speed limit.....on pure lead

[45-70.gov]

i have a lot   of pure lead

been  casting  50/50  with wheel weights  moderate speeds  all is well so far

what about pure lead
can it go fast enough to expand and not lead?
is  gas checking  pure lead a  stupid waste of a check?
or is it a good way  to push  them faster for expantion?

but  mostly   how fast can pure lead be pushed accurately and with out leading?
with  gas checks  and with a plain base
[yes  i know all guns will be different]

358........180g. WFN..gc &pb    38/357/ 35 remington...... rifle and revolver
430......280g  WFN  gc&pb.......revolver and rifle
45-70   WFN    &  LFN  pb

most bores  have been  fire lapped
and  yes  i use your blue lube

[Veral]

  Good questions!
  You are on the right track to mix in some wheel weights, as using pure lead limits accurate velocity too much.  The larger the caliber the easier it is to get velocities up with pure lead, ditto the smoother the bore, and tighter the throat.
  You'll get good velocity by using as little as 25% ww and water dropping, which should yeild around 14 to 16 bhn with high ductility.  At that hardeness, you should be able to get 2400 fps from most rifles with excellent accuracy, no leading, when using LBT bullet lube, and, depending on the BC of your bullet, expansion similar to conventional jacketed hunting bullets out to a couple hundred yards.  Remaining velocity, bullet hardness and nose shape dictate whether a bullet will expand, but bullets with a flat on the nose or blunt round nose, and 14 to 16 hardness will expand at IMPACT speeds down to well under 1800 fps.

I have pushed pure lead to 2200 fps in 30-06 with good hunting accuracy and no leading.  If you can get them out the muzzle at even 1800 fps you'll get expansion at fairly long range, as pure lead will expand at velocities down to about 1200 fps impact speed, with excellent results on game.

[45-70.gov]

I have pushed pure lead to 2200 fps in 30-06 with good hunting accuracy and no leading.
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WAS THAT GAS CHECKED??

i bet that slug opened  up on target

[jhalcott]

 I cast some pure lead bullets in a Lyman mold (311041) and they dropped a bit to small for MY likes. I wrapped some Teflon tape around them and got excellent results. Velocities were above 2000 FPS when I decided to quit. Penetration test on wet newsprint showed decent expansion but depth of "wound" channel was a good bit shorter! 12 to 15" compared to 20"+ with Lyman #2 (15BHN) bullets.

[Veral]

  The 2200 fps pure lead bullets were only shot at a mountain behind the house where I did my test shooting in AZ. probably at a range of 350 yards.  If I could keep my shots pretty much on head size rocks shooting offhand I considered the load accurate enough.

  I've done a lot of experimental work with pure lead soft noses though, and learned that the harder the alloy the more foot pounds of energy it can transfer without breaking up.  Of coarse antimony content figgures real high also, as the brittleness it imparts causes rapid breakup, especially in temperatures below 0F.  Pure lead bullets at 2200 fps, 30 caliber weighing 190 gr plus, turn into a ball, being too week to hold a wide mushroom.  So, though it is explosive, stronger alloy is more destructive, if it will hold the bullet together enough to make the mushroom large.  1/16 tin lead is about tops so far as getting the widest mushroom,  while the alloy I described above, something on the order of 1/4 WW to 3/4 pure lead, heat treated or water dropped to produce around 14 bhn or a bit higher, will make the best single alloy hunting bullets possible.  The tin lead is best for softnoses bonded to straight WW shanks hardened to at least 20 bhn.

  I forgot to mention that pure lead can be driven at extreme speeds when paper patched, if the gun has a good throat for PP bullets.  I've reached well over 3000 fps with 170 gr pure lead wrapped with my glue on patch method.  However, it makes worthless ammo except for varmint use, though I obtained extreme accuracy.  The important point about that is, one can use pure lead by paper patching, with excellent results on big game if he holds velocities down to where the soft bullets will retain enough weight to penetrate, and enjoy superb accuracy with complete freedom from leading.