe for #2, 9 lbs ww and 1 lb 50/50 solder (lead/tin). Bullets usually are keepers after half a dozen pours. Most of what I cast are 44 cal. or larger , I use them in pistols without a check and rifles with a check. I never have problems with fill out. I also get my ww free, I'm buddies with a guy who owns a 8 bay repair shop. And I get my 50/50 solder from another buddy that fixes boilers.

[HangFireW8]

I've been saying that all along, but everybody keeps poo pooing the amount of tin I am using. In reality, my alloy probably costs less because I get all my wheelweights for free and I buy tin/pewter at flea markets and garage sales for ~1$ per pound. My standard recipe to make #2 alloy is 19 lbs of melted wheelweight lead mixed with 1lb of lead-free tin solder or 1lb of recycled pewter.

I asked about high tin alloys here, and was told to slug my bore and forget about it. The fact I had a lot of tin meant nothing, and was told to trade it off.

I have over 100 lbs of tin and know I can get more easy. Pewter is an easy score at yard sales, I never fail to pick some up cheap. I also loaded up on Monotype. Wheelweights, on the other hand, I recently tripled my score- I've gone from 2 lbs to 6! (Nearly) pure lead is what I have the most of.

I recently cast some 1:16 hunting bullets and they came out nice. I'm going to try some other mixes, like Lyman #2 next. I'll use the old linotype recipe ratio but use my lead, solder and Monotype instead. Gotta find some way to get rid of all this tin and antimony.

-HF

[largom]

You cannot make Lyman #2 alloy just using pure lead and 95-5 solder. Also there is no advantage to having SN content greater than SB.
Since Hangfire has a good source for 60/40 I suggest one contacthim and see if you can make a deal. I already did.
Larry

[Plumb Center]

I have used a mix of 10# wheelweight and 1# 50/50 solder with good results for years in centerfire rifles. Not exactly Lyman #2, but a good alloy nevertheless. Have shot it up to 2400 fps with little to no leading issues. Is somewhere around 5% tin, 3.5% antimony, and 91.5 lead depending on the wheelweights actual composition.
Jim

[Sky King]

I've been using the following receipt I found on The Los Angeles Silhouette Club's web site. Works for me.
Linotype - 2 pounds
Wheel weights - 5 pounds
Tin Antimony Lead
1.5% 6.3% 92.2%
Nearly Lyman # 2 BHN