Lead hardness ?

[scrat]

Snuffy is right again. On the link from Castboolits. i have done that too. it works. What ever you do dont use valve grinding compound or toothpaste. just comet will work fine.

 

[243winxb]

Bullet Sizes & Weights – How to Vary Them

The bullet diameters and weights presented in this list
are based on the use of Taracorp’s Lawrence Magnum
bullet alloy (2% tin, 6% antimony, 1/4% arsenic,
91.75% lead).
Bullet diameters and weights will vary considerably
depending on the lead casting alloy used. This variation
can be as much as 1/2% on the diameter, and 8% on
the weight among the most commonly used casting
alloys. For example, a .358-158 grain bullet might
show a diameter variation of .002", and a 13 grain difference
in weight.
Of the most commonly used alloys, wheel weights (.5%
tin, 4% antimony, 95% lead) will produce bullets having
the smallest diameter and heaviest weight, with
such bullets running approximately .3% smaller in
diameter and 3% heavier than bullets cast with
Taracorp's metal. Linotype will produce bullets with the
largest diameter and lightest weights. This alloy will
produce bullets approximately 1/10% larger and 3%
lighter than Taracorp. Other alloys of tin and antimony,
with antimony content above 5%, will produce bullets
with diameters and weights falling between those cast
from wheel weights and linotype.
Alloys containing little or no antimony will cast considerably
smaller than wheel weights and in some cases
will produce bullets too small for adequate sizing.
Within the limitations given above, the weight and
diameter of a cast bullet can be adjusted by varying the
alloy’s antimony content.
The size and weight of bullets of a given alloy will also
vary according to casting temperature. Higher temperatures
will result in greater shrinkage as the bullet
cools, thereby producing a slightly smaller and lighter
bullet than one cast of the same alloy at a lower temperature http://www.redding-reloading.com/PDF%20files/bulletchart.pdf

 

[MAGNUM44]

80% linotype 10% lead & 10% tin is the way to go for good hard cast bullets

 

[243winxb]

Informaton from Lyman on Molds, there care and casting

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lymanproducts/images/Bullet%20Guide.pdf Good reading for the new casters

 

[snuffy]

80% linotype 10% lead & 10% tin is the way to go for good hard cast bullets

Since linotype is already 6% tin, adding another 10% is way too much. Those boolits would be way too hard for most any handgun boolits, they would lead badly unless pushed to maximum in a magnum revolver.

My mix for run-of-the-mill handgun rounds is 3# linotype to 17# nearly pure lead. There's plenty of tin in the lino to make for good fill out and they're plenty hard for all my uses.

 

[bullseye308]

"bullseye, sounds like your good to go, if you have no leading your good as far as dropping in water" The problem is I have leading, the last 1 1/2" of the barrel looks like a smooth bore almost. I'm not worried about what they weigh, I can adjust the powder charge no prob. I'm also not too worried about the hardness, seems like WW's are just fine right out of the mold without water dropping. Apparently I just need to open the mold up a couple of thou and will be good to go. I'll work on that monday and see how it goes.

 

[stork]

Adding Antimony rich shot

"a lot of people claim they get a bigger bullet with the addition of Antimony. A common source is high-Antimony Lead shot"

Please be cautious on adding shot. Some shot manufacturer's add Arsenic to the mix to aid in getting the shot round. It doesn't take a lot to spoil a potful for bullets. The result of too much Arsenic is, your bullets will lead your bore horribly. 10-20 shots and you think you're shooting a smoothbore. In shotguns it doesn't make any difference, but in rifled bores you may well have problems.

West Nevada Bullet manufacturer made this mistake 3-4 years ago and took too much time acknowledging the problem. The resulting refunds and loss of their good name as a premium bullet maker forced them out of business.

FWIW

Stork

 

[bullseye308]

Short of adding high antimony shot, is there a better way to get the bullets to drop at a larger diameter? I have 200lbs of WW's, 10 lbs of lino, and 10 lbs pure tin. I'm not worried about bullet weight, just size for now. I also plan to get molds for 38 and 357 and it would be nice to use the same alloy, but if I can't, I'll get more lead for those later.

ETA: I have no budget. Cannot buy anything right now, not even lapping compound to open up the mold(but I did get it polished). What I need to know is if there is some combo of the metals listed above that will drop bullets at a slightly larger diameter, or if I need to wait a while to get something to open up the mold.

 

[zxcvbob]

Go to the "cast boolit" (that's how they spell it) web site and search for "beagling". It's basically shimming the mold open a thousandth or two.

 

[snuffy]

Please be cautious on adding shot. Some shot manufacturer's add Arsenic to the mix to aid in getting the shot round. It doesn't take a lot to spoil a potful for bullets. The result of too much Arsenic is, your bullets will lead your bore horribly. 10-20 shots and you think you're shooting a smoothbore. In shotguns it doesn't make any difference, but in rifled bores you may well have problems.

That's the first time I ever heard that arsenic causes the problem you say. Arsenic is present in some scrap lead, no way around it. It MUST be present to some extent to heat treat boolits, either by dropping into cold water, or in an oven.

I'll do a little research over at cast boolits, http://castboolits.gunloads.com/ To see if they ever heard of arsenic causing severe leading. To say the least, I doubt it.

