Suitability of lead pipe for bullet making

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I am not making my own bullets yet but I hope to in the future. I have found a potential source for lead water pipes. This would be free lead which is certainly attractive. I realize that the piping is close to 100% pure lead, does this make it too soft for the Harris Load? Sounds like antimony is tough to add to a lead mix, how easy is it to add tin to try and make a practical bullet for target and hunting? Is this where WW come into their own by dropping some into the mix and add antimony that way?
Thanks
 
If you can get lead of any type you can use it or trade it to someone

black powder guys will trade you harder lead for it

pure lead 5-8 bhn (will not go harder if you water drop)

low end pistol loads 12-18 bhn

rifle higher bhn

every-ones results may vary higher / lower
 
I'm curious, is the plumbing lead fairly pure? I've been stockpiling a little bit, we occasionally pull some out during demo work. Not water pipes per say, most of those that aren't underground are long gone, but I'm saving the old lead toilet bends and pulling it from old lead and oakum drainage joints.
I don't know too much about it but I'm hoping to line up a Martini Henry and a Snider eventually and I'll need to figure out this metallurgy bit by that point.
 
The majority of my scrap lead comes in the form of wheel weights but the plumbing lead I do find gets separated to be used for casting slugs since the plumbing lead is softer.
 
As said, any free lead is good lead (accept batteries) you just may have to add tin and antimony or sell/trade it.
 
kennymo said:
I'll need to figure out this metallurgy bit by that point.
Click to expand...
The main concern is hardness. You can get one of several different hardness testers for the cost of a die set or less to test the lead. There is a lot of information out there as to what hardness range to use for different applications.
 
LUTNIT said:
The main concern is hardness. You can get one of several different hardness testers for the cost of a die set or less to test the lead. There is a lot of information out there as to what hardness range to use for different applications.
Click to expand...

Good to know, any brands recommended above others?
 
The Lee one is generally the easiest to find and is around $60. Quite easy to use so long as you follow the instructions.
If your application calls for pure lead you want a hardness of ~5BHN. Wheel weights are around double that at ~10BHN. Linotype can be upwards of 20BHN+.
 
PCB said:
I am not making my own bullets yet but I hope to in the future. I have found a potential source for lead water pipes.
Click to expand...

Be very care full.

Old lead drain pipes can be full of crud and scale.
Can contain pockets of water.

I know a guy experienced in scrounging lead, both pipe and roofing.
He sell ingots as a hobby.

Without knowing he had some water trapped in the scale in a pipe.
Went bang, and molten lead sprayed the ceiling.

When water turns to vapour it expands to a volume of about 1850 times that of the water.
Lead melts at 621 degrees F.
Just be careful.
 
ruger22 said:
Be very care full.

Old lead drain pipes can be full of crud and scale.
Can contain pockets of water.

I know a guy experienced in scrounging lead, both pipe and roofing.
He sell ingots as a hobby.

Without knowing he had some water trapped in the scale in a pipe.
Went bang, and molten lead sprayed the ceiling.

When water turns to vapour it expands to a volume of about 1850 times that of the water.
Lead melts at 621 degrees F.
Just be careful.
Click to expand...

i got about 100lbs worth of lead pipe for free from a jobsite a while back and there was still water inside them. i cut them into 8-10" pieces then put about 10-12 of them into my cast iron skillet over the turkey fryer for 10 minutes until they stopped steaming. then left them in the sun for another 30 minutes before melting them down in 25lb batches.

i added 6lbs of 95/5 solder and about 25lbs of a harder lead (not sure what's in it exactly, i forget where i got it from)
2013-07-25132801_zpsf0b3eb44.jpg
 
Good warning on the led pipe. I cut it short and stand it upright in a pot and slowly heat to evaporate all the water before it goes molten.
 
I have found it usually harder to source pure lead which is what BP shooter want. I hoard whatever plumbing pipe I can find as it is almost 100% pure.
I did find a batch of lead one time which is exactly the mix of Lyman #2 which I trade off for pure stuff as I need it.
 
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