Tin bullets!

chris in va · November 24, 2015, 02:58 AM

Just for the heck of it, I cast these 45 ACP from tin sourced from pewter. They normally weigh 230gr in lead but scale at 152gr.

I plan to make 'dummy' bullets as gifts to a couple friends.

CowTowner · November 24, 2015, 11:24 AM

Them sure are purty!

snuffy · November 24, 2015, 12:48 PM

That makes it real easy to add tin to your pot to bring the alloy/tin ratio up to where you want it. I considered doing the same thing for the lead-free solder I bought from flea-bay, it's a very fine rosin core wire.

Having the tin in a form like that makes it easier to add some tin than spooling 20" of solder wire to have to feed into the pot.

briandg · November 24, 2015, 05:10 PM

Be careful about telling your friends that they are dummy bullets. Most of my circle of acquaintances would take offense at being handed the "bullet for dummies".

Jimro · November 25, 2015, 03:25 AM

I remember reading about pewter pistol bullets a few years ago, evidently the bullets were so hard and light they'd cleanly punch through soft body armor.

Might be nice to put some shiny bullets like that in an ammo belt for a "Lone Ranger" type costume

Jimro

chris in va · November 25, 2015, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Might be nice to put some shiny bullets like that in an ammo belt for a "Lone Ranger" type costume

I did consider giving these as silver bullet gifts.

I spent 2 hours last night searching through my 45 cases to find old WW2 headstamps. Located four, FC 42, WCC and RA 42. I now have a nifty bullet necklace.

reloader28 · November 27, 2015, 11:49 PM

Pretty.
As expensive as tin is around here, there is no way I could give those away.

**Unclenick** · November 28, 2015, 05:25 PM

Forget the dummies. Bound to shoot real fast and let you use lots of powder for a great fireball. Light recoil.

Kosh75287 · November 28, 2015, 08:28 PM

I worked at a circuit board factory for a number of years, and left with 100 or more pounds of scrap 60/40 tin/lead solder. I cast them up about a pound at a time, to add to other alloys, so they'll completely fill out the molds. They each weigh about 180 gr. when I use a a 230 LRN mold, and tirating the amount of tin needed is pretty easy.

November 24, 2015, 02:58 AM	#1
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	Tin bullets! Just for the heck of it, I cast these 45 ACP from tin sourced from pewter. They normally weigh 230gr in lead but scale at 152gr. I plan to make 'dummy' bullets as gifts to a couple friends.

November 24, 2015, 11:24 AM	#2
CowTowner Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2007 Location: Cowtown of course! Posts: 1,747	Them sure are purty! __________________ NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, Home Firearms Safety, Pistol and Rifle Instructor *“Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life......”* President John F. Kennedy

November 24, 2015, 12:48 PM	#3
snuffy Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2001 Location: Oshkosh wi. Posts: 3,055	That makes it real easy to add tin to your pot to bring the alloy/tin ratio up to where you want it. I considered doing the same thing for the lead-free solder I bought from flea-bay, it's a very fine rosin core wire. Having the tin in a form like that makes it easier to add some tin than spooling 20" of solder wire to have to feed into the pot. __________________ The more people I meet, the more I love my dog They're going to get their butts kicked over there this election. How come people can't spell and use words correctly?

November 25, 2015, 03:25 AM	#5
Jimro Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2006 Posts: 7,097	I remember reading about pewter pistol bullets a few years ago, evidently the bullets were so hard and light they'd cleanly punch through soft body armor. Might be nice to put some shiny bullets like that in an ammo belt for a "Lone Ranger" type costume Jimro __________________ Machine guns are awesome until you have to carry one.

November 28, 2015, 05:25 PM	#8
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	Forget the dummies. Bound to shoot real fast and let you use lots of powder for a great fireball. Light recoil. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

November 24, 2015, 05:10 PM	#4
briandg Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2010 Posts: 5,468	Be careful about telling your friends that they are dummy bullets. Most of my circle of acquaintances would take offense at being handed the "bullet for dummies".

November 27, 2015, 11:49 PM	#7
reloader28 Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2009 Location: nw wyoming Posts: 1,061	Pretty. As expensive as tin is around here, there is no way I could give those away.

November 28, 2015, 08:28 PM	#9
Kosh75287 Senior Member Join Date: October 15, 2007 Posts: 820	I worked at a circuit board factory for a number of years, and left with 100 or more pounds of scrap 60/40 tin/lead solder. I cast them up about a pound at a time, to add to other alloys, so they'll completely fill out the molds. They each weigh about 180 gr. when I use a a 230 LRN mold, and tirating the amount of tin needed is pretty easy. __________________ GOD BLESS JEFF COOPER, whose instructions, consultations, and publications have probably saved more lives than can ever be reliably calculated. DVC, sir. انجلو. المسلحة. جاهزة. Carpe SCOTCH!