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I have inherited 100 lbs of Lawrence Brand Magnum lead shot. Does anybody know if this is pure lead or a harder alloy? My intent is to melt it down, add whatever is needed, and use it to cast handgun bullets. A known BHN would be helpful.


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I'm told this comes from Mayco Industries & is 92-6-2 alloy which is 15 BHN.

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Thanks Creeker,
That should make some fine bullets as is......maybe with just a touch more tin to help fill out the mold.


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No need to add anything other than heat to get it to fill out. You could cut it with pure or range scrap if you want to make it go a little further, or use as is.

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If what I'm told is true Doug the shot would be 2% tin & that is really plenty for complete "fill out". I would try it first. If water dropped in cold water it would text bout 22 BHN.

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Thanks Creeker and Lott,
Sounds like I’ve got a good alloy to make a bunch of bullets for my 44 magnums. I do appreciate your replies and oh yeah “Merry Christmas”!


If we live long enough, we all have regrets. But the ones that nag at us the most are the ones in which we know we had a choice.

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Doesnt "magnum" shot have antimony?


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Originally Posted by Crockettnj
Doesnt "magnum" shot have antimony?


I believe 6%.

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I would balance the value of magnum shot versus cheaper lead alloys before melting it down for bullets. It may well be advantageous to sell it and buy wheel weight material which we know is heat treatable if hard bullets is the goal.


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I have a notion there used to be another metal alloyed with lead meant for shot which helped it form rounder spheres when dropped from shot towers by increasing the surface tension. I think it was 0.1 to 0.2 percent arsenic. This made recovered lead shot a bad source for casting lead because that also interferes with good fill-out in the corners. Perhaps this is no longer done. Maybe one o' the older guys will recall what i'm thinking of and let "us" know if that's still the case.

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Originally Posted by T_O_M
I have a notion there used to be another metal alloyed with lead meant for shot which helped it form rounder spheres when dropped from shot towers by increasing the surface tension. I think it was 0.1 to 0.2 percent arsenic. This made recovered lead shot a bad source for casting lead because that also interferes with good fill-out in the corners. Perhaps this is no longer done. Maybe one o' the older guys will recall what i'm thinking of and let "us" know if that's still the case.

Tom


I was going to bring this up also. I recall reading about arsenic in lead shot, but I'm not sure when or where I read it. Maybe the Lyman 2nd Edition Cast Bullet Handbook. Maybe not.


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"The current technique for manufacturing shot pellets is accomplished with the Bliemeister method. This method eliminates the need for a shot tower.

The steps to produce round pellets are:

Molten lead passes through successive screens that are repeatedly agitated.
Lead droplets fall less than one inch into hot water (as opposed to a ten-story drop).
The near-spherical pellets roll down an incline and are sorted by shape.
The nonrounded, rejected shapes are recycled and remelted."

http://projects.nfstc.org/firearms/module05/fir_m05_t05_04.htm

"Lead pellets may be plated with copper or nickel before loading. A tough outer coating helps protect the pellets from deformation. This step is reserved for premium-grade ammunition."

Last edited by kellory; 12/27/17.

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A few bags of Magnum shot is handy to have on hand as it's an ideal alloy for magnum level pistol bullets just as it is.

But it's expensive to buy, so if I have some I keep it in the original bags and use it to blend with softer alloys...It's good to have some known alloy around.

I blend my alloy lower by at least 50% to run around 2-3% Antimony and 1% tin and use it for just about anything except heavy magnum pistol or rifle bullets.

A 3% - 1% alloy will not have any issues whether water dropped or powder coated or not, and a softer alloy will often shoot tighter groups depending on your barrel.

As part of my normal casting procedure, I also harden my bullets by dropping them in water out of the mold and I powder coat all my bullets, so leading is never a problem regardless of the alloy I use.

Water dropping takes no additional time or effort and makes them about as hard as the 6% alloy air-cooled bullets and that's more than hard enough.

92-6-2 is the standard "hardball formula" that is most often recommended, but using straight magnum alloy for lower pressure loads in anything is using a better and more expensive alloy than is necessary for most handgun loads.



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For what it's worth, that shot is going for about $40/bag. Sell it at your local trap club and buy some quality casting linotype or reclaimed paperweight lead.
If you were close to me, I'd trade.


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