lead testing

[2 shots]

hi all , i have 1500 lbs. of lead. does anyone know where i could send a piece to be tested [b.h.n. ] ?? thanks. mike.

 

[Phil Coffins]

A machine shop or heat treating business. There will be a fee.

 

[Caniborrowsomeammo]

Look up testing lead hardness with drawing pencils. Then get this set.

https://www.amazon.com/STAEDTLER-br...2S0Q/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Send me a piece, as I have the Saeco $150 lead tester, no charge ...

 

[necchi]

hi all , i have 1500 lbs. of lead. does anyone know where i could send a piece to be tested [b.h.n. ] ?? thanks. mike.

Sure, keep this post open,,
There are probably 10-12 members here that have testers and use them.
Respond to their postings and send the samples to them as they make comment.
Down side; it'll cost you money to mail the samples. But if ya wanna find out, it ain't gonna be free.
Or; Buy your own tester.

 

[dave951]

I've found the pencil method works fairly well IF you're consistent about how you do it. It will get you in the ball park.

 

[2 shots]

thank you all .

 

[TreeMan]

When I find some lead I use the fingernail test. If I can scratch a sliver with my fingernail it’s good to go.

 

[SPQR70AD]

When I find some lead I use the fingernail test. If I can scratch a sliver with my fingernail it’s good to go.

that is to simple of a test for todays shooters. every molecule must be tested. best think to do with that lead is cast pour and shoot

 

[Idaho Ron]

I can test it for you.

 

[2 shots]

thanks ron . but im already sending a piece to flint smoothie . mike

 

[Idaho Ron]

thanks ron . but im already sending a piece to flint smoothie . mike

It would be interesting to see how they compare.

 

[Griz44Mag]

I can test it for you.

I have the same Cabine Tree tester - (highly recommended!) except mine has a couple of holes drilled through the base and it's screwed to the wood bench next to my casting table.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

thanks ron . but im already sending a piece to flint smoothie . mike

FWIW, I'll send the test piece along to Idaho Ron after I get done with it. My tester has a standard with it, so it should be reliable. I know it sure is repeatable! Heck,I use to run R&R studies when in the engineering world ...

 

[Idaho Ron]

FWIW, I'll send the test piece along to Idaho Ron after I get done with it. My tester has a standard with it, so it should be reliable. I know it sure is repeatable! Heck,I use to run R&R studies when in the engineering world ...

That sounds great. Don't tell what you got.
I was a part of a huge lead hardness test years ago with a shooting club from California. That was a neat test.

 

[Phylax]

I obtained 500 pounds of lead containers with lids. They were about the size of 35mm film cans, only taller, and with 1/8" wall thickness. All had radiation stickers, as they had shielded vials of radioactive sodium iodide. My PHD daughter in law, who worked at the lab from which these were obtained, assured me that they were not hot. These containers were butter solt and I could squeeze them with bare hands, and dig into with finger nail. Melted down and poured into ingots, and later I cast a peanut butter jar full of RB for my Ruger Old Army. The balls were so hard that the rammer couldn't possibly force them into the cylinder. Bill Ferguson confirmed that this was antimony bearing lead, which work softens. Once melted and recast, the hardness returns. These ingots Brinell at 17, whereas pure lead is 5 Brinell, linotype is 19 to 20. The OP didn't state ingots, sheet lead, or other. If I was testing a sample of the OP's lead, I would melt and cast test specimens, aging them for 7-14 days before testing, in addition to testing the lead as received from the OP, if the shape allows testing.
Phylax

 

[2 shots]

hi all, forgot to mention that the lead is a 1960s sailboat keel. thank you all. mike

 

[Whughett]

I’ve had this for many years. Never did learn to use it with any reliability.

 

[Griz44Mag]

I’ve had this for many years. Never did learn to use it with any reliability.

That is the most inaccurate and unrepeatable instrument I ever owned.
After many frustrating attempts at getting consistent readings with it I destroyed it so no one else would try to use it.
The Cabine Tree (see Ron's photo above) is the most reliable indentor type I have found.
I have had mine for years now, and regularly check the accuracy with a lab grade calibration material I bought for the purpose.

I can test it for you.

The best procedure is to melt a fresh sample, cast into a small ingot and keep it at room temp for 48 hours.
Lead and most alloys will freeze and then continue to mature for a few days. After that the ingot will stabilize but be aware that the lead will continue to harden for years to come, very small amount but after 15 or 20 years it can be significant - depending on the purity or if not pure which alloyed materials it may contain.

 

[Idaho Ron]

That is the most inaccurate and unrepeatable instrument I ever owned.
After many frustrating attempts at getting consistent readings with it I destroyed it so no one else would try to use it.
The Cabine Tree (see Ron's photo above) is the most reliable indentor type I have found.
I have had mine for years now, and regularly check the accuracy with a lab grade calibration material I bought for the purpose.

The best procedure is to melt a fresh sample, cast into a small ingot and keep it at room temp for 48 hours.
Lead and most alloys will freeze and then continue to mature for a few days. After that the ingot will stabilize but be aware that the lead will continue to harden for years to come, very small amount but after 15 or 20 years it can be significant - depending on the purity or if not pure which alloyed materials it may contain.

I won't buy fresh melted lead. It's too big of a crap shoot.
That being said, you can put bullets in the oven and "soften" them a bit. This is handy if you size bullets. A guy has to get it done pretty quick after heat treating.