Iridescent balls

[Coldfingers]

I have run into this for the third time now whenever melting sheet lead from xray rooms.
Regardless of temp, as soon as it melts it goes pretty rainbow colors.

Has anyone else noticed this?

I run thus same setup with wheel weights or other lead sources and this doesn't happen.

 

[64Springer]

That is very cool.

Lead absorbing the x-ray stuff that's not supposed to get to us humans?

And wheel weights are bad for muzzzleloaders.

If your gun doesn't blow from not using pure lead, the projectiles will be so inaccurate that you won't be able to keep them in the same zip code when shot at a target.

 

[Coldfingers]

So the wheel weights are for projectiles on the front of cartridges. I have cast many hundreds of pounds of WW's. I only mentioned it as a comparison.

I only run soft lead in my ML's

 

[Coldfingers]

That is very cool.

Lead absorbing the x-ray stuff that's not supposed to get to us humans?

And wheel weights are bad for muzzzleloaders.

If your gun doesn't blow from not using pure lead, the projectiles will be so inaccurate that you won't be able to keep them in the same zip code when shot at a target.

Question.
If I put a round rock in a patch, and it never touches the barrel, how does it exactly hurt the gun? So If I put wayyy softer WW lead in a cloth patch how does that hurt the barrel? Or "blow"?

I run pure lead because I have access to all I could ever shoot. But if WW was what I could get, well then wrap it ticking and have fun.
The ball should never touch the steel, if yours does, you are doing it wrong.

 

[64Springer]

Question.
If I put a round rock in a patch, and it never touches the barrel, how does it exactly hurt the gun? So If I put wayyy softer WW lead in a cloth patch how does that hurt the barrel? Or "blow"?

I run pure lead because I have access to all I could ever shoot. But if WW was what I could get, well then wrap it ticking and have fun.
The ball should never touch the steel, if yours does, you are doing it wrong.

It was sarcasm. Due to the ongoing and never-ending debate over wheel weights and muzzleloaders.

Your gun won't blow up.

And wheel weights provide fine accuracy in muzzleloaders. Soft lead is soft lead. Regardless of source.

 

[Coldfingers]

No worries, been up alot of hrs lately, brain is working a bit slow.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

It appears to me that you have a batch of that 1960-70’s hippie lead from Berkeley or San Francisco.

 

[oldwood]

I was in the xray unit maintenance business for 41 yrs , and can guarantee xray shielding lead is safe unless you lick or eat it , same as other lead. The iridescent sheen on the melted lead , is dross. Skim it off and get to casting your balls.

 

[French Colonial]

To each their own, I bought some supposed to be lead back a few years ago, after casting within a short amount of time they actually expanded enough to cause issues when loading.. got rid of that manure.

I have used pure lead from Rotometals ever since.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Seldom do we get 100% pure lead. Those colors are common and caused by impurities in the lead that is probably only 98 to 99% pure. Don't eat it and you will be OK.

 

[hawkeye2]

And I thought this thread was going to be about a disease.

 

[Brazos John]

And I thought this thread was going to be about a disease.

I haven't been checked lately, but I might have it, too!

 

[kelvinator]

I like the old Sears Craftsman garage door opener case cover your using for a cooling table.

 

[longcruise]

And wheel weights are bad for muzzzleloaders.

If your gun doesn't blow from not using pure lead, the projectiles will be so inaccurate that you won't be able to keep them in the same zip code when shot at a target.

Wrong thread!

I get the rainbow effect with the last batch of lead from the recycler. It's mostly roofing flashing. Quite soft and they shoot great on sunny days but only fair on cloudy days. ️

 

[2 shots]

lead can have rainbow pride if it wants to>

 

[Whitworth]

I've seen the same phenomena many times with both pure lead and linotype. Bullets I've cast with pure linotype always have a very slight purplish cast when viewed in the right light.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

To avoid that rainbow sheen, try putting on your rose colored glasses, or thone small, square blue granny glasses. That should filter out those various hues.

Just make sure you’re sitting down, crossed legged on the floor and surrounded by pillows. If the room starts spinning, and you see Linc, Julie and that other blooming idiot from the Mod Squad, you will know you’re in trouble. At least you’ll have a soft landing.

 

[Coldfingers]

I know there is no problem, just the only time I've seen it is with the xrax shielding.

I ran some ball from another source, got it way hotter, in a 4 inch pot, only a straw color.

Reuse, reuse, reuse...

 

[R Ellis]

Question.
If I put a round rock in a patch, and it never touches the barrel, how does it exactly hurt the gun? So If I put wayyy softer WW lead in a cloth patch how does that hurt the barrel? Or "blow"?

I run pure lead because I have access to all I could ever shoot. But if WW was what I could get, well then wrap it ticking and have fun.
The ball should never touch the steel, if yours does, you are doing it wrong.

Exactly right I do not know why others cant understand this

 

[leadhoarder]

I was told that lead that looked like that had been heated up more than was needed and would keep a blueish or rainbowish color. Not sure if that is true or not but I did hear it.