Lead or What is it?

[ike]

I was given what I thought was lead but now I do not know. The material is heavy like lead but it is darker in color, almost black. It seems a little harder. I melted some of it with my lead when I was making some RB's The result was the material made a ball that was frosty in color. It weighs lighter than the pure lead balls. I thought my lead pot was to hot so I let it cool and made some more with the same result. Can anyone provide an answer or solution?

 

[Big John]

Anything other than pure lead is a bad idea for barrels in my opinion.

 

[Zonie]

ike: Your reference to the color black has me confused. Was the unknown material in the form of shot, as in, the shot from a shotgun shell?
I know shot is often coated with graphite to facilitate loading and that can make it look black.

As for what could make frosted castings?
I once bought some material that was supposed to be pewter and forgot about it. Then one day in a state of brain fade (getting more common around here), I dumped it into my molten lead.
The resulting castings all had a frosted appearance. I do not know what it was made from. I know there was a lead warning tag that came with it so I am reasonably sure it was not real pewter. :hmm:

 

[ike]

This material is in the form of an ingot. I can scratch it with a screwdriver and it is silver unter the dark outside. I appreciate your help.

 

Use a bll that you know is pure. weigh it against one the same size with the funny stuff. I bet it is lighter and harder than pure.

 

[mmahlock]

After I tumble my balls (I know that sounds bad) they come out looking very shiny and black. It sounds like it could be lead. The thing to do is get a hardness tester and check it. If if has the hardness of lead or close I'd say use it.

 

[Ridge]

I know shot is often coated with graphite to facilitate loading and that can make it look black.

Will the graphite cause any problems if you cast lead balls from shotgun pellets? I've done it quite a bit and haven't ran into any problems. I just want to make sure it isn't going to build up in my molds or anything.

 

[taylorh]

Get out your periodic table and find out the specific gravity of lead (probably on the internet somewheres), then divide the weight in grams by the volume displaced in water in milliliters, then compare the two. You will then know if it is pure lead or an alloy.
Taylor in Texas

 

[Lord Calvin]

Sounds like wheel weight lead to me. Just a guess.

 

[musketman]

I was given what I thought was lead but now I do not know. The material is heavy like lead but it is darker in color, almost black. It seems a little harder. I melted some of it with my lead when I was making some RB's The result was the material made a ball that was frosty in color. It weighs lighter than the pure lead balls. I thought my lead pot was to hot so I let it cool and made some more with the same result. Can anyone provide an answer or solution?

It is my experience that the frostyness is from too hot of a melt, I bet if you backed off on the temp it will cast smooth projectiles...

As for the black...

Sounds like Galena-Lead ore, before the pure lead is extracted...

 

[musketman]

Get out your periodic table and find out the specific gravity of lead (probably on the internet somewheres), then divide the weight in grams by the volume displaced in water in milliliters, then compare the two. You will then know if it is pure lead or an alloy.
Taylor in Texas

Specific Gravity Chart

 

[silverfox]

Lead or what? I once got some lead sheeting at the local scrap yard and along with it got some some small lead looking containers or boxes that scratched with the fingernail. The sheet worked well. The containers melted into a jelly like substance, poured like lead and made jewel like bullets and minies. I mean georgous ornate like casting. Hit with a hammer they tended to shatter or crack not squash like lead. Didn't use it and still don't know what it is but if I was going to cast something to show I'd use it.
If in doubt find some pure lead nothing else works as well in muzzleloaders.
Fox :thumbsup:

 

[strongarm]

Scratch it with your finger nail and if you can, it should be lead. pure old lead is black, but will turn shiney silver when cast. Frosty lead is lead that is cast too hot. This could be done with a lead alloy. Some alloys will turn black in the presence of other chemicals, but be silver when freshly cast.

You can guess how much of it is an alloy by its weight. Measure your ball in three different directions at the equator, being careful not to include the sprue or the rim where the two halves come together and multiply by 1502.6 the answer will be in grains and you can compare this to what we all know should be the answer for a standard size mould/calibers.

 

[strongarm]

I also forget to say that when you cast this material, it should have cooled a lot faster than normal, if it is a lead alloy.


Did it?

 

[musketman]

You can guess how much of it is an alloy by its weight. Measure your ball in three different directions at the equator, being careful not to include the sprue or the rim where the two halves come together and multiply by 1502.6 the answer will be in grains and you can compare this to what we all know should be the answer for a standard size mould/calibers.

You'll have to go to South America to measure the ball at the equator... :haha:

Thanks for the formula there Strongarm... :thumbsup:

 

[riarcher]

E-gads man! :shocked2:
Sounds like you're making silver bullets! :nono: :v