Casting from lead shot.
- Thread starter Paulinski
- Start date
Antimony and tin. wheel weights or linotype added will work well. You may be fine, but many of the cheap shells are basically pure lead.
The shot will make fairly soft bullets, good for low vel. target loads, not much harder then the swaged lead bullets sold by Speer and others. Adding tin will make them much easier to cast up, better flow, fillout, etc. but won't add much to hardness. Mixing with wheelweights will harden then up somewhat, you can them heat treat them for some hardness or better still, find some very hard compositions or Linotype/monotype. Quenching and heat treating will harden them but if left to sit for long they will revert back to their orig. hardness. If you cast 'em, load 'em, and use them within a reasonable time, you should be good. Remember that in most handgun and hunting applications, very hard cast bullets are a negative factor, you should match bullet hardness to the velocity you want and/or the game you are shooting. Bullet fit in the chamber/barrel is more important then bullet hardness, both, against leading and for accuracy.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
Just for reference, I can get about 1200fps with pure lead plain base, and then the leading starts.
Some lead shot is actually quite hard, but shot used on the range is very unlikely to be much more than pure lead.
Some lead shot is actually quite hard, but shot used on the range is very unlikely to be much more than pure lead.
vagrantviking
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- High River, Alberta
Shot has fairly high arsenic levels. Not saying you shouldn't use it but something to keep in mind when casting. Good ventilation and hygene should be kept in mind for any casting.
My big question thou: Why melt it? Shot prices around here make it very expensive lead. I would wash and bag it up to reuse in my shotguns. Might even spring for a little graphite and it would be (almost) good as new.
My big question thou: Why melt it? Shot prices around here make it very expensive lead. I would wash and bag it up to reuse in my shotguns. Might even spring for a little graphite and it would be (almost) good as new.
