Casting Round Balls

[BS]

Let me see if I'm following this. With WW (lead with some alloy), the result is a slightly larger, harder and lighter bullet/rb????????????

Regards, sse

Yep, that is what I have found, also.

 

[Runner]

Yep,if the bullets your mold is throwing are a touch small, you cut a little tin in or add an ounce or so of wheel weights to a ten pound pot. Mix well and then try again. Often you can stay soft enough for the purpose and make bullets that the gun likes. When you find the mix, if you don't use it all, mark the ingots with the mixture, how big it casts that bullet, and the gun you mixed it for. Heat has some effect on finished size also.

 

[sse]

Plus, if you overheat 'em a bit, according to Ric C., they weight will be more consistent..........

Regards, sse

 

[sse]

Sounds like science and art combined..........!!!!!!!!!

Thanks, sse

 

[quigleysharps]

i also had the lead too hot when i started. turned down the flame and they started coming out real nice.

Usually mine turn out best at higher temps for the big pills. 870 degrees is what I run. Mold needs to be up to temp also before good bullets are cast. Usually set mine on the edge of the pot...turn it on and come back to it in about an hour and it's ready to go. :front:

 

[bshultz]

I have been using wheel weights for a couple of years and it seems to work just fine for me. :imo:

 

[bpollock_sr]

In my rifles I use only pure lead, the patch will grip the ball much tighter,(ther will actualy be an imprint of the weave on the ball),and take the rifeling better. WW alloy does make quite passable ball for smoothbores as rifeling is not a factor. hope this helps.

 

[nvbirdman]

I just bought fifteen pounds of pure lead for just over one dollar per pound delivered.
Try contacting [email protected]

 

[JohnTheGreek]

Early african big game hunters frequently hardened their roundballs with tin for better penetration. I am tempted to cast some linotype rb's to try on moose and bear up here in Alaska. Pure lead has a brinell hardness of about 4-5, wheel weights are about twice that (10-11) and linotype (21-22)is twice that of wheel weights. I will take penetration over expansion any day.

WV Hillbilly is correct in his above post relating to why you do not want the bullets too hard either. In fact, unless my memory fails me (and it sometimes does), the "magic mixture" found by the early African Explorers was actually softer than WW (though not by all that much). In short, there is no way you want to be using something harder than WW on dangerous game when the old masters had it worked out that a mixture just a bit softer than WW was perfect for cape buffalo and elephant.

Best,

John