lead purity

[laney1566]

Hello. I recently began casting my own roundball.
I went to a local scrap yard and purchased 117 lbs of what they catagorized as pure lead. It came mostly in rounds that appear to have been simply poured into a bowl when melted. Some of it appeared to be square weights that were connected at the corners forming a diamond pattern. I forget the name but a name was stamped on each square. I melted all 117 lbs in a large dutch oven and proceeded to make 136 of the lyman 1 lb ingots. Either their scale was off or some of my ingots are a little shy of 1 lb. (Probably the ladder). In any event, I did the scratch test and the lead seems soft. Is there a way to tell just how pure lead is? Is there a way to tell if it's too hard for Pistol?
I plan on casting for cap n ball as well as percussion rifle and pistol.
I have cast about 100 .454 balls for my 1851 Navy (Pietta).

 

[Stumpkiller]

Kinds. If your .454 ball is pure lead it should weigh almost exactly 140.0 grains (a 0.453" ball weighs 140.0 grains on the nosey).

If your balls weigh less the lead is not pure. Most is not, but some is really not.

My lead source (old plumbing lead from a scrapyard) runs 97 to 98.5% of pure. So my .54 cal balls run 226 or so grains instead of 230 grains. Good enough

 

[Protrucker]

Here's a link to a round ball weight calculator where you can enter your ball diameter & select pure lead or other alloys to get the weight.
http://www.beartoothbullets.com/rescources/calculators/php/roundball.htm

Charlie, you must be using .535 balls, right?

 

[Stumpkiller]

Nah. Actually I cast 0.530" but I couldn't remember the actual weights off the top of my head. :haha:

I have three coffee cans - one has the grain number for "best" balls, the next has a range for useable balls and the third is re-melt. If I run out of balls from can #1 before I can get more cast I dip into can #2. I honestly weigh every one I cast . . . sort of. I have index marks on the pointer of my RCBS 5-10 scale. If the ball hits point or within 5% it's "Best". If it still flosts the beam but is below the mark it's "Acceptable" and if it weighs too little - or too much - it's toast. I forget what the actual weights are but I weighed a lot of balls before I arrived at this method. It might actually be

A heavy ball can be worse than a light one as that means the mold didn't close properly - so it's out of round and probably has a flange/seam.

 

[Lt Frank]

If you can scratch it with your finger nail, it is relativly pure lead. Those ingots that you bought are great for muzzle loading bullets. One of the guy's mentioned the little Lee Production pots. I have one that is about 35 years old and it is still going strong. It holds a very even heat and melts lead rather quickly. Get you short piece of a hammer handle and keep it handy next to where you are pouring. When you open your mold, a tap on the mold hinge will cause your bullets to fall free from the cavities. Leather gloves, safety glasses are a must and I wear a shop type apron while casting.

 

[Idaho Ron]

Disagree, I can easly put a thumbnail scratch in a ingot that tests 12 BHN, Pure is 5 BHN. Pure lead costs more than wheel weight. I will NOT buy lead without testing it with my cabin tree tester. I did get some virgin lead from Rotometal, it was expensive but it was very soft, and just what I wanted, so I got what I paid for. Ron

 

[Dphar]

Hello. I recently began casting my own roundball.
I went to a local scrap yard and purchased 117 lbs of what they catagorized as pure lead. It came mostly in rounds that appear to have been simply poured into a bowl when melted. Some of it appeared to be square weights that were connected at the corners forming a diamond pattern. I forget the name but a name was stamped on each square. I melted all 117 lbs in a large dutch oven and proceeded to make 136 of the lyman 1 lb ingots. Either their scale was off or some of my ingots are a little shy of 1 lb. (Probably the ladder). In any event, I did the scratch test and the lead seems soft. Is there a way to tell just how pure lead is? Is there a way to tell if it's too hard for Pistol?
I plan on casting for cap n ball as well as percussion rifle and pistol.
I have cast about 100 .454 balls for my 1851 Navy (Pietta).

