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Offline Manitobahunter

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Lead for life
« on: January 15, 2010, 05:29:47 PM »
  I've been shooting some cast bullets form my handi 45-70 and been have lots of fun with it.  Started thing maybe I would try casting for it.  Went to the local tire shop and asked what they did with the old wieghts.  Was told someone used to pick them up but haven't been around for awhile.  Thought maybe I could talk he out of an ice cream pail full.  Left with 3-5gallon pails of old WW's.  Do you have any idea how much a pail of lead wieghs.  They avg. 150 lbs.  I'm going to need more powder.  Can you wear out a barrel on a 45-70 putting that much lead through it?

  Cliff
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Offline Big Blue

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Re: Lead for life
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2010, 05:51:21 PM »
Cliff,
Great find! If you can wear out a barrel shooting lead, which I doubt, at least you'll have a huge grin on your face while your sending for a new barrel. I'd be more concerned with wearing out your back totin' around all that lead. LOL!!
Don
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Offline 45-70.gov

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Re: Lead for life
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2010, 05:52:20 PM »
some   times   the hunt  for lead is half the fun

i have  so much  plumbing  lead [approx  1k lb]

need  some  harder  lead [ like  WW]  to make it usable

approx  16  slugs to the pound
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Offline Plainsman

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Re: Lead for life
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2010, 07:16:06 PM »
I have about 14bucketsful sitting in the garage that I've been slowly cleaning up and smelting into ingots.  It takes quite a bit of time to melt that much lead too!
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Offline Sweetwater

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Re: Lead for life
« Reply #4 on: January 15, 2010, 07:36:01 PM »
It's not completly free, but it is cheap. You will have earned the priviledge to "try" to wear out that barrel, and you will probably die trying, but with a big wide grin on your face!! LOL

Regards,
Sweetwater
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Offline Badnews Bob

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Re: Lead for life
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2010, 03:10:31 AM »
I wish I could find  that much, you'll be surprised at how fast you can go thru that much. But then again I cast for about twenty different rifles and pistols. :)
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Offline Graybeard

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Re: Lead for life
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2010, 03:46:05 AM »
Even if all 450 pounds were usable alloy which in wheel weights is far from true you could only cast up 7875 400 grain bullets from it. I think that would hardly wear out a .45-70 barrel. Of course the number of bullets you can in reality cast is gonna be far lower due to the waste in weight from what wheel weights actually works out to in useable metal.

If you use lighter bullets you'll get more and if heavier then less from it. But either way 450 or even 500 pounds of bullets don't add up to all that much for a person who really does a lot of shooting.
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Offline Catshooter45

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Re: Lead for life
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2010, 12:01:14 PM »
I generally get 120 pounds of good alloy from 150 pounds of in-the-bucket wheel weights.

Seven thousand rounds will put a good polish in your barrrel.  Won't even begin to wear it out.


Cat
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Offline gcrank1

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Re: Lead for life
« Reply #8 on: January 16, 2010, 12:23:23 PM »
I always wonder when the handle is going to give out......
Smelt it down at a temp that 'just melts it', not too high, that way any zinc weights (which will ruin the melt) will float & you can get them out right away with the clips. Dont flux when smelting, you want stuff to separate, not mix in.
Several 'recycled' muffin tins from Goodwill or St. Vins make great ingot moulds.
If you like a softer alloy than WWt for bullets mix 50/50 with soft lead (WWts used to be harder than they are now) and you will end up with something less than BHN 10.
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Offline Lefty Dude

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Re: Lead for life
« Reply #9 on: January 16, 2010, 06:54:43 PM »
The stick-on weights are pure lead, clip-on are not.

I sort and smelt the pure & WW clip-on seperately. This way I can mix & alloy of my choice. I also shoot C&B revolver and use the PB for the 44 caliber .451" lead balls. Gots to have lots of balls.

My Son-in-Law is a Service Mgr. at a Chevy Store. We have an endless supply of WW's. He is also a shooter.
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