Silver bullets

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I went to see the new Wolfman movie last night. Of course, silver bullets were used to some extent, including a short scene of some casting.

This got me to thinking of the viability of casting and shooting silver bullets. Let me preface this by saying that I know nothing about casting bullets. Silver has a higher melting point than lead, as well as different density.

So, would it be difficult to cast some silver bullets with lead casting tools? What, if any, do you think the size difference would be for bullets of comparable weight, or vice versa? Would load data be used for jacketed or lead bullets? I don't think there would be any adverse effects on the barrel with silver being softer than steel.

BTW, I know that Winchester makes their Silvertip line. I'm talking about .999 pure silver bullets.

And last but not least, if it is reasonably possible, would anyone be willing to make a few for me if I sent the silver? Don't plan to shoot them, but it would be a neat conversation starter to load them into dummy cartridges. Maybe mount them in a display with an old revolver of some sort.
 
I have casted a few silver rings in my day. First carvng out of wax and then casting in chrystobolite plaster. But you end up destroying the mold every time.

Lead melts at 621.43°F
Silver melts at 1763.2 °F
Aluminum melts at 1220.58 °F
Iron melts at 2750 °F
Steel melts at 2500 °F

Considering that you need to bring the .999 pure silver to about 2000 F to poor it into a mold, it will require slightly different tools to handle the temperature.

You can not use aluminum bullet blocks as they would melt!
Steel blocks should be possible.

But graphite supposedly works great. :D

Here is a very short howto http://www.boingboing.net/2005/06/25/howto-cast-a-silver-.html

More in depth http://www.hurog.com/books/silver/silverbullet5.shtml
 
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IRL, a couple different gun magazines published articles over the years on making and shooting silver bullets. They were motivated by The Lone Ranger, not The Wolfman. They had trouble casting useable bullets and got atrocious performance. Silver is too hard to properly seal the bore or grasp the rifling.
If I were going lycanthrope hunting, I would use saboted silver bullets to avoid the above problems.
 
Another way would be to cast some silver cylinders and then lathe them to the dimensions you desire. I think this approach would be much easier to control the outcome and detail, such as sharp edges.

There are some places that do make real silver bullets. My dad actually owns a few real silver bullets that he had ordered years ago.

This is the kind of stuff that I am personally interested in, Jeweled bullets as I call it.

Bullets for show peices that CAN be used if you wanted to, or could afford it.:evil:
 
FWIW, I can polish my 24 BHN hard cast lead bullets post loading to almost brilliant shine.

I polished a box of 45 lead bullets for a range friend as a gag gift and he thought they were chrome plated bullets.
 
In Larry Correia's book (former mod here) they put a silver ball into a standard .45 ACP hollowpoint similar to the Corbon Powerball. It seemed to work well on vampires, wights, the cursed one, etc. and would likely be easier to assemble. Great book if you haven't read it.
 
You should direct your inquiries to the Transylvania Powder Co. They will no doubt suggest you use "Vinchester" components, including "Vinchester Silvertips".


:D
 
Product Safety Warning:
Do Not use real Silver Bullets made in China.
You will get lead poisoning.

rc
 
rcmodel said:
Product Safety Warning:
Do Not use real Silver Bullets made in China.
You will get lead poisoning.

rc
Click to expand...
ROTF!

I think the silver bullet thing is a myth. I'll bet my cast bullet alloy would take out any werewolf.
 
Maybe if you had plied her with liquor rather than just ale, you would have gotten lucky. But, she may have just played hard to get. B####.
 
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to load them into dummy cartridges
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Might as well load them up. You know, in case the werewolves come. Otherwise you're just gonna have to come up with an elaborate scheme to somehow launch the family heirloom silverware out of a makeshift cannon...and then what will you have left?
 
Back when the US switched to clad coins in 964 I started saving silver coins. Silver is softer and many were barely recognizable as a US coin and I got the idea to dropsome into an old electric lead pot about half full of molten lead. after boosting the heat with a torch and they melted into the lead. I used quarters, dimes and silver war nickles and came up with a 50/50 alloy that casted well in lyman molds and polished up like pure silver. I never shot any so no range report but they looked great in my western rig. Don't know what silver content is necessary to drop a wolfman but they would have knocked the wind out of his sails at least as I headed for the hills...:eek:
 
You should direct your inquiries to the Transylvania Powder Co. They will no doubt suggest you use "Vinchester" components, including "Vinchester Silvertips".
Click to expand...

Sorry to burst your bubble, but the "silvertip" winchester bullets actually just had a raw aluminum cap covering a hollow point cavity. No real silver in any part of the bullet.

The two links that Myke listed, the hurog is the most in-depth, showing the different things that HAD to take place to produce usable bullets. Even then, they didn't shoot well at all.
 
For the vampire, use a pure silver bullet. A hollowpoint filled with garlic is better. While the vampire is down drive a wooden stake through the heart.

For the werewolf, a pure silver bullet is also required. It would be best to hollow out the bullet and fill with quicksilver (mercury). While the werewolf is down destroy the brain and heart.

If you're trying to follow in the footsteps of the Lone Ranger, his silver bullets were a symbol of purity and the cost of taking a life. He didn't drink, smoke, cuss, chew or take out girls that do.
 
I just saw a show on this last night. The silver bullets were less accurate than lead. I think the caliber was .444 in a Marlin levergun. They said the silver bullet ws too hard to engage the rifling.
 
Can lead be plated using electrolysis? If it can, it's not hard to 'jury-rig' a small one-time use tank.

A super thin coating of silver on a lead bullet sounds like it would blast the curs-ed vampires, impress friends and save big bucks worth of silver.
 
"...short scene of some casting..." Movies are like animated cartoons. You can do anything in either.
The silver tip on Silvertips isn't silver. It's Al. Covers an SP, not an HP. Absolutely fabulous bullet.
Silver has gotten too expensive to be making bullets out of it. It's running about $15.33 per ounce. Cost you around $8 each for a 230 grain bullet.
Silver bullets are for werewolves only. They do nothing to a vampire. You guys not read your 'Destruction of fictional characters' manual? Nothing beats a good sharp sword for dealing with either. Decapitation sorts 'em both out and works every time. snicker.
 
Much like the military uses red, green, black, etc. paint to designate different kinds of rounds, I have been thinking about using a paint with garlic juice added and a little bit of powdered silver in the mix. If that doesn't work, then you could just add the mixture like a tracer compound in the back of the bullet. I have also thought about adding a little wooden cross inside of the hollow point as well as painting the points with the mixture in the shape of a cross.
 
Oregon Trail Inc. casts and sells their Laser Cast Bullets that they claim contains a small percetage of silver to make them extremly hard. These bullets may come in handy for non Were-wolf type shooting. My 45's love them! :D
 
This is why I would want a actual zombie attach as opposed to a werewolves situation. I can load all day for zombies, and depending on which "documentary" they appear to be slow moving targets. With werewolves, you need to hang in groups, and you want to be the fastest one in your group.
 
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