Bullseye, you're assuming that your leading at the muzzle is caused by sloppy boolit fit. The last inch of muzzle being leaded is a lack of lube problem. Since you're using liquid alox, try coating them twice, see if that makes a difference. If it were boolits being undersized, the leading would show up at the forcing cone and the first couple inches of barrel.

 

[brickeyee]

never heard of such a thing, anything can happen but more lead the heavier the bullet will be but it should not be smaller if the mold is full but like I said anything can happen

Different alloys have different shrinkage from liquid to solid.

 

[bullseye308]

"Bullseye, you're assuming that your leading at the muzzle is caused by sloppy boolit fit. The last inch of muzzle being leaded is a lack of lube problem. Since you're using liquid alox, try coating them twice, see if that makes a difference. If it were boolits being undersized, the leading would show up at the forcing cone and the first couple inches of barrel."
And that is probably the answer I was looking for. I'll re-lube a bunch now and send them downrange tomorrow and report back.

 

[stork]

Arsenic

Snuffy,
Here's a link to the archives of Bullsye List.

http://groups.google.com/group/Bull...hive&q=arsenic+in+lead&qt_g=Search+this+group

There is a wealth of information contained there.

Here's the link to the main archive page.

http://groups.google.com/group/Bullseye-L-Archive

FWIW

Stork

 

[bullseye308]

Allrighty, I re-tumble lubed them and loaded another hundred. Finally got to use my new to me chrono. Velocities ran from 1134 to 1214 fps. Still leaded like before. :banghead::banghead: I will be looking for something to open up the mold this weekend and see what I can do about the diameter.

Anyone got a few inches of that aluminum tape to spare??? I haven't seen it locally at the few places I have looked and really don't wanna buy a whole roll.

 

[frank_1947]

okay did you shoot a hundred? and after you rana brush down the bore did it clean up? if it cleaned up after 100 rounds and no build up and you did not spend hours cleaning it you could be ok, most leading occurs just a inch past chamber you said at end of barrel, right?

 

[bullseye308]

I loaded and fired 100 rounds. Running a brush down the bore just tickled the buildup that is near the buzzle. No buildup near the chamber at all. It will be soaking again in some H2O2 for a while.



OOPS. I listed the wrong velocities, those were for 115gr Zero JHP. The cast clocked at 1099-1117fps. That's the high and low for 17rds. Not too shabby I think.

 

[frank_1947]

Save some time go to Brownells and get the Lewis Lead remover I don't remember but I think $25 or so you will have it clean in 10 minutes, I have never had one lead at the muzzle bu it can't hurt to add some antimony or lino type if you have it, some how I think you could be to soft, but lube can play a big part also, If I remember right you are useing liquid alox I have used that and what I did for protection was to lube them let them dry 24 hours and coat them again really heavy, but first get something with allot of antimony in it and try 3 or 4 pounds to a ten pound mix, you have nothing to loose and I know they are messy to handle here is a little trick that will solve that problem, once there dry take a can or something you would use to spread lube around a bowl whatever, and throw a bunch of baby powder in there and roll your lubed bullets in it, they wont be sticky to handle and they will smell like a babies butt. keep us informed of your progress.

 

[frank_1947]

oops i forgot to go up and read a post telling you to double lube so you did that ? now add some hardenner lino or pure antimony, I will just assume your to soft so if you get pure antimony add 3/4 of a pound to ten pounds of what your useing if you cant get antimony then go to ebay for lino type and ad 4 pounds of lino.

 

[bullseye308]

I've got some lino, maybe 8 lbs or so. So what you are saying is to re-melt 20 lbs and add all 8 lbs to it, right? That I can do in the morning.

 

[243winxb]

What is the groove diameter of your barrel? The bullet must be the same diameter plus no more than .001" Your barrel might be loose near the chamber and tighter the last 1 1/2" If the barrel get tighter near the muzzle the bullet will strip, leading your barrel.

 

[bullseye308]

I just beat a bullet down the barrel at the muzzle end then back out. It measured .3475 at the smallest to .3545 at the largest. I only got it in till it was flush with the end of the barrel. I will have to get a piece of brass rod to be able to push it through the whole barrel, so I will try to get one in the morning.

 

[frank_1947]

yes that will eliminate any more guess work about the hardness

 

[highlander 5]

I cast quite a few pistol bullets and have found that a 50/50 mix of lino/ww makes a very nice bullet. Yesterday I cast up a batch of 45 Colt bullets from an RCBS mold 250gr RNFP weighed random bullets came in at 251-254 gr dia .455 sized .454". I have to admit the few Lee mold blocks I didn't have good luck with. The molds I have now are from Redding,RCBS,LBT and Rapine. The Rapine I bought on a lark best mold I have ever had.

 

[243winxb]

.3545" Thats ok. Does this leading cause a loss of accuracy? If the accuracy is not effected , then its normal fouling. Just run a patch of Hoppe"s #9 down the barrel, brush it, then leave Hoppe's in the barrel till the next time you go shoot. Then before shooting, patch and scrub/brush, then dry patch and shoot.

 

[243winxb]

push it through the whole barrel

This will tell you if you have a tight/smaller groove diameter in the barrel before the bullet reaches the muzzle.