Pewter?

[Drm50]

I came across posts of guys looking for pewter. I keep going back to see what
purpose it serves in bullet alloy. It so happens I have several lbs. but never
used it to cast bullets. Anybody going to tell me the secret? I live in a area that
had many industries. I loaded a lot of ammo that was not available at the time.
Guys were always dropping me off lead. Many times it was not lead. I have tin,
Babbitt, Linotype, and various kinds of name brand bearing metals. Pewter is
not that hard to get in these parts. Go to flea markets, all kind of creamers,mugs
ect. that you can buy cheaper than lead,if you've the time.

 

[Beagle333]

Pewter is a great source of tin, which is used to make lead flow better. It allows better fillout in the corners of the molds, resulting in sharper bases and lube grooves and better looking hollow points. It lowers the surface tension of lead and allows it to spread out against the mold better. It doesn't take much in bullet alloy to do the job. Only 2% makes a huge difference. And 2% is the number used by a lot of people as how much tin (pewter) they want in their alloy. Pewter from hallmarked stamped items (Daalderop, Preisner, Woodbury, Leonard, International, Stieff, Boardman etc), are just about 95% tin content. Items like pitchers, tea pots, cups, bowls, plates, tankards.

Other items, RWP, Pewtarex, or Wilton Armetale look like pewter, but are not pewter.

Here is the ultimate thread on "Is it pewter?"
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?127929-Pewter-pictures-and-hallmarks

 

[Drm50]

Pewter

Thanks for info on pewter. I was beginning to think you guys were making
anti-zombie bullets. I have a good bit of tin, from tin-plate operation that
folded. That's been my additive. I'll keep pewter in reserve.
Thanks DRM50

 

[dickttx]

I have been reading about pewter and how available it is also. However, we go to lots of estate sales and even a small saucer they want $35 for.

 

[Drm50]

Pewter ware

Some time ago pewter was outlawed from eating utensils. From viewing some
of the posts, I noticed pieces where decorative type. I have noticed the little
plain Jane coffee creamers that once set around every "greasy spoon" in the
country, can usually be bought for 10-25 cents. Several times I have went on
the hunt for it to pour nose- caps for muzzle loaders. Is tin hard to get in your
area?

 

[chris in va]

I've sourced pewter from peddlers malls, usually mugs and candlesticks. I did discover that tin and pure lead aren't good for 9mm...too soft. Fine for 45 though.

 

[DR Owl Creek]

I've been looking for pewter in my area for quite awhile, but it's kind'a hard to find. I lucked out not long ago in a little antique/flea market type of shop. I picked up a four piece set of Metawa (made in Holland) pitcher, tea pot, creamer, and sugar bowl for $15.00. The four pieces weighed about 3.3 pounds total. Another place I bought an English made glass bottomed tankard for $1.00. It weighed about a half pound. I almost giggled like a little girl.

Dave

 

[dahermit]

...Babbitt... various kinds of name brand bearing metals.

All contain Tin and are useful for hardening lead bullet alloys.

 

[DR Owl Creek]

The link to the thread that Beagle posted is a really good one. Make sure you check it out. It helped me a lot.

I won't buy anything as pewter unless it has a "hallmark" of some kind. Some items that mfg's claim to be pewter really isn't. The 'hallmark" helps insure you aren't wasting your money. I also prefer the "food grade" pewter such as plates, pitchers, bowls, etc. because, like Beagle said, it's usually 95% tin. Item such as figurines, ornaments, candle sticks, etc. may be only about 90% to 92% tin, but sometimes other metals than pewter.

I usually test what I buy with a propane torch before I melt in down with other known pewter. The "food grade" pewter I've tested when hit with the yellow tip of the flame of the torch will liquefy in about 3 seconds. Some of the figurines may take as long as 7 seconds. Some items that had stickers stating they were pewter wouldn't even liquefy after 20 seconds. Those went in the scrap box.

With 99.9% pure tin costing $18.00 to $19.00 per pound now, pewter makes casting much more cost effective.

Dave

 

[bangerjim]

MODERN pewter ware is a good source of Sn............if you can find it! Guys brag all the time about finding modern food service ware at yard sales and junk stores. Most I have ever seen is old valuable hallmarked antique stuff. And I keep that for the antique value! Any pewter I have found is at the scrap yards...for a buck a pound.

Do check out Beagle's link above. And be VERY careful in junk stores, as it takes a very educated eye to know if it is pewter and not aluminum club ware. Pewter will normally be well marked, even the new stuff. Read the bottoms carefully!

Sn adds good fill-out properties to your castings as it lowers the surface tension of the molten lead and allows it to flow into the mold cavities much easier. It adds very little hardness but is definitely needed. Get your hardness from Sb.

Even good old COWW's need some. I have the found 0.5% Sn (standard in most WW's) is just not quite enough to get excellent castings and nice sharp lube grooves.

There are over 40 different alloys of "Babbitt" that I have found so far! Do a web search for it and you can find some very good charts that show the various alloys %'s and their common names. Most ingots of it you find will be foundry marked with the trade name and grade # which is very helpful in our search for sweetening alloys.