Spindrift
Well-Known Member
So far, I’ve been casting with nuclear medicine lead, since I have a good source for it at my local hospital (where I work). It is around BHN 15, a very versatile alloy. But for some reason, my alloy will only fill out well at ridicilously high temps.
Anyway, I made an arrangement with a local indoor range, where they shoot .22 subsonics, and a little airgun pellets. Actually, they shoot almost exclusively RWS .22lr (contents of bullet traps should be very consistent). I can come there, and retrieve lead from the bullet traps. This club is a non-profit club that teach kids rifle shooting, so I gladly pay them a little for the lead.
Smelted a bunch of these .22 bullets , mixed with 2% pewter and cast a few bullets. Now, this was something else! Very good fill-out, at normal casting temperatures. Tried some «difficult» moulds, and got almost no culls.
I tested BHN on fresh bullets. Air cooled and water quenced actually read the same, BHN 8. Then I tested the same bullets today, after about 10 days; BHN 12. A bit harder than I had expected, actually. Should be an excellent allround alloy. And castability is so much better than what I have been using so far. I think my general bullet quality should increase with this alloy.
Will shoot some tomorrow
Anyway, I made an arrangement with a local indoor range, where they shoot .22 subsonics, and a little airgun pellets. Actually, they shoot almost exclusively RWS .22lr (contents of bullet traps should be very consistent). I can come there, and retrieve lead from the bullet traps. This club is a non-profit club that teach kids rifle shooting, so I gladly pay them a little for the lead.
Smelted a bunch of these .22 bullets , mixed with 2% pewter and cast a few bullets. Now, this was something else! Very good fill-out, at normal casting temperatures. Tried some «difficult» moulds, and got almost no culls.
I tested BHN on fresh bullets. Air cooled and water quenced actually read the same, BHN 8. Then I tested the same bullets today, after about 10 days; BHN 12. A bit harder than I had expected, actually. Should be an excellent allround alloy. And castability is so much better than what I have been using so far. I think my general bullet quality should increase with this alloy.
Will shoot some tomorrow