Softening Lead

[cheatherly]

Well I checked through my loading manuals, I could only find info on hardening lead alloys, sorry.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

From what I understand of the que the 'chilled shot' referred to isn't pure lead. 'Chilled shot' is water-quenched which will harden it more than the as-cast air-cooled will be.

 

[arquebus]

Deadeye, Actually we're talking about Hornady Buckshot which is a bit harder than their brand of roundballs, so I suspect they contain a small amount of alloy.

 

[arquebus]

Blizzard, That's the information I was looking for....those numbers ring a bell with something I'd read in the past, but couldn't lay my hands on. I think I may have the problem solved with the loading-lever extention I made, but if not I'll try the heating & slow cooling. Thanks for looking it up.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

Careful you don't snap the 'pin' that fits the lever and ram together using the extension.

 

[Slamfire]

IMHO, Pure lead cannot be made softer or harder.
It is what it is and will remain that way until something else is added to change it.

Try droppin' a pure lead ball on a wet sponge, sittin' in a pail of water. Then put it in a Brinnel Hardness Tester. :hmm:

 

[gooddw]

No one seems to have picked up on this so I will ask. What kind of revolver do you have that shoots a .350 RB? Th 36 caliber uses a .375 or .380, the 44 uses a .451 or .454. The 31 caliber uses a .310 or .315. I don't know of anything in between those.

Just curious.

 

[arquebus]

Good question! It's an original (c.1860s) Adams-patent revolver. I'd never seen one in this caliber before, but seem to recall reading about a .34 caliber at some time.

 

[gooddw]

Thanks. Good picture.

 

[Deadeye]

Slamfire, I have done that and if it get's harder then it wasn't "pure" lead but had a little antimony in it.