alloying with Babbit

I have been using babbitt that contains copper for several years, about 8. My babbitt is reclaimed babbitt from railroad rolling stock bearings (now obsolete) but I found through research it is what is called genuine nickel babbitt (which contains no nickel), grade #2, listed at Rotometals) which puts it as 0.35% or less lead. My babbitt contains approximately 89% tin, 7 1/2% antimony, and 3 1/2% copper. By using an alloy calculator, I normally attempt to get the copper at 0.10% to 0.15%. In my use, I have found no benefit to having a higher content and ammounts above 0.25% tend to be had to cast with. I alloy it with scrap wheel weights and pure lead. For high velocity loads, I water drop or heat treat the bullets. For lesser velocities (mid teens and above to high teens) I air cool. What I have noticed is if one attempts to keep the alloy balanced like Lyman #2, bullet performance is refined. I have found that if one keeps the Sn = Sb+Cu as close as one can, the alloy will perform very well. Copper is a grain refiner so one will notice their bullets are tougher.

One trait of using a copper containing babbitt if one needs to keep the alloy temperature at or above 700*. This may need to be adjusted upward to 750* is using a bottom pour pot to negate freeze off. I hope some will find my information useful.

Edd