lots of WW's in ingots ... now what?

  • 343 Views
  • Last Post 13 November 2021
TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 13 November 2021

OK, spent $20 for a bucket of wheel weights.  Melted them, cleaned out the iron and the clips.

Haven't seen the percentages of lead-antimony and whatever yet.  About 90 lbs cleaned up.

So if I mix in TIN, what percentages should I aim for - pistol and/or rifle? 

Attached Files

Order By: Standard | Newest | Votes
RicinYakima posted this 13 November 2021

New WW's I add 2% tin for pistol and BPCR and for most rifle. If more than 1800 f/s I add enough scrap used Lino to make 6% antimony. FWIW. 

Attached Files

  • Liked by
  • Bud Hyett
Wm Cook posted this 13 November 2021

Rick, how much is enough? Would using some of RotoMetals Super Hard Alloy Metal Ingot (30%-Antimony, 70%-Lead) to your WW’s (or #2 Lyman in my case) bring up the hardness and get better fill out? And then add tin?

Patience isn’t a virtue, it’s a delay tactic.

Attached Files

RicinYakima posted this 13 November 2021

First you have to weigh your base ingots. Lets use 10 pounds of lead; to add 2% tin you would add 3.2 oz of tin. To make 6% antimony you add 9.6 oz. 

Lyman #2 is 5% tin and 5% antimony, so adding it to WW's will never change the ratio. Modern (less than 20 years old) WW are almost .5% tin and 1.2% antimony. To make soft revolver bullets I use 3 pounds of WW's and 2 pounds of Lyman #2. The #2 is as hard as you can make with just these two materials. Note; a lot of scrap linotype has had most tin oxidized out and not useable in these calculations. 

Using Super Hard at 30% antimony to your #2, 10 pounds of #2 plus 9.6 oz of SH would make it as hard as new Linotype. Lyman #2 already has 5% tin so should not have to add anymore for fill out. 

If you go to the main page, you can find an alloy calculator program under the downloads section. 

Attached Files

TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 13 November 2021

I can do the calculations easily enough, I'm interested in what other folks use.  (I use 20:1 lead:tin) and have lots of Lino (measured percentages).  Looks like several use Lyman #2.

 

Attached Files

RicinYakima posted this 13 November 2021

Match rifle bullets = linotype.

BPCR and schutzen = 40/1.

Self loading pistol = old style hard ball (2% tin & 6% antimony).

Revolver best loads = pre-1990 US wheel weights plus 1% tin.

Plinkers = left overs from the above mixed in no ratio.

Attached Files

  • Liked by
  • Ross Smith
Close