What mix of lead, tin, and or antimony do you casters prefer?
Casting - Lead Mix Recipes
- Thread starter Frontiersman
- Start date
I’m too lazy to do it by percentages of elements.
Wheelweights for general use, air cooled for handguns, water dropped for rifles.
For HP bullets, 50-50 wheelweights and pure lead, to keep them malleable.
I’ve been using range lead lately after getting a couple of buckets. I know this can vary a lot, but the hardness is just a touch less than wheelweights in this bunch.
I don’t use linotype much, so keep a pretty small supply.
Wheelweights for general use, air cooled for handguns, water dropped for rifles.
For HP bullets, 50-50 wheelweights and pure lead, to keep them malleable.
I’ve been using range lead lately after getting a couple of buckets. I know this can vary a lot, but the hardness is just a touch less than wheelweights in this bunch.
I don’t use linotype much, so keep a pretty small supply.
That’s the easiest way to approach it. I like my general use bullets around 8 BHN as well.
Linotype: BHN 22
Wheel Weights: 12-15
Pure Lead: 5
That should cover most any needs. But, if you want something in between, basic math should cover the proportions.
I find linotype to be on the brittle side. It’s fine for target practice. I’ve pushed these over 2000 fps.
Wheel weights are good general purpose use. For hunting they may deform only slightly if you find the bullet. I prefer a larger bullet with a flat on it, so expansion isn’t needed. They tend to go all the way through. I shoot these 1600fps or so.
Plain lead is great for black powder. It obturates well and shoots accurately. It really mushrooms well at those lower velocities when hunting. It may want to lead your barrel if you try for the higher velocities in center fire cartridges. I try to keep them under 1200 fps,
Bullet lube and sizing are another subject and effect these numbers a lot.
Linotype: BHN 22
Wheel Weights: 12-15
Pure Lead: 5
That should cover most any needs. But, if you want something in between, basic math should cover the proportions.
I find linotype to be on the brittle side. It’s fine for target practice. I’ve pushed these over 2000 fps.
Wheel weights are good general purpose use. For hunting they may deform only slightly if you find the bullet. I prefer a larger bullet with a flat on it, so expansion isn’t needed. They tend to go all the way through. I shoot these 1600fps or so.
Plain lead is great for black powder. It obturates well and shoots accurately. It really mushrooms well at those lower velocities when hunting. It may want to lead your barrel if you try for the higher velocities in center fire cartridges. I try to keep them under 1200 fps,
Bullet lube and sizing are another subject and effect these numbers a lot.
