Casting lead bullets
 

Does anyone use lead wheel weights for casting bullets or black powder ammo? I'm just wondering is there any good reason to pick up the things on the side of the road.:albertein

Re: Casting lead bullets
 

I don't cast but I have friends that do,they melt down wheel weights,I believe
they also add something to the lead.

Re: Casting lead bullets
 

Just checked with a friend who does cast bullets..."Yes,you can use them but they are a pain"...he says. The reason given is the alloy mix in the weights heat at different temperatures. Some people add tim but he doesn't see where this helps much.

This info came from a man who casts bullets for a living.

Re: Casting lead bullets
 

Lead Poisoning

:smokin: be careful around lead or your kids will be born retards

Re: Casting lead bullets
 

Thanks for the replies, I'll do some looking into this.

Re: Casting lead bullets
 

Tire weight lead is a harder alloy needs higher temp to pour if I have some to use I normally mix 50/50 with softer pure lead and that seems to work well
also a warm mould can help with success.It solidifies quickly and mould can often fail.

Re: Casting lead bullets
 

I believe they also have antimony or tin alloyed in them, causingthem to melt at a higher temp and have slightly different ballistic property.

Battery lead definitely has antimony and most casters I know do not use it because of the H2SO4 residue.

Re: Casting lead bullets
 

My father told me that lead/alloy in wheel weights is to hard of a lead for Black Powder, at least in his opinion...

Him and my Uncle casts their own lead bullets for hunting, target practice and shooting competitions...

He has not bought traditional Bullets/shells for over 10 years now as He saves all his aluminum cans and whatever aluminum he can find

old gutters
old screen door frames
parts from old stoves
old plumbing
etc...

He collects it up until he has several lbs and then he takes it to a local recycler and trades it in on pure lead...

So, its not really costing him anything but a lil time and some gas for the burner thing he uses to melt the lead...

If I had to guess I'd say he had a thousand or so lead balls and Sabos in totes out in the garage...

He did tell me that he trades in wheel weights for better lead...

I had a friend that worked at a Custom Rim and tire shop and used to bring my dad boxes of old weights and my dad would put all the ones he finds with those and trade them in...

Re: Casting lead bullets
 

Wheelweights make great pistol bullets for magnum velocity rounds. They don't lead your barrel, you can fire them w/o gas checks, and they penetrate better than copper jacketed factory bullets.

I buy wws by the 5 gal bucket at tire stores. Some are brand new, others are takeoffs and are pretty beat-up. I wouldn't use wws I found on the side of the road, oil, sand, grit and salts etc are the main reasons; the less crap and pollutants that go into your melting pot, the better.

I have had good results with ww cast bullets that weren't even lubricated or gas checked in my .454 Casull. YMMV.

If you cast in a well ventilated area and exercise caution while you are around your melting pot, bullet casting can be a safe and interesting skill to acquire. Best of luck to you.

Re: Casting lead bullets
 

Or they can learn to be retards via the goobermint skools. :clap2: :clap2:
:haha: :haha:

Re: Casting lead bullets
 

I currently do not cast my own bullets however I do work at a car dealer and have a friend melt down all of the old wheel weights for me. He is retired and has a small electric furnace and 1 pound moulds so I have been hoarding these 1 pound lead bars for future use. I think I have about 200 bars so far.