|
|
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,225
Campfire Regular
|
OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,225 |
Looking for some antimony to harden some virgin lead
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 89
Campfire Greenhorn
|
Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 89 |
I have some. how much do you need? It doesn't take much you know. I have about a one or two pound bottle of fine grain. I don't remember the ratio but I think it was just a small pinch per five pounds of lead. You'll need to calculate what you need.
Last edited by Brakeman97; 10/05/23. Reason: additional detail
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 240
Campfire Member
|
Campfire Member
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 240 |
I have very limited experience casting bullets. What I've read, is that straight antimony melts at a much higher temperature than lead, so it's difficult to add strait antimony to lead. I think most folks buy super hard that's like 30% antimony and use that to harden soft lead.
Maybe you know more about it than I do. If so, disregard my suggestion.
It might be lonely at the top, but it's a bitch at the bottom.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,087
Campfire Ranger
|
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,087 |
It's a real PIA to alloy pure antimony into pure lead. Antimony melts at a much higher temperature, like 1167 degrees - pretty ferocious, if even possible with most hobbyist lead melting gear. You melt that stuff first and then add the lead. Once it's in solution then you can resort to "normal" melting/casting protocols. Guys I've known who've done it pissed and moaned and swore "never again". You'll still have to add a little tin to promote mold fillout anyway probably. Printing type alloys all contain a small percentage of tin in addition to antimony (and arsenic, but we won't go there).
Depending on your end needs of course, a simple tin/lead alloy is simple, easy, and can cover about 90% of all bullet hardness needs, rifle and pistol. Example: if simple handgun bullets are in the offing 1:10 tin:lead is sufficient some pretty hot loads (Elmer Keith espoused it), 1:20 good for warm loads, and 1:30 is plenty hard for low velocity target loads (check the hardness of factory .38 wadcutters and get back to me).
If you're hellbent on super hard bullets (very little actual justification, that), then do as suggested and snag some monotype or linotype and go from there.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
|
|
|
|
263 members (163bc, 160user, 257_X_50, 10gaugemag, 2500HD, 69sportfury, 17 invisible),
1,836
guests, and
978
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums81
Topics1,191,625
Posts18,474,113
Members73,941
|
Most Online11,491 Jul 7th, 2023
|
|
|
|
|