Alloys for bullet casting

Brian the Brit · Post by **Brian the Brit** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 4:26 pm

I had some luck yesterday when I found a local supplier of tin in 1Kg bars and chips. I went to them seeking to buy bar solder (60:40 lead/tin) but it just came up in the conversation that they had pure tin in stock. 1Kg of tin cost just over £12 including VAT.

As the Martini Henry bullet was made from an alloy of 12 parts lead to 1 part tin I set about casting some ingots of this alloy ready for the arrival of my Coyoté mould.

All went well but I couldn't help wondering afterwards if I was right to measure the metals by weight rather than by volume?

Brian

ajcarey · Post by **ajcarey** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 8:49 am

Brian,

I have always mixed my alloy by weight. If you are wrong, so am I.

aj

belgmart · Post by **belgmart** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 10:09 am

is more art than science - I always start with wheelweights, and add 25% lead, then some tin to improve flow. I don't use a lead/tin alloy - I'm cheap...

Also, when you go further than 20:1 lead/tin, there won't be any appreciable increase in bullet hardness - and tin is expensive! Hasn't hurt my shooting up to now.

dromia · Post by **dromia** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 2:39 pm

Aye, you don't need that much tin to get the desired fillout and hardening effect.

Maybe in the days when things were "cheap and tinny" tin was used more.

What a higher tin ration will give you is a slightly lighter bullet.

If AJ recommends that you measure by weight then the proper way is bound to be by volume.

Seriously though, I always measure my alloys by weight.

Alloys for bullet casting

Alloys for bullet casting

RE: Alloys for bullet casting

My casting....