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Lead Alloy Question (Read 5764 times)

mrhunterken Newbie Offline Posts: 1 Joined: Oct 14^th, 2016	Lead Alloy Question Oct 15^th, 2016 at 4:30pm	Print Post
	I have a bunch of lead ingots, of God knows what alloy. I'm trying to soften it up some to maybe 30/1. The ingots have a dull grey appearnce, not a shiny grey and they seem to appear crystalline on the inside, they shoot fine, but drop heavy from the mould. I'm getting like a 540gr.bullet from a 525gr. mould. Any idea's.


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herrschutz Participating Member Offline Posts: 17 Location: Anthem, Az Joined: Jul 2^nd, 2014	Re: Lead Alloy Question Reply #1 - Oct 15^th, 2016 at 6:01pm	Print Post
	Without a BHN hardness measuring tool, a relative measure is sound. If you drop an ingot on concrete, what sound does it make. If it is a thud, high Pb content no Sb. The more "ting" the harder and more Sb. If the mold is dropping the bullet heavier, good chance your ingots thud and are close to if not pure Pb. The dull oxidation also indicates high lead content. Good luck. If you can find a good source of pure lead and pure tin, mix your own. No gas checks or antimony needed below 1,600 fps.


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Bad_Ass_Wallace Full Member Offline Posts: 150 Location: Kingaroy, Australia Joined: Jul 29^th, 2005	Re: Lead Alloy Question Reply #2 - Oct 22^nd, 2016 at 7:55pm	Print Post
	"The more 'ting'it makes . . . " ? Lets move into the 20th century. Cast at least 5 perfect bullets of pure lead, weigh them and determine an average lets say for example 200gns. This becomes your base sample and labeled 1.0000. By calculation a bullet with 3% tin (1:30) will now now weigh 0.989312% or just 198.5gns. By keeping your base sample, at anytime in the future, you can duplicate this alloy. If you melt down range scrap and it is light add more pure lead, or conversely it is heavy, add more tin.

	Hold still varmint; while I plugs yer!
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Schuetzenmiester Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 6707 Location: Cool Wet Side of WA Joined: Apr 27^th, 2008	Re: Lead Alloy Question Reply #3 - Oct 23^rd, 2016 at 2:19am	Print Post
	What is the calculation? How would you determine 20:1?

	"some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence
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Bad_Ass_Wallace Full Member Offline Posts: 150 Location: Kingaroy, Australia Joined: Jul 29^th, 2005	Re: Lead Alloy Question Reply #4 - Oct 23^rd, 2016 at 3:58am	Print Post
	0.82187% or 196.4 gns It is calculated from the ratio of specific gravity of lead at 11.34, tin 7.30 and antimony 6.62. Conversly, if lead is assigned a value of 1.00, pure tin is 0.6437 as heavy and antimony 0.5837. The composition data of any alloy is also contained in a book called "The Art of Bullet Casting" from Wolfe Press. (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)

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marlinguy Frequent Elocutionist Offline Ballards may be weaker, but they sure are neater! Posts: 18078 Location: Oregon Joined: Feb 2^nd, 2009	Re: Lead Alloy Question Reply #5 - Oct 23^rd, 2016 at 11:05am	Print Post
	Or just buy a lead hardness tester and forget all the guessing. $66 at Amazon.

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John Boy Ex Member	Re: Lead Alloy Question Reply #6 - Oct 23^rd, 2016 at 11:35am	Print Post
	Quote: Any idea's. mrhunterken: Unknown * Unknown / Unknown = Unknown! It's the same with a car - if you don't have an odometer you don't know how fast you are driving. The same determining Pb alloy compositions. Check your post on Cast Boolits - you received the same answer ... buy a hardness tester!
	« Last Edit: Oct 23^rd, 2016 at 6:11pm by »

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art_ruggiero Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1222 Location: CT Joined: Dec 14^th, 2008	Re: Lead Alloy Question Reply #7 - Oct 23^rd, 2016 at 7:21pm	Print Post
	i believe thats a speedometer art


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Marlene Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 276 Joined: Oct 30^th, 2015	Re: Lead Alloy Question Reply #8 - Oct 23^rd, 2016 at 10:32pm	Print Post
	lead harness testing on the cheap (You need to *Login* or *Register* to view media files and links)


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40_Rod Frequent Elocutionist Offline Extremism in the persuit of accuracy is not a vice Posts: 4285 Location: Knoxville, TN Joined: Apr 20^th, 2004	Re: Lead Alloy Question Reply #9 - Oct 24^th, 2016 at 9:46am	Print Post
	Give them to a pistol shooter they don't care whats in their bullets. 40 Rod


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Bad_Ass_Wallace Full Member Offline Posts: 150 Location: Kingaroy, Australia Joined: Jul 29^th, 2005	Re: Lead Alloy Question Reply #10 - Oct 24^th, 2016 at 10:49am	Print Post
	Sadly, a lead hardness tester will not identify alloy composition!

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frnkeore Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 7664 Location: Central Point, OR 97502 Joined: Jun 16^th, 2010	Re: Lead Alloy Question Reply #11 - Oct 24^th, 2016 at 11:02am	Print Post
	Bad_Ass_Wallace wrote on Oct 24^th, 2016 at 10:49am: Sadly, a lead hardness tester will not identify alloy composition! How do you idenify the composition of alloy by weighting and comparing it to pure lead? How do you find the ratios of tin, antimony, silver, zink or copper? Frank

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FITZ Oldtimer Offline REGARDS Posts: 917 Location: MASSACHUSETTS Joined: Apr 16^th, 2004	Re: Lead Alloy Question Reply #12 - Oct 24^th, 2016 at 8:24pm	Print Post
	You may be able to reproduce Hardness to very small limits. But that will not create the same Chemistry. For many years a close friend and very experienced Schuetzen enthusiast I know would say quietly that Antimony and Black Powder don't mix. Only took me about 15 years to understand what he was saying. But when I did I sold off all my Alloy that used Linotype as a base and bought Pure Lead and Pure Tin. My results with Black Powder improved significantly and remained consistent for me while I was able to hold a heavy barreled rifle. HTH Regards, FITZ.

	FITZ
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