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Alloying Bullet Metal (Read 10437 times)

creedmoormatch Ex Member	Alloying Bullet Metal Jul 25^th, 2013 at 6:38pm	Print Post
	A well know printed source writes; quote " Melt the lead first and cover it with powdered charcoal and thereafter keep the surface covered" I have been casting lead bullets for approx 20 years and have never covered my molten lead with powdered charcoal. What gives with the powered charcoal in the lead melt? Does it (the charcoal) not get into the ladle each time it is immersed into the mix and then into the mold and become part of the final cast bullet? I would like to know what others say on such procedures. Creedmoormatch


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ssdave Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1789 Location: Eastern Oregon Joined: Apr 16^th, 2004	Re: Alloying Bullet Metal Reply #1 - Jul 25^th, 2013 at 6:56pm	Print Post
	The function of the powdered charcoal is to burn and use up the oxygen on the surface of the metal so that the surface doesn't oxidize. Of course, it will float, and should stay on top of the puddle in the ladle and not get into the mold. That's good in theory. I'd not do it myself. I find that when anything is floating on the melt, I get inclusions in the bullets, so I skim about every 10 to 20 bullets depending on how much dross forms on the melt surface. dave


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JLouis Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 10625 Joined: Apr 8^th, 2009	Re: Alloying Bullet Metal Reply #2 - Jul 25^th, 2013 at 7:15pm	Print Post
	CMM it is in reference to using a bottom pour pot.

	" It Is Better To Now Have Been A Has Been Than A Never Was Or A Wanna Be "
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CaryT Full Member Offline Posts: 185 Location: Yelm, WA Joined: Sep 28^th, 2012	Re: Alloying Bullet Metal Reply #3 - Jul 25^th, 2013 at 10:00pm	Print Post
	I agree completely Dave. Cary


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boats Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 7542 Location: Virginia Joined: Apr 23^rd, 2004	Re: Alloying Bullet Metal Reply #4 - Jul 25^th, 2013 at 10:39pm	Print Post
	Used to hear about using Kitty Litter for the same thing. I prefer to skim often add nothing to the mix. Ladle pour Boats


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JLouis Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 10625 Joined: Apr 8^th, 2009	Re: Alloying Bullet Metal Reply #5 - Jul 26^th, 2013 at 12:37am	Print Post
	I ladle pour as well Boats, flux at the beginning of a 118 bullet session and again at the beginning of the next one. No skimming, stirring or extra fluxing once I start. To be honest I don't even weigh them anymore, I chuck the first ten and then visually sort the rest. They all come in within 4 tenths and I shoot them in the order as cast, thus the reason for no longer weighing them. It took me several years to get to that point and I do not recommend others to us my method unless they can do it with total confidence minus all doubt. One bad bullet in the bunch can ruin your day!

	" It Is Better To Now Have Been A Has Been Than A Never Was Or A Wanna Be "
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creedmoormatch Ex Member	Re: Alloying Bullet Metal Reply #6 - Jul 26^th, 2013 at 5:39am	Print Post
	Quote: A well know printed source writes; quote " Melt the lead first and cover it with powdered charcoal and thereafter keep the surface covered" Creedmoormatch The above quotation was written in a very old (approximately 100 years ago) Belding and Mull catalog in my collection and the practice of adding charcoal precedes all of us, except maybe Rudi and Keith. Modern practices would seem to have proven it has little present value, at least with you folks. Creedmoormatch


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FITZ Oldtimer Offline REGARDS Posts: 917 Location: MASSACHUSETTS Joined: Apr 16^th, 2004	Re: Alloying Bullet Metal Reply #7 - Jul 26^th, 2013 at 5:44pm	Print Post
	You guy's all missed the original question. "Alloying Bullet metal" This procedure was probably a good method of Burning off oxygen and other impuities that were floating on top of a large batch. Not intended to be used for precision casting. Regards, FITZ.

	FITZ
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boats Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 7542 Location: Virginia Joined: Apr 23^rd, 2004	Re: Alloying Bullet Metal Reply #8 - Jul 26^th, 2013 at 9:53pm	Print Post
	Fitz point is a good one. When you alloy unknown metal all sorts of things burn off. No doubt charcoal would help. Fact of the matter is I don't alloy up my lead anymore. Too much trouble. I can get unknown lead free from a friend of mine. 60 mile round trip in my 15 mpg truck. LP Gas bottle cost 20 bucks plus to fill buy the Tin and I still have lead that could have impurities Latest pre alloyed I bought was 2 dollars a pound. 32/40 gets 36 to the pound Cheap per bullet Boats


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creedmoormatch Ex Member	Re: Alloying Bullet Metal Reply #9 - Jul 27^th, 2013 at 7:14am	Print Post
	I agree with Boats -- chasing free or cheapo lead is not my thing, either. I just don't have the time to go looking for or rounding up lead from various sources. !5 minutes max on the inter-net with the Roto-Metals web site and I have bought already alloyed casting metal in ingots delivered across the country with no fuss and it is clean and good to go. A vendor of the quality of Roto-Metals back East would be a plus, if anyone knows of such a business. Creedmoormatch


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JLouis Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 10625 Joined: Apr 8^th, 2009	Re: Alloying Bullet Metal Reply #10 - Jul 27^th, 2013 at 1:40pm	Print Post
	CMM RotoMetals is my source as well and you can't beat the free shipping on orders over 99.00. There facility is only about an hour over the hill from me so I generly have it here two days after submitting the order. They are great to business with.

	" It Is Better To Now Have Been A Has Been Than A Never Was Or A Wanna Be "
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Van Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 251 Location: Uath Joined: Oct 25^th, 2005	Re: Alloying Bullet Metal Reply #11 - Jul 27^th, 2013 at 2:40pm	Print Post
	$3 a pound now, 14.99 for 5 pounds 30-1 mix, about 8 cents a bullet for 200 grainer... van


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desert-dude Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 439 Location: Selah Joined: Jul 23^rd, 2013	Re: Alloying Bullet Metal Reply #12 - Jul 27^th, 2013 at 7:00pm	Print Post
	I notice the base price for lead on both the NY and London market is just over a dollar/lb. Who knows how many hands that passes thru before it hits the retail market.


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JLouis Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 10625 Joined: Apr 8^th, 2009	Re: Alloying Bullet Metal Reply #13 - Jul 27^th, 2013 at 10:23pm	Print Post
	Still cheaper than running a Bass Boat Van and does anyone know what the green fees are now for 18 holes? I haven't played that game since the 90's.

	" It Is Better To Now Have Been A Has Been Than A Never Was Or A Wanna Be "
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boats Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 7542 Location: Virginia Joined: Apr 23^rd, 2004	Re: Alloying Bullet Metal Reply #14 - Jul 28^th, 2013 at 6:07am	Print Post
	You can play Golf Sr Citizens package about 18 bucks or go to the high dollar courses 125 dollars a person and up. My handicap that's a dollar a stroke Best comparison to single shot shooting is Shot gunning. It's about 50 cents a shot shells and target fees at a cheap place. More at others. I think about both when using 16 dollar a box rim fire ammo. Still only 30 cents a shot. Make every one count helps match placing too Boats


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