Does anyone know what the composition of old wheel weights was? Anyone link me to a page about them? I tried searching but couldnt find the info I seek.
Thanks
Bazoo
Does anyone know what the composition of old wheel weights was? Anyone link me to a page about them? I tried searching but couldnt find the info I seek.
Thanks
Bazoo
I don't think quality control was a big deal when the manufacturers made them.
So from company to company, and batch to batch, their composition is probably all over the place.
To get a real answer, you just need to send off a sample and get it tested.
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.
Thanks for the replies. I dont have any of the older wheel weights, nor have I used them. I am needing to know if they varied from the new wheel weights, and I'm finding varying reports. Does anyone know if they indeed were different?
I put them in the pot and skim what floats. I have a book on the mixes. The newer are Zinc. The old wheel weights would make a good boolit without mixing. The last wheel weights I scratched up 58 pounds made 28 pounds of good lead. The older weights drop with more thud on concrete. I spent some time years ago dropping some and thought I got better but that was in my black powder days when lead was free unless you bought balls.
>Sent: Jan 28, 2008 9:33 PM
>Subject: Re: [CB-L] New Refinery WW
>
>Original spec was/is 3% antimony, 0.25 % tin, 0.17% Arsenic balance lead.
>
>The report was the spec is still adhered to however there was 0.5% tin.
>
>This has been the 'real' specification since the mid 1970s.
>
>Have no idea why publications seem to be reluctant to request updated information.
>
>Bill Ferguson, Metallurgist
The above is pretty close to correct. I've sent off numerous samples of COWWs procured in the 80s through the about 2000. They mostly contained 2.5% antimony +/- and .5 % tin +/-. That's why I recommend adding 2% tin to COWWs to balance the tin to the antimony. That creates a much better alloy than just COWWs alone. I received a bucket of COWWs some years back from an old friend who was not casting anymore. He had gotten them from a tire shop in '70 or '71. They tested out having very close to 2.5% of both antimony and tin. That is the COWW alloy I started casting with back in '68. It cast noticeably better than did the COWWs of the last 40 - 50 years which led me to add the tin. That older bucket of COWWs also is closer in composition to the composition that has been listed in Lyman CBHs.
Larry Gibson
“Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
― Nikola Tesla
Generally, with antimonial tertiary alloys, anything more than 1% tin is wasted.
That is all that COWW needs to cast well.
I have used my alloy of 9+1 COWW/Lino for the last 60 or so years of casting.
There is plenty of tin from the Lino which is about 5% tin, and also sweetening up with more antimony. I am fortunate to have a good supply of Lino and good COWW, much of it older stuff.
Lee hardness test: about 13-15.
Useful for magnum handgun, modest velocity rifle and I even use the alloy for
BPCR bullets, rather than the expensive usual lead/tin alloys.
Also, the 9+1 heat treats very well.
beltfed/arnie
Last edited by beltfed; 04-24-2023 at 10:03 AM.
Thanks for the information Larry. Thanks all for contributing. I think I know what I need to know now.
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 |