Question About Lead Sinkers For Bullet Casting

[Jimbo357mag]

I have a lot of lead fishing weights (maybe 50 lbs.) and a lot of other assorted lead pieces and ingots that were used for making fishing/cast-net weights. Will these work for casting bullets? What is the aprox. hardness of fishing weights? Are there impurities in most fishing weights or is there anything else I should be aware of if I decide to get into casting bullets with these weights. Any recommendations? Thanks in advance. 8) 8)

...Jimbo

 

[Chief 101]

there are no specs for the lead alloys used in fishing weights so they can be cast from misc. lead scrap. It is likely that they are mostly pure lead and would be good for blackpowder use as is. There are recipes out there for bullet alloys that have been tested for the use you want and the easiest way to get more information is on the cast boolit forum. Your lead is a perfect base, you just need some additives to give it castability and hardness. Chief aka Maxx Load

 

[pps]

Add 2 1/2# of tin to the mix and melt it down for approx 20:1 and cast up some bullets! Pure lead will work fine.

 

[powder smoke]

Lead sinkers are usually pure lead but I know a guy I use to fish with who made them from wheel weights. Might be a roll of the dice. You may want to test the hardness. ps

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

When I was at the range, we used to sell a half ton or so of "reclaimed" shot every year to an outfit that used it to cast dive belt weights. That stuff contained a majority of "hard" shot which is not far off from the classic "No. 2" alloy, best I can determine. They didn't care about the hardness, we just had the best price around for "used" lead.

A couple of local guys I knew years ago used a lot of scrap lead for fishing weights, which was probably pretty much pure lead. I'm sure there were plenty of wheelweights involved. I don't think they cared what they used, as long as it was cheap and readily available.

So... it's probably hard to say what "other than bullet" casters might be using. I'd consider starting off w/ maybe 100 bullets cast from your fishing weights as is, half air-cooled, half water-cooled, and see what happens, then "adjust" w/ some tin from there. Maybe add some linotype later if you really need to harden the bullets up more?

Sounds like a bit of experimenting's in order!

Rick C

 

[Jimbo357mag]

That is pretty much what I was thinking. Because I have so many different sources maybe I will get a pot and make some batches of ingots and test them, keeping the batches labeled and separate.

...Jimbo

 

[GP100man]

As long as there is no zinc !!!

Mueritic acid will do a purty dance when it hits zinc !!

All safety gear applies !!!!

 

[pps]

Any .357 officianado's out there wanting to get into casting...there is an active group buy for a cramer style mold for the awesome Ray Thompson design Lyman 358156 HOLLOW POINTED with the penta-pin design. 2 more people sign on for the 2 cavity mold (90 dollars plus shipping) and the group buy is good to go!

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=132861

 

[Olsherm]

Test it by scratching it with your finger nail. If you can scratch it easy,melt,cast bullets,coat with Lee Liquid Alox and shoot as long as you don't get them going too fast. I shoot pure lead in my single actions with no problems so far but I load them with Trailboss ect for "cowboy loads"(mild)probably about 700 to 850fps. They seem to shoot as good if not better than any commercial bullets I have purchased.

 

[GP100man]

Olsherm

Ya hit the nail on the head ,now let me drive it home !!

It`s simple , low pressure requires soft alloy !

Hi pressure requires hard alloy!

 

[pps]

Olsherm

Ya hit the nail on the head ,now let me drive it home !!

It`s simple , low pressure requires soft alloy !

Hi pressure requires hard alloy!

One last, but just as important thing. .001 to .002" larger than bore diameter with the boolit. Bullets that are too small WILL lead every single time...regardless of alloy hardness/softness

 

[Olsherm]

Someone posted on here something that i have found that seems to work.Quote"shoot soft bullets slow with fast burning powder" "shoot hard bullets fast with slow burning powders" I think i got it right. Quoting from memory.