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Joined: Mar 2017
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OP
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Joined: Mar 2017
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Hello folks. I'm new to the Campfire and this is my 1st post on the muzzle loading forum. I hope I am in the right neck of the woods for my question. So here goes. I am gonna start tackling hand loading for my Martini Henry 577/450. Gonna do the whole nine yards of sizing down 24 gauge brass shells and casting my own bullets. I have never cast bullets. I have been reading up a bit and watched some YouTube videos on the subject. My questions lie in the lead. A rather informative video said 20 parts lead to 1 part tin. This was the particular ratio for only the 577/450 and nothing else. I live in Phoenix AZ and lead ain't cheap or easy to come by. Guess I ain't the 1st guy to stop by a few tire shops and ask about buying old wheel weights. Can I use the large bags of chilled shot for my needs? Just good old 7.5 or 8s bought 25 pound bags? Is the lead mix proper of lead shot for my bullets? What about antimony? Was told it was not needed for 577/450 but more so for say like a 303 or so(it was British military videos). Can you guys point me in the right direction? Thank you DaveO.
Last edited by Zengela; 04/23/17.
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 14,040
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 14,040 |
lead alloyed already is available on ebay. don't think i'd go the shot route.
the consolidation of the states into one vast republic, sure to be aggressive abroad and despotic at home, will be the certain precursor of that ruin which has overwhelmed all those that have preceded. Robert E Lee ~Molɔ̀ːn Labé Skýla~
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Joined: Sep 2011
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 45,132 |
You may want to try posting your question in the Bullet Casting forum in the reloading section further down the list here on the campfire. http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/forums/18/1/Bullet_CastingLoads of experts there I bet. Probably even a few with Martini's Good luck, Geno
The desert is a true treasure for him who seeks refuge from men and the evil of men. In it is contentment In it is death and all you seek (Quoted from "The Bleeding of the Stone" Ibrahim Al-Koni)
member of the cabal of dysfunctional squirrels?
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 31,613
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 31,613 |
^^^^^ What Geno said!!!^^^^^^
Good luck!!!! Sounds like fun times ahead!!!
Founder Ancient Order of the 1895 Winchester
"Come, shall we go and kill us venison? And yet it irks me the poor dappled fools, Being native burghers of this desert city, Should in their own confines with forked heads Have their round haunches gored."
WS
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,875
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,875 |
Look up Roninphx, he's in your area, and he casts bullets, and he's a good guy with a lot of gun savvy,he will shorten your learning curve a bunch. Thank me later.
Rio7
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Joined: Mar 2017
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OP
Campfire Member
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OK guys thanks. EBay looks to be the way to go.
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 10,896
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 10,896 |
Chilled shot is not a good route to go..as others have said go to ebay and get some good decent alloy or pure lead.Stay away from modern wheel weights as the high zinc content is bad juju.Should you want to mix your own alloy a good source of pure tin bars is Rotometals
You better be afraid of a ghost!!
"Woody you were baptized in prop wash"..crossfireoops
Woody
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,090
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,090 |
Clip-on wheel weights- yes. Stick-on wheel weights are soft nearly pure lead- ok as a basis for further alloying. Zinc wheel wheel wights- death to your alloy. Avoid at all costs. 1-20 tin/lead- a little bit of a waste of tin. 1-30 would be just fine for your needs.
If in doubt, start out by buying some soft relatively pure tin and enough tin to work up a small-ish batch of 1-30 alloy and take it from there.
In a black powder cartridge such as yours, there's no need to cast hard-as-nails bullets; soft is ok. Size them to perfectly match your throat (ignoring the groove diameter), lube them with a black powder-friendly soft lube (if shooting black powder, and there's no reason not to), fill the case with enough black powder so the bullet just starts to crush it when seating. All that = the basics for what you're up to.
Last edited by gnoahhh; 04/24/17.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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