onondaga
posted this
28 October 2015
http://www.castbulletassoc.org/view_user.php?id=7411>badammo
Hi,
Lyman #2 Alloy is 90% lead, 5% Antimony and 5% Tin. It is a hunting bullet alloy known for malleability and non fragmentation on game due to it's content. No amount of shot plus soft lead mixes even close to the BHN 15 of #2 or the malleability of #2. Both shot and soft lead are too soft and weak to be near #2 physical characteristics on impact with game.
I mix a recreational alloy that is BHN 15 and has the same POI on targets as my #2 alloy bullets but it fragments on game because of the tin content being too low for game bullet malleability without fragmentation. My recreational alloy is equal parts soft lead and Linotype scrap. It shoots great but I would never hunt Deer or Bear with it. Small game......sure.
Shot scrap alloy is generally Lead plus 2-3% Antimony and zero % Tin. Very precise heat treatment and quenching of shot scrap alloy can get you close to BHN 15 but it will be too brittle to use on dangerous game for pass through double caliber hole making or game for the meal table.
Certified #2 alloy with it's specific characteristics of strength and malleability is worth the money for hunting bullets if you eat game or hunt dangerous game. I get it from http://www.rotometals.com/product-p/lyman2.htm>http://www.rotometals.com/product-p/lyman2.htm or shop for it. There is no other alloy that expands double caliber and retains 100% weight when striking game animals with 1,000 and + foot pounds. Imitation alloys splatter into meat if they are too soft or crumble into meat if they are too hard without enough Tin for malleability.
Lyman #2 has been the first choice of cast bullet hunters over 100 years for those very reasons I mentioned, strength for hunting load ballistic pressure levels and pass through double caliber hole results on game.
Gary