Bismuth / Bismuth + Tin

[floodgate]

OK, guys, I'm serious about giving bismuth or bismuth with 5 - 8% tin a tryout. Can anyone point me to a source of either pure bismuth in 5 - 10 lb. lot(s) or a similar amount of bismuth or bismuth + tin shot? NOT that 3-lb. pig on eBay; that was aimed at mineral collectors and 99.9% pure is a tighter spec than I need.

I thought I'd get one of the bottom-end 4-lb Lee dip pots and one of their ingot moulds and teeny-weeny dippers, to start fresh and free of contamination, and try it out in one of their single-cavity RB moulds, also fresh in my T/C .50 Hawken. I'm willing to make the relatively small investment to at least see if this is a feasible alternative to lead. At least, at the low rate I have been shooting these past few years, costs shouldn't get out of hand, for an experimental tryout.

Thinking it over, and seeing various comments to the effect that the 5 - 8% addition of tin minimizes shattering on impact, I think I'd like to start with shot - size not important, but the largest size available would be a logical place to begin. Soooo....where can I buy the shot?

floodgate

[Johnch]

Not sure where you will find bismuth shot right now
The gentilman that owned and ran the US/ NorthAmerica company that made the shot for duck hunters died


As I understand it the family could not come to terms with anyone to buy or run the plant , so they closed it down and when the shot ran out the shell loading line also closed

There are rumers that Shot and ammo form France or Italy may soon be imported


I used to load and shoot 2 or 3 - 7 LB jugs a season
But I am out .................maybe have 2 or 3 oz left
If you want it , it is yours

John

[STP]

Floodgate,

PM sent...

[dakotashooter2]

http://www.huntersbismuth.com/home.html

I just emailed the above company. They advertize bismuth, bismuth/tin ingots and bismuth pellets ( which they do not advertize as shot due to patent infringments) It runs about $6.30 -$7.50 lb. in 10 lb minimums. If I recall the "other" company was selling bismuth shot for $100 for a 7# bottle when they were in business.

I'm hoping to build some potent loads for my 20 ga but may experiment with some bullets if I can get fillout.

[cbrick]

I'm no metalurgist but wouldn't bismuth bullets be extremely hard and extremely brittle? I can see where it could work as shot but bullets? I'll be very interested in your results.

Rick

[Johnch]

http://www.huntersbismuth.com/home.html

I just emailed the above company. They advertize bismuth, bismuth/tin ingots and bismuth pellets ( which they do not advertize as shot due to patent infringments) It runs about $6.30 -$7.50 lb. in 10 lb minimums. If I recall the "other" company was selling bismuth shot for $100 for a 7# bottle when they were in business.

I'm hoping to build some potent loads for my 20 ga but may experiment with some bullets if I can get fillout.

Post up if you get a responce

I emailed them and didn't
I gave Floodgate the same link
Not sure if he got a responce

John

[Johnch]

Well it took them a little time
But they got back to me

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN ORDERING FROM HUNTER'S BISMUTH. WE REGRET THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO TAKE ORDERS AT THIS TIME. WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON OUR PRODUCT PRODUCTION FACILITIES AND METHOD. WE HAVE ADDED YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION TO OUR DATA BASE AND WILL CONTACT YOU ONCE WE HAVE PRODUCT TO SHIP. AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST AND PATIENCE!

SINCERELY,

HUNTER'S BISMUTH

John

[floodgate]

johnch:

I got the same message about two week ago (thanks for the link!); I guess they are still on hold. Is this the outfit you mentioned above, one of whose principals had died?

cbrick:

Yes, bismuth in pure form is brittle, but with 5% - 8% tin it is supposed to be considerably less so, and even swageable. I've scrounged a few lbs. of the pure stuff, and - when my "round tuit" (a "virgin" Lee pot and a dipper) arrives - plan to make up a 5% mix. This mix is supposed to expand slightly after cooling, so I'll try it first in a swaging core mould with the sprue plate turned out of the way.

floodgate

[Johnch]

johnch:

I got the same message about two week ago (thanks for the link!); I guess they are still on hold. Is this the outfit you mentioned above, one of whose principals had died?

cbrick:


floodgate

No the guy that died was the owner of Bismuth Cart. company

John

[bobthewelder]

Is that the same stuff we all take after drinkin' Bush beer and eatin spicy pork rhinds?

[Ricochet]

Yeah, except that the pink stuff is in the form of bismuth subsalicylate.

[otteray]

Here is a list of alloy ingot manufacturers:

http://www.thomasnet.com/products/bi...0113102-1.html
http://www.acialloys.com/material.html

http://www.thomasnet.com/products/bi...1161009-1.html

[LeadThrower]

Here's a site I stumbled across:

http://www.rotometals.com/Base-Metal...ngot_c_36.html

Tin, lead, and antimony are cheaper than other sources I've seen for the pure metals, and they sell pure bismuth in 3 9's and 4 9's, though I can't imagine why a caster would need 4 9's.

And http://www.advancecarmover.com/ has Rowell ladles for the lowest prices I've seen.

[floodgate]

otteray, LeadThrower:

Thanks for the good info!

floodgate

[otteray]

otteray, LeadThrower:

Thanks for the good info!

floodgate

Hey, you bet.
If you go for it and find a good alloy, be sure to post the results!

[LeadThrower]

+1 to otteray's post

Glad to help, and let us know what you find. If the Kalifornian lead ban keeps creeping east like a cancer I'll have to change my handle! Somehow BismuthThrower doesn't roll off the tongue...

[JIMinPHX]

If you have trouble getting the Tin in small chunks, you can always melt down a bar of it & pour it into bullet molds. The 100% tin bullets will be easy to add to a pot of bismuth in small quantities.

On another subject, Since the hardness of your bismuth alloy may be greater than the hardness of traditional lead alloys, you might want to be extra careful working up your powder charges.

Best of luck with blazing this new path.