Bullet casting question

rgitzlaff · April 13, 2009, 12:46 PM

I am looking into gearing up for casting my own bullets. As sources of lead I have read that wheel weights are good, and I know you can buy virgin bullet alloy lead online many different places. How about using bullets picked up out of backstop berms? The range I shoot at has the backstop berm littered with probably several tons of lead from all sorts of bullets. How useable is this lead for casting bullets? Initially I plan on just casting for centerfire handguns, but eventually for some centerfire rifles also. Since most of this lead will have come from jacketed bullets, is it pure lead or is it alloyed enough to use? Would I need to add any tin or antimony to make it better? Thanks.

salvadore · April 13, 2009, 02:27 PM

Range lead is a great resource. homogenize it in a big plumbers pot (100lbs.), or make lots...ummm a pot full at a time and make ingots from each batch and combine ingots from each batch so in the end you end up with a homogenous buncha ingots. then you can use as is or add tin and antimony to get where ya wanna go.

salvadore · April 13, 2009, 02:32 PM

Oh yeah and getting an accurate cast rifle load is better than sex. I'm lying but it is a cheap thrill. Joining the cast bullet association is not without merit also, their fowling shot mailing is a cornacopia of info. Have fun.

CrustyFN · April 13, 2009, 03:48 PM

I have seen a lot of casting questions lately. It would be nice if we could get one of the Mod's to make this a stickie.
http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...d.php?t=346199

Rusty

dahermit · April 13, 2009, 08:33 PM

The ONLY lead alloy that I know of(some others may add more) that cannot be used for hand gun bullets (or rifle), is the lead alloy used in no maintenance lead-acid batteries. All other lead alloys can be utilized for bullet casting either as-is or with some amount of additional alloying.

crowbeaner · April 13, 2009, 09:05 PM

Check with us pot heaters on www.castboolits/gunloads.com. CB.

rgitzlaff · April 14, 2009, 09:37 AM

How do you know if you need to add anything to your lead? How do you know how much or what to add? If you drop the bullets into water instead of a towel, and that makes them a good deal harder, can you get away with faster velocities without adding anything to the alloy? From what I understand, the harder the bullet, the faster you can push it, but you don't want it so hard that it gets brittle. Is this correct?

salvadore · April 14, 2009, 09:49 AM

Here ya go rg, these folks can answer more questions than you can think of. http://www.lasc.us/

rgitzlaff · April 14, 2009, 04:25 PM

Excellent site! Wow, talk about tons of information on everything you want to know about casting... I now have a ton of reading to do.. Thanks!!

rgitzlaff · April 15, 2009, 09:36 PM

Is there a problem using old kitchen items for casting bullets? I have bunch of this stuff sitting around waiting to get rid of.. ladle, serving spoon, stainless steel pots.. Is there anything wrong with using this for melting lead for bullets? It would save me some money if I can use what I already have.

April 13, 2009, 12:46 PM	#1
rgitzlaff Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2006 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 524	Bullet casting question I am looking into gearing up for casting my own bullets. As sources of lead I have read that wheel weights are good, and I know you can buy virgin bullet alloy lead online many different places. How about using bullets picked up out of backstop berms? The range I shoot at has the backstop berm littered with probably several tons of lead from all sorts of bullets. How useable is this lead for casting bullets? Initially I plan on just casting for centerfire handguns, but eventually for some centerfire rifles also. Since most of this lead will have come from jacketed bullets, is it pure lead or is it alloyed enough to use? Would I need to add any tin or antimony to make it better? Thanks.

April 13, 2009, 03:48 PM	#4
CrustyFN Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 2,258	I have seen a lot of casting questions lately. It would be nice if we could get one of the Mod's to make this a stickie. http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...d.php?t=346199 Rusty __________________ I don't ever remember being absent minded.

April 13, 2009, 09:05 PM	#6
crowbeaner Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2007 Location: Upstate SC Posts: 1,943	Check with us pot heaters on www.castboolits/gunloads.com. CB. __________________ If you want your children to follow in your footsteps, be careful where you walk. Beware the man that only owns one gun; he probably knows how to use it. I just hope my ship comes in before my dock rots.

April 13, 2009, 02:27 PM	#2
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	Range lead is a great resource. homogenize it in a big plumbers pot (100lbs.), or make lots...ummm a pot full at a time and make ingots from each batch and combine ingots from each batch so in the end you end up with a homogenous buncha ingots. then you can use as is or add tin and antimony to get where ya wanna go.

April 13, 2009, 02:32 PM	#3
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	Oh yeah and getting an accurate cast rifle load is better than sex. I'm lying but it is a cheap thrill. Joining the cast bullet association is not without merit also, their fowling shot mailing is a cornacopia of info. Have fun.

April 13, 2009, 08:33 PM	#5
dahermit Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2006 Location: South Central Michigan...near Posts: 6,501	The ONLY lead alloy that I know of(some others may add more) that cannot be used for hand gun bullets (or rifle), is the lead alloy used in no maintenance lead-acid batteries. All other lead alloys can be utilized for bullet casting either as-is or with some amount of additional alloying.

April 14, 2009, 09:37 AM	#7
rgitzlaff Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2006 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 524	How do you know if you need to add anything to your lead? How do you know how much or what to add? If you drop the bullets into water instead of a towel, and that makes them a good deal harder, can you get away with faster velocities without adding anything to the alloy? From what I understand, the harder the bullet, the faster you can push it, but you don't want it so hard that it gets brittle. Is this correct?

April 14, 2009, 09:49 AM	#8
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	Here ya go rg, these folks can answer more questions than you can think of. http://www.lasc.us/

April 14, 2009, 04:25 PM	#9
rgitzlaff Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2006 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 524	Excellent site! Wow, talk about tons of information on everything you want to know about casting... I now have a ton of reading to do.. Thanks!!

April 15, 2009, 09:36 PM	#10
rgitzlaff Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2006 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 524	Is there a problem using old kitchen items for casting bullets? I have bunch of this stuff sitting around waiting to get rid of.. ladle, serving spoon, stainless steel pots.. Is there anything wrong with using this for melting lead for bullets? It would save me some money if I can use what I already have.