Explain the differences in lead shot

[AZ-Robert]

Copper is softer than lead? :shocked2: My tumb nail has been lyin' to me for goin' on 50 years. :shake:

Dag nab it! Mine too! :grin:

Turning instead to Moh's hardness scale (chosen for simplicity over Brinell's scales):

Lead: 1.5
Tin: 1.5
Bismuth: 2.25
Zinc: 2.5
Antimony: 3.0
Copper: 3.0
Nickel: 4.0

(the higher the number the harder the material)

 

[musketman]

If you look at the Periodic Table of the Elements( Oh, God! Does he mean that there is actually a use for that darn thing we had in high school science classes?) Nickel(Atomic number 28) is softer than Copper(29), which is softer than zinc(30), then tin(50), Antimony51), Lead(82),and finally Bismuth(83). It should come as no surprise that nickel plating is softer than copper plating on shot. It is when elements are joined in an alloy that they tend to make a much stronger product than the sum of the parts would indicate. Antimony, although softer than lead, makes lead harder, and that is why it is used for that purpose.

I think your may be confusing hardness with density, the higher the number, the more mass (denseness) the element has, the higher number does not necessary imply the element is harder...

Example: (Rn) Radon #86, it is a Noble gas and has a higher number than (Pb) lead #82, which is a solid...

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Thank you Doctor Science! :grin:

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

So casting balls out of radon isn't a good idea?
Even if I'm really, really careful.....

 

[musketman]

So casting balls out of radon isn't a good idea?
Even if I'm really, really careful.....

It's a gas... :winking: :haha:

 

[Slamfire]

So casting balls out of radon isn't a good idea?
Even if I'm really, really careful.....

It's a gas... :winking: :haha:

As opposed to a hoot? :blah:

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

So it would be a real blast? :haha:

 

[Blivetmaker]

Maybe not a blast but you'd be able to write a glowing testimonial about Radon. It's radioactive. :shocked2: