The speed of Lead

[bullseye308]

I have my thoughts on this, but wanted to see how they compare to everyone else's. At what speed generally would you have to add lino or water drop wheel weights to harden them.
For example loading 9mm at 1100 fps. Would you use straight WW, WW/lino, or WW/water dropped? What about .357 at 1200fps? How about .45 at 850?

I have my ideas but was trying to explain to someone interested in getting started in casting and couldn't lay it out nice and uncomplicated. :banghead: And yes, I will be recommending the Lyman cast book to him.

 

[ReloaderFred]

For the calibers you mentioned, and the velocities listed, I use straight wheelweights. I don't water drop them or add anything to them. They test at BHN 12, and I get no leading from them.

I've got a load for my .45-120 Sharps that pushes a cast 420 grain bullet at 2,200 fps. I get no leading from this load, but I do use Super Grex as a case filler. These are cast from wheelweight lead, with about 1 pound of linotype added per 9 pounds of wheelweights. These are also not water dropped.

With the .45-120 bullets, I use alox/beeswax lube, but for the pistol calibers, I use Magma blue lube.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[1858rem]

i wonder how low you could go velocity wise with strait ww before you would get leading in 45(long colt)? or does the caliber make a difference?

 

[fitz47]

i use w-w with teflon tape lub. wrap bullet with tape resize and gas check,use lee resizer bringing back to 1/100 over diamter. i used bullets at 2100fps with no leading problems in 8x57mm 30-30 308 pistol 357mag at1000 fps using same method with 155gr swc bullet same results

 

[rcmodel]

i wonder how low you could go velocity wise with strait ww before you would get leading in 45(long colt)?

How low?
Not sure I understand the question.

But the .45 Colt is no different then any other caliber.

Except, it's pretty hard to get them to go faster then a WW cast bullet can withstand.

WW alloy will work in any load it is safe to shoot in a real Colt SAA or clone anyway. With a hot Ruger or T/c Contender load, you might need harder alloy maybe.

rcmodel

 

[bullseye308]

See, I would have thought that at 1100fps you would have to water drop the bullets for the 9mm and at 1200+ in the .357 water drop or add lino to stiffen it up. The 45 would be no problem with straight WW's, as is isn't moving that fast.

Seems like I have more research to do and more to learn. That's why I love this place.

If it matters, they are all tumble lube bullets lubed with LLA.