Got free lead but not sure what it is

[COREY]

I was given a 40 lb chunk of what was thought to be lead years ago and it has been moving with me ever since. Previous owner used it as a boat anchor.

I just bought a 40-65 buffalo rifle and I was going to cast some 20:1 bullets using some pure lead I had with some bar solder. I was going to use this in the mix but thought I would use the Staedtler pencil trick to see its hardness. The hardest pencil in the set did not leave a scratch. Just to be safe I cut a section away (hard cutting) and tried to cast it. It did melt down like lead and the section I poured off was just as hard as the outside of the anchor (thought it may have been quenched to get the outside hard).

Does anyone have any idea waht this may be? Would it be monotype?

 

[dodger59]

A little more info please. Did you cast any bullets? If so, how did the finished bullets behave in the mold? Were they difficult to get out of the mold?

 

[MuthaFunk]

Not enough info to make any kind of determination however I can suggest you hammer a nail head between a flat section of your unknown lead against a known lead piece and observe the differences in indent to get an idea if it's harder or softer than your known one based on the dept of the impression. I use this technique when buying used lead. Just bring some of my known ingots a hammer and nail. It's quick and easy.

 

[BattleRife]

Did this chunk have a specific shape? If it was an old ingot or pig it might give some clues.

The info you give isn't much, but Babbitt or type metals are two possibilities.

 

[COREY]

It is triangular in cross section and about 18" long with a chain in the middle.

 

[BattleRife]

...with a chain in the middle.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

The basic shape could be a foundry ingot, of course it could also be a homemade ingot. Are there any stamping or other marks?

 

[cyclops666]

Lots of big chunks of lead were used as ballast in sailboats

 

[yomomma]

Could be zinc. I had a few guys try to sell me zinc that they thought was lead.

There also used to be a lot of babbit kicking around.

Hang on to it. Next time I send samples down to the states for analysis I can send a sample of yours too

 

[yomomma]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

The basic shape could be a foundry ingot, of course it could also be a homemade ingot. Are there any stamping or other marks?

Previous owner cast it into a boat anchor

 

[COREY]

Thanks yomomma but it is only about 25-30 lbs, notnworth the effort of getting it tested. I guess I will just use it for waht it was originally cast for, a boat anchor .

 

[yomomma]

Thanks yomomma but it is only about 25-30 lbs, notnworth the effort of getting it tested. I guess I will just use it for waht it was originally cast for, a boat anchor .

oh contraire mon ami

If it is Babbitt it could be used for making some really nice bullets.

 

[BattleRife]

Absolutely. Grade 2 Babbitt is 89% tin, you would be sitting on a substantial supply of a very valuable material.

Edited to add: zinc is half the density of lead, it wouldn't be difficult to rule that out, a scale and a bucket of water is all you need. That and a careful measuring of melting point will give a real good idea of the composition.

 

[ramhunter]

all you have to do to test it is take it down to a good scrap yard.
they have a handheld device they just sorta zap it with, it will tell you exactly whats in it.

might cost you a six pack or box of donuts.