Lead ingot - 99.7 -99.9% pure

[James Kopp]

I have been thinking of casting my own round balls.. I have found some lead ingots that or 99.7% pure lead.. base don the manufacture's specs. My question is this lead too soft for bullet casting.. It is originally used to plumbing and casting cast iron joints.

What everyone's thought on using this lead to cast .50 rounds balls ?

 

[64Springer]

You can most definitely cast bullets with that lead mixture.

Just run the lead hot. 675 to 725 degrees.

2% tin will help with pour and mold fill-out and bullet definition.

And the tin will not make the bullets hard.

Regardless of the comments that are about to follow.

 

[James Kopp]

You can most definitely cast bullets with that lead mixture.

Just run the lead hot. 675 to 725 degrees.

2% tin will help with pour and mold fill-out and bullet definition.

And the tin will not make the bullets hard.

Regardless of the comments that are about to follow.

Where can i find 2% tin? SOund like you casted few ball in your day.. Love to hear more
llike where to buy bullet molds, ect...

 

[64Springer]

For molds:

Graf and Sons.

Midway USA.

Midsouth Shooters.

Lee Manufacturing.

Lyman.

The Los Angeles Silhouette Club website has all the information you'll ever need regarding bullet casting.

And they don't use SEAL Team 6 wannabe Mall Ninja terms like Boolits when referring to Bullets. A definite bonus.


PS: Thrift stores sell Pewter items. Melt the Pewter down and you have 97% tin. Perfect for alloying lead. Just make certain the item says PEWTER on the bottom. Buying 100% tin is expensive. 25-45 bucks a pound plus shipping. Old pewter is 2 bucks a pound.

To get a 2% tin mix just weigh your lead. Example: 10 pounds of lead times 16 ounces gives you 160 ounces of lead. 160 times .02 gives you 3.2 ounces.

10 x 16 = 160 x .02 = 3.2

You would add 3.2 ounces of tin to your 10 pounds/160 ounces of lead.


This muzzleloading site should have a Sticky for a Casting Bullets and Balls thread.

 

[rusticbob]

My dad was a plumber for over 50 years. I have enough of his plumbing scraps for a lifetime. The answer is yes, plumbing lead works wonderfully.

 

[James Kopp]

For molds:

Graf and Sons.

Midway USA.

Midsouth Shooters.

Lee Manufacturing.

Lyman.

The Los Angeles Silhouette Club website has all the information you'll ever need regarding bullet casting.

And they don't use SEAL Team 6 wannabe Mall Ninja terms like Boolits when referring to Bullets. A definite bonus.


PS: Thrift stores sell Pewter items. Melt the Pewter down and you have 97% tin. Perfect for alloying lead. Just make certain the item says PEWTER on the bottom. Buying 100% tin is expensive. 25-45 bucks a pound plus shipping. Old pewter is 2 bucks a pound.

To get a 2% tin mix just weigh your lead. Example: 10 pounds of lead times 16 ounces gives you 160 ounces of lead. 160 times .02 gives you 3.2 ounces.

10 x 16 = 160 x .02 = 3.2

You would add 3.2 ounces of tin to your 10 pounds/160 ounces of lead.


This muzzleloading site should have a Sticky for a Casting Bullets and Balls thread.

Man- thank you for that.. funny...I live in Williamsburg Va and have a ton of pewter cups collected over time... Many are damaged and would be perfect for a melt...... What do you recommend to melt both lead and pewter. Good ol fashion campfire? I have a outdoor firepit that i could generate enough heat to melt glass if I need.... Thoughts?

 

[64Springer]

Home stove top. Propane camp stove. Fire pit.

Just need 650 to melt/mix alloy and 725 to pour good projectiles.

 

[Beerd2]

Home stove top. Propane camp stove. Fire pit.

Just need 650 to melt/mix alloy and 725 to pour good projectiles.

only if your wife is very supportive or out of town for the weekend
..

 

[The Crisco Kid]

I'm an estate and garage sale junky. I have a pretty good stash of 50/50 or 40/60 tin/lead solder. I grab all the 95/5 lead free solder I can find too. It's 95% tin. That little bit of antimony doesn't seem to hurt my balls any when I add it to a bunch of lead. Unless the balls are too hard to load easily they will work fine.

 

[Gun Tramp]

Home stove top.

That's something I've never seen recommended. Could you post some photos of your home stove top set-up?

 

[64Springer]

That's something I've never seen recommended. Could you post some photos of your home stove top set-up?

Why?

Is there a deadly lead poisoning threat I don't know about?

A threat that hasn't killed me in the 15 years I've been doing this. With fans on. And windows open. Doors too.

Are all the surfaces in my house permanently contaminated?

Forget calling Ghostbusters. I'm calling Greta Thunberg.

Maybe Greta can spank me. Bad boy. Bad bad lead on stove top boy.

Maybe I can get her to wear one of those French proximity suit outfits for me.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

I've been casting bullets for over 50 years in small rooms over Coleman stoves, propane stoves, and electric pots with no windows open, no fans going and no ventilation and I'm still here to write about it. Maybe it's time I masked up. I'll go 2nd's with Greta after 64 Springer!

 

[akroguy]

How DARE YOU!!

One bratty little dingbat right there. She'll end up an overweight, untouched cat lady before she's 40.

 

[Gun Tramp]

I have been thinking of casting my own round balls.

James, if you haven't read it yet, here's part of an article (PDF) titled "Lead Safety" from the Los Angeles Silhouette Club, recommended by 64Springer:

3. Why casting in the house is a bad idea:
A. Soft floors suck up lead dust and hold it forever
B. People eat all over the house
C. Ventilation typically blows dust all over the house.
D. Ventilation not really setup to pull out smoke.
E. Kids and pets don't watch what goes in the mouth.
F. Your Smelting/Casting Area: Lead dust and fumes are the problem. Lots of ventilation is your friend. This means "Up and Out" with a good ventilation fan that blows the air outside...
Blowing the lead oxide dust *Around* (box or desk fan) is just as bad as poor ventilation.
Even with good ventilation, you still have a 100% chance of lead dust getting on everything in your "Lead Area" -- especially the floor. Lead is the heaviest non-radioactive naturally occurring element. Lead oxide is heavier than Iron, but is extremely fine powder -- like baby powder. It hits the floor *Very*quickly and looks like a fine yellowish/brown dust.

 

[64Springer]

What in the hell is Lead Dust?

In 15 years, I've never seen any fine yellowish/brown dust appear on my floors *Very* quickly.

If this Lead Dust is heavier than the combined weight of those on The View, wouldn't it remain in the casting pot?

To everyone who is slap terrified of Lead, Lead Dust, Smelting and Casting Ball and Bullets, Beanie Baby collecting is still an option.

Dear Greta, when you swing by, bring a mop. And when you're done removing all the Lead Dust, make a me a sammich.