Author Topic: Virgin lead to good alloy without WW lead?  (Read 1000 times)

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Offline abosely

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Virgin lead to good alloy without WW lead?
« on: November 26, 2009, 09:37:23 AM »
 What would be some options for a recipe for a good shooting alloy for rifle bullets using GCs, not using WW lead          at all?

 Along the lines of Lyman #2 alloy or so.

 Using LBT molds and hopefully be able to get up to 2200-2400 FPS max in a .375HH & 9.3x62.

 If WW lead was not available for what ever reason and I start out with pure lead.
 
 I understand little arsenic is very beneficial, but without the arsenic from WW lead how do I put it in the alloy?   

 Antimony, since pure antimony is difficult to mix into the alloy, I would use a small amount of lead with a high
 content of antimony, I guess?

 Other than WWs what are some commercial sources of antimony? The Antimony Man sells 6% Antimonial Lead   bars.

 But other than that, what would be a source of antimony/lead for mixing in?

 Tin from tin solder, no problem there.

 I don't have anything against WWs, just in the future I will be in an area where WWs may not be readily available, so would need to work from pure lead and make my alloy and want to have moulds cut accordingly. 

  Cheers, Allen


   

Offline Nobade

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Re: Virgin lead to good alloy without WW lead?
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2009, 01:54:32 AM »
Bill Ferguson has what you need.
http://www.bulletmetals.net/


"Give me a lever long enough, and a place to stand, and I'll break the lever."

Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Virgin lead to good alloy without WW lead?
« Reply #2 on: November 29, 2009, 05:16:41 AM »
probably your cheapest route is to advertise a possible swap for lynotype even up for some of your pure. It takes either lynotype or enough antimony and lead (both expensive) to get at least a hardness of 20bhn to shoot over 2000 fps and even then you best have a superb gun, perfect bullet fit, and the stars all aligned.
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Offline Anduril

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Re: Virgin lead to good alloy without WW lead?
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2009, 08:46:19 AM »
How about magnum shot? +/- $40 for a 25 pound bag.
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Offline abosely

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Re: Virgin lead to good alloy without WW lead?
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2009, 03:34:21 PM »
 
 What would the Magnum Shot need to be needed to be combined with to make a good alloy or would it?

 The reason for the question is in a couple of years we will be going to Namibia Southern Africa. So wheel weights may or may not be available. So I want to find an alloy that I can make with pure lead plus some antimony, tin and arsenic.

 Basically what I can get by using WW plus a little doctoring.

 So can you tell me about Magnum Shot?
 
 Money is not the issue it's about the availability of components. 

  Cheers, Allen

Offline Graybeard

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Re: Virgin lead to good alloy without WW lead?
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2009, 05:52:31 PM »
Magnum shot generally is about 6% antimony and 94% lead. You could add tin to it and make a passable alloy but as for as adding it to pure lead forget that as you'd still need to add the same things in addition to it that you'd need to add to pure lead to begin with.

Around 2% tin is plenty and really so is 6% antimony and the other 92% lead. Now if you're wanting to push them in rifles at over 2000 fps that might not cut it but for handguns it should do fine for the most part.


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Offline Anduril

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Re: Virgin lead to good alloy without WW lead?
« Reply #6 on: December 01, 2009, 05:36:08 AM »
I don't know if it's still available but there used to be an interactive calculator on the Cast Bullet Association web site that would compute hardness, weight, etc for any alloy you could think of. Enter the % lead, tin, antimony or other metal and it spits out the answer. Good way to compare WW to other mixes.
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Offline 454PB

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Re: Virgin lead to good alloy without WW lead?
« Reply #7 on: December 04, 2009, 08:34:09 AM »
Lloyd suggested linotype, and the reason is that it contains high levels of antimony. Antimony is required for hardness, and also for heat treating lead alloys. Arsenic is a catalyst that improves heat treating, but is not required.

You can purchase antimony in an alloy form from Rotometals and several other suppliers. By buying it pre-alloyed with lead, you avoid the hassle of introducing pure antimony into pure lead.