Lead

[Joel/Calgary]

One thing to remember with (lead) wheel weights is that the stick-on kind are much softer than the clip-on ones. Sort them and use the stick-on ones for rifle balls. If you have to, or want to, use the harder clip-on wheel weights for rifle balls, many have had success with a smaller ball & thicker patch combination. Some folks will use harder-lead balls for better penetration. Smoothbores don't seem to care much about ball hardness, except for terminal ballistics, and most of them are large enough in caliber that expansion is not really needed on game.

Steel and zinc wheel weights won't scratch noticeably with a finger nail (most lead alloys will scratch at least a little) and should be discarded. If you miss any or only have a few mixed in with the lead ones, they will float with the clips, dirt, and dross when the lead first melts, and can be skimmed off.

Regards,
Joel

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

One thing to remember with (lead) wheel weights is that the stick-on kind are much softer than the clip-on ones.

This must be some sort of a local supply issue. All of the stick-on ones that I've tried melting down have a much higher melt temperature leading me to believe that all of the ones that I've come across are likely a zinc alloy. I skim them off with the dross and dispose of them.

 

[t-buck]

nappers
i have been casting for years and the best way i have found to store my casting pot after a session is to leave it full of lead and let it cool down
by being full it will protect the pot from rusting and when you start your next session the full pot will come up to heat quicker and put less stress on the heating element
i have done it this way for years and have never had any trouble with my pots and i have several lee // lyman /// and rcbs/// even do this with my cast iron pots that i use on the gas burner
t-buck

 

[Nappers]

That's good information. I'll have to do that. I don't want to buy a new pot every few.....

Melting lead is fun though, it's cheaper than buying a box for 12-15 bucks!

 

[Firelock937]

I always found the stick-ons to be soft lead, but in the last batch of wheel weights I melted down had quite a few floating stick-ons that would not melt. First time I had seen that happen.

 

[t-buck]

yes you need to watch out for the zinc weights
they are making the stickons with zinc now
the last 5 5 gallon buckets that i got mixture of the clip and the stickon i had 1 full bucket of the zinc ones after i separated them
t-buck

 

[rr11]

The shop where I get my wheelweights said all ww are going lead free in the future. :cursing: EPA