Can I use this lead to cast bullets?

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  • Last Post 12 August 2018
usmc0811 posted this 28 July 2018

A friend of mine gave me this lead. Most of it is fishing weights and some is battery cable connectors, pure lead pipe and one thing looks like a bottle of some sort but not sure if it is even lead seem really hard and sounds different than the typical thud sound of pure lead when it with something. Could I use any of this to cast my bullets? Would I need to add any other alloy to harden up some? 

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joeb33050 posted this 28 July 2018

No.

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Ross Smith posted this 29 July 2018

Throw the bottle away and send the rest to me for my muzzle loaders

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45 2.1 posted this 29 July 2018

You see some of the strangest things on the internet....................................confused

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usmc0811 posted this 29 July 2018

No.

Could you give a little more detail as to why not? Im trying to learn as much as I can, thanks.

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usmc0811 posted this 29 July 2018

Throw the bottle away and send the rest to me for my muzzle loaders

What do you think the bottle looking thing is?

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usmc0811 posted this 29 July 2018

You see some of the strangest things on the internet....................................confused

Whats strange??

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Ross Smith posted this 29 July 2018

He said it clanked instead of thudded so I figgered it too hard, the others are mostly lead. Tooth paste tubes  and all kinds of things and containers used to be made of lead. Into the 1950's. It's amazing that we survived.

 

Fun aside, melt it down and see how hard it is. For my muzzleloaders I would melt it and not flux it, just skim the dross,hoping to get rid of the stuff that makes it hard. I'm willing to bet it is soft and would need to be alloyed for centerfire guns. But I'm not scientifc on that account, I would just mix it with my other junk and wheel weights, heavy on the wheel weights.

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2coldhere posted this 29 July 2018

Depending on what you're going to use it in a soft bullet could work.  Could cast some .38 Spl., coat with Lee Liquid Alox and you would be out of all that lead in a short time.

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45 2.1 posted this 29 July 2018

You see some of the strangest things on the internet....................................confused

Whats strange??

 

The no answer. Depending on what you want to do, it can be used as is for several handgun cartridges or alloy with a harder lead for most other uses.

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Brodie posted this 29 July 2018

Don't dump that bottle before you have it checked out.  It could be worth a small pile of money.

The only way you will learn anything from Joe Is to buy his book that is the only way he he is willing to give up any knowledge.

B.E.Brickey

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Ross Smith posted this 29 July 2018

That really old Coot is right, its antique value is probably worth  more than a couple bullets.

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RicinYakima posted this 29 July 2018

Most likely an acid reagent flask from before plastics were invented. Does it have value? Don't have a clue.

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David Reiss posted this 29 July 2018

Where the no came from, I have no clue. Yes you can use them, it is all mostly soft lead though, so some alloying with WWs, linotype or something else will be needed to use with most centerfire loads. 

David Reiss - NRA Life Member & PSC Range Member Retired Police Firearms Instructor/Armorer
-Services: Wars Fought, Uprisings Quelled, Bars Emptied, Revolutions Started, Tigers Tamed, Assassinations Plotted, Women Seduced, Governments Run, Gun Appraisals, Lost Treasure Found.
- Also deal in: Land, Banjos, Nails, Firearms, Manure, Fly Swatters, Used Cars, Whisky, Racing Forms, Rare Antiquities, Lead, Used Keyboard Keys, Good Dogs, Pith Helmets & Zulu Headdresses. .

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usmc0811 posted this 29 July 2018

Most likely an acid reagent flask from before plastics were invented. Does it have value? Don't have a clue.

It is a solid piece of metal with no actual opening, but not sure what kind of metal.

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usmc0811 posted this 29 July 2018

Depending on what you're going to use it in a soft bullet could work.  Could cast some .38 Spl., coat with Lee Liquid Alox and you would be out of all that lead in a short time.

Yes I plan on just casting the following handgun loads,.38/.37  .45acp  .40  .380  9mm all on the light side.

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vmwilson posted this 29 July 2018

Few years back I got a couple hundred pounds of battery terminal connectors and they made some nice bullets but were around 16-17 BHN.  Wish I still had that source!

Mike

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joeb33050 posted this 29 July 2018

I meant to say yes.

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John Alexander posted this 29 July 2018



 

"The only way you will learn anything from Joe Is to buy his book that is the only way he he is willing to give up any knowledge."

Just to set the record straight, the CBA is the only one that makes a little profit on the sale of Joe's books. He gave us the opportunity free.   The book is also available on line for free if you want to do all that printing yourself.

John

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GP Idaho posted this 30 July 2018

I just want to say that there are a few here at the CBA that have gone far and above to be helpful to me in this cast bullet hobby and Joe is right there with the  best. His book is by far the most comprehensive how to book I own and I appreciate what he's shown me, sold me and given me in the last few years. Just want to thank those that have helped me along. Gp

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David Reiss posted this 30 July 2018

In addition to Joe's kind permission to print & sell his book, he has spent numerous hours of cast bullet testing and shared his results on this forum. You may or may not have use for this data, but nevertheless it is shared for all to see. So as to Joe sharing his knowledge, he has went far out of his way to do so.

David Reiss - NRA Life Member & PSC Range Member Retired Police Firearms Instructor/Armorer
-Services: Wars Fought, Uprisings Quelled, Bars Emptied, Revolutions Started, Tigers Tamed, Assassinations Plotted, Women Seduced, Governments Run, Gun Appraisals, Lost Treasure Found.
- Also deal in: Land, Banjos, Nails, Firearms, Manure, Fly Swatters, Used Cars, Whisky, Racing Forms, Rare Antiquities, Lead, Used Keyboard Keys, Good Dogs, Pith Helmets & Zulu Headdresses. .

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