Yeah pure lead should be no problem but you're asking for trouble if the ball or bullet is made from an alloy like wheel weight lead.
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- Thread starter Dexterado
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So far I have not had to resort to alternate revolver loading methods, but if do I will start with a short length of PVC pipe. The assertion that stiff loading lever effort is hard on the gun is counterintuitive. Driving out and re-inserting a wedge is "hard" on the gun, abrading and peening surfaces more than loading lever use. How do folks deal with the inconvenience of hauling around one of these grand contraptions, whether store bought or homemade? Extra cylinders? If I ever resort to an off-revolver loading machine I will look at small multi-purpose arbor presses.
I just toss mine into my range box. Not a problem.
Dexterado
36 Cl.
I am hoping I can use .457 since that’s what I have for my old army.
Dexterado
36 Cl.
Is that base plastic, or aluminum. I read where they are plastic, and prone to breaking?
Base is thick plastic. I have had it for about 10 years. Hasn't broken. It loads 36 and 44 calibers.
I would get the right size balls.
Dexterado
36 Cl.
Probably my best bet is to get a .454 mold, and one of those cheap muzzleloader presses. My lead is super soft, so that will help. A lot of people like them, and some that don’t. I don’t shoot all that often.
If you're not sure of the size, I suggest that you buy a box of .451 first before buying a mold. If they are too small, you can then buy a .454 mold and re-cast the .451 bullets.
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I've done a fair amount of color case hardening on single shot actions and along with study on the subject have a fair amount of experience to back what I say. If you want color than you cannot go much over 1400 F with a soak time of 1.5 hours in a mix of hard wood and bone char coal in conjunction with an airy-rated distiller water quench. This will give you about a depth max of .005 from what I can detect. Now if you raise the temp to 1650 and quench in oil you can get a case depth of .012 which I've read is pretty typical of Mauser and Springfield receivers but there won't be any color which only happens in a distilled water quench.
Deep case hardening does indeed greatly increase metal strength and wear resistance while maintaining a malleable core.
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That's why all the Early 1903 Springfield receivers failed I guess.
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A good study on that very subject by Julian Hatcher (Hatchers Notes) explains what happened with the Springfield failures. Basically they were over heated and burned up the alloy matrix of the steel leaving them brittle and weak . It primarily occurred from one plant.
Dexterado
36 Cl.
Good idea
My first BP revolver was a used Hawes 1860 Colt clone, I purchased it from an Army & Navy store in NJ around 1967 and it used .451" diameter balls. Shot OK but the gun was mistreated when I bought it and just kept it around for its looks.
