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Mike / Tx · March 24, 2013, 05:45 AM

Which pistol bullets would we be referring to, and to what velocities will we be looking to get?

My experience with reclaimed range lead is, that it needs only a touch of tin added to work in most calibers up through 44 magnum, as long as your not loading over around 1200fps.

If your planning on pushing them higher and DO want them harder, then I would start out by trying some that were water dropped to begin with. Then if they still aren't hard enough I would try using around .5% to start out with and air cool the first batch, and the second batch I'd be water dropping. It's easier to add more than to dilute what you have added. Here is a better explanation than what I could give.

Range lead: add antimony (Rotometal super hard alloy)

This might also be helpful, be sure to look at the other articles as well, MORE than enough info on this site to keep you interested,
Cast Bullet Notes Page

If I were you, I would personally, if you have any means of checking the hardness of your range lead alloy, start from there. I would pour up a dozen or so water quenching half and air cooling the other half. I would wait a week then check one of the samples, then after another week check another one, and so on. Yes I know it is a slow process, but you will find out exactly what is going on. This will let you know just how hard your alloy is going to get. What happens is you pour up say 2-300 bullets. you load up 50-100 of them within the first week and shoot half of those. They shoot great with no issues. Then a month later you shoot another 50 to 200, and now you aren't hitting the same nice groups, and you experience a bit of leading. No biggie you thing, probably just the lube or temp change. THen a month or so later you shoot the rest and get severe leading, and cannot even make it through one box of 50 before having to clear the lead out of your pistol.

That's just a hypothetical of what could happen as your bullet harden up over time. It's also a reason I always pour up sample bullets of what ever alloy I am working with at the time, or making ingots of.

All this said there is plenty of info on range lead being used over at Castboolits.

March 24, 2013, 05:45 AM	#2
Mike / Tx Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2000 Posts: 2,101	Which pistol bullets would we be referring to, and to what velocities will we be looking to get? My experience with reclaimed range lead is, that it needs only a touch of tin added to work in most calibers up through 44 magnum, as long as your not loading over around 1200fps. If your planning on pushing them higher and DO want them harder, then I would start out by trying some that were water dropped to begin with. Then if they still aren't hard enough I would try using around .5% to start out with and air cool the first batch, and the second batch I'd be water dropping. It's easier to add more than to dilute what you have added. Here is a better explanation than what I could give. Range lead: add antimony (Rotometal super hard alloy) This might also be helpful, be sure to look at the other articles as well, MORE than enough info on this site to keep you interested, Cast Bullet Notes Page If I were you, I would personally, if you have any means of checking the hardness of your range lead alloy, start from there. I would pour up a dozen or so water quenching half and air cooling the other half. I would wait a week then check one of the samples, then after another week check another one, and so on. Yes I know it is a slow process, but you will find out exactly what is going on. This will let you know just how hard your alloy is going to get. What happens is you pour up say 2-300 bullets. you load up 50-100 of them within the first week and shoot half of those. They shoot great with no issues. Then a month later you shoot another 50 to 200, and now you aren't hitting the same nice groups, and you experience a bit of leading. No biggie you thing, probably just the lube or temp change. THen a month or so later you shoot the rest and get severe leading, and cannot even make it through one box of 50 before having to clear the lead out of your pistol. That's just a hypothetical of what could happen as your bullet harden up over time. It's also a reason I always pour up sample bullets of what ever alloy I am working with at the time, or making ingots of. All this said there is plenty of info on range lead being used over at Castboolits. __________________ LAter, Mike / TX