If it works OK it does not have to be pure lead.
If its too hard to load then find some scrap lead pipe or sheeting and add this too it to soften it. Getting soft lead from a scrap yard aside from getting pipe or sheet as THEY got it is nearly impossible. The melt all the lead, W-W, solder, etc all goes into the pot. I have to sort though a box on a pallet to find lead pipe or other lead scrap so I know they don't sort it.
Pure lead loads easier in a patched ball rifle than hard lead. So people like soft lead. Hard balls often shoot as well as soft ones.
My shallow groove 66 caliber shoots W-W or pure lead equally well, might even shoot the harder suff better, but needs a thinner patch for the W-W.

Dan

 

[laney1566]

Thanks for the info...I plan on getting a Grain scale soon to verify weight.

 

[mmarke]

To save time in weighing the conicals that I cast, I purchased an electronic scale. This is the model that I purchased. Its accurate and currently on sale. I have been pleasantly surprised. Read the other customer reviews.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=713372

 

[Idaho Ron]

I have one, and after about a year mine would not hold zero, and finally quit. I contacted the company Frankford Arsenal and they replaced it. I keep saying to myself it is ok for bullets, but when this one fails and it will I am going to get a RCBS. DON'T use this to weigh powder for reloading. Ron

 

[Dphar]

A PACT is a good choice too. I have one I need to send in to be looked at. They have lifetime warranty.

I have used it a lot over the years and it finally got crazy.
I have a Dillon right now bit its not near as good a scale.
Dan

 

[artkodiak]

I recently got one of those nifty Lee hardness testers. It appears accurate and seems consistent with a bit of a problem I've had with conicals sticking halfway down. According to R. Lee, 'if too hard, cast bullets stick partway down muzzleloaders.' Well they did. When I tested the batch, although scratched with a thumbnail, they indicated roughly twice what Lee quotes as acceptable Brinnel hardness. (But, boy-howdy, did they shoot when I finally got them seated!!!) I've never tried a Saeco, but hear they're cosistant, if relative vice objective (Brinnel scale). My two cents. Stay Safe, ArtKodiak

 

[Idaho Ron]

I have a cabin trester. I found out quite a while ago that the old thumbnail test is worthless. Ron

 

[kwildey]

I agree, i can put a fairly good thumbnail scratch in the #2 and hardball alloys i use for 41 mags and 45-70. way too hard for PRB.

 

[mike alexandre]

Get yourself a Lee hardness tester, they are easier to use, less expensive and I think more accurate than the Seico. You will then always know if your lead is pure and if ever you get into mixed alloy for longer range bullets you will be ready.

 

[Idaho Ron]

If a guy wants a lead hardness tester that is truly versital and easy to use, he needs a Cabin tree tester. With the cabin tree tester you can do bullets, and ingots. They cost just over 100.00 with shipping. I have a friend that got the Lee and while it works, it is not as easy to use as the Cabin tree. Taking the cabin tree with you to go lead hunting is easier than with about any other kind of tester. Ron

 

[jdstrang]

What he said. Great device. :thumbsup: :bow: Read all about it at:
http://www.castingstuff.com/cabinetree_loading_products.htm

(note the one-too-many-e's odd spelling - cabinetree)

 

[brubincam]

-----wouldn't it be easier to test the lead before making the balls ??-----

 

[Idaho Ron]

-----wouldn't it be easier to test the lead before making the balls ??-----

Well it depends. If you want soft lead bullets or balls it would be nice to know before you make them if the lead is soft. After you make them it is kind of too late you are stuck with them, and the lead.
The problem is MOST of the hardness testers need the lead to be in the shaps of a bullet to test the lead. On the Lee you have to use a reloading press. So if a guy is not a avid reloader and does not have a press a lee hardness tester is usless. That goes back to the cabintree. You can use it anywhere, with almost any size of lead.
With pure lead being more valuable than hard lead it makes sence to get what you are paying for. Ron

 

[R.M.]

I really like my LBT tester. No charts to cross-reference. Direct reading.