Bullet Casting Question

[colin1230]

I have a small jag of scrap hard cast bullets from reloading over the years and would like to use it up. I'm considering getting into casting for my percussion revolvers and am wondering if this scrap can be blended with pure lead to make a suitable round ball for .44 and .36 caliber?
Thanks in advance.

 

[SDSmlf]

I have a small jag of scrap hard cast bullets from reloading over the years and would like to use it up. I'm considering getting into casting for my percussion revolvers and am wondering if this scrap can be blended with pure lead to make a suitable round ball for .44 and .36 caliber?
Thanks in advance.

Hard lead will not be your friend when casting roundballs for percussion revolvers. You will strain both yourself and your gun while forcing harder roundballs into the cylinder chambers. Now if you will only be loading cylinders off the gun in some kind of arbor press, not that big of deal, but still best to stay with soft lead. I wouldn’t mix it with softer/pure lead, you’ll never really know what you have. Maybe use the harder lead for patched roundballs in a long gun, or trade it for soft lead.

 

[colin1230]

Hard lead will not be your friend when casting roundballs for percussion revolvers. You will strain both yourself and your gun while forcing harder roundballs into the cylinder chambers. Now if you will only be loading cylinders off the gun in some kind of arbor press, not that big of deal, but still best to stay with soft lead. I wouldn’t mix it with softer/pure lead, you’ll never really know what you have. Maybe use the harder lead for patched roundballs in a long gun, or trade it for soft lead.

@SDSmlf , Thank you sir. I appreciate your advice.

 

[Iceman]

or trade it for soft lead.

That always works for me. Ask at your local gun shop. Half the workers probably cast and if they don’t they know who does.

 

[westrayer]

Soft lead sometimes will fail to completely fill in the mold. I prefer 20-1. In my 10# Lee melter that means 1# of 50-50 bar solder and fille the pot with lead. That little bit of tin makes a difference.