using only wheel weights?
- Thread starter rbf420
- Start date
I've successfully used straight wheel weights for pistol bullets for many years at velocities up to 1425 fps. For rifle bullets, depends on the bullet design, lube, gas check or not, and velocity. I've shot wheel weight bullets in rifles at approx 2000 fps with gas checks and ALOX lube. Faster than that and you may begin to have serious problems and need special alloys.
DiscoRacing
New member
ive used straight ww in .40, .38, .357, and .44mag
You would not want to make it softer. Despite the antimony in it, it is pretty soft already. You may want to heat treat it (in oven) to make it harder. Nevertheless, the common practice is to add a little tin (elemental tin, sheet metal is not "tin"), to make the melt flow better in the casting process.
Elmer Keith and Skeeter Shelton Two of the pioneers of the modern cast bullets. Pushed a bullet of about wheel weight hardness pretty fast. I think slugging the barrel and the right lube have as much to do with good Bullets .As actual hardness. Having said that. Most loads for Rifle in my Lyman cast book recommend Lyno-type. I cast my first bullet in 1975. And one thing I have learned over the years. The variables in casting can mess a good Bullet or gun up fast. Mix of lead, Dia, of Bullet ,speed of Bullet as well as lube used.
trip_sticker
New member
That Lyman cast book you mentioned, does it have just load data in it or is there also plain reading to learn about alloy mixes and speeds and such? I'm still new to casting and I've been reading everything I can get my hands on. What info can I find in that Lyman book that I need?
IllinoisCoyoteHunter
New member
It has both loads and general casting information. It is the best one out there IMHO. Very, very good read, and I think a "must" for casters both experienced and new to the hobby.
I use wheelwights in everything.
That being said, I have no idea what I am doing. I just bought a 55 gallon drum of wheelweights at the junkyard and started casting bullets. Used them in all manor of revolvers and rifles. But, I never made any attempt to see how fast I could push them or anything. I was just using them for light practice loads.
That being said, I have no idea what I am doing. I just bought a 55 gallon drum of wheelweights at the junkyard and started casting bullets. Used them in all manor of revolvers and rifles. But, I never made any attempt to see how fast I could push them or anything. I was just using them for light practice loads.
trip_sticker
New member
Could someone tell me which edition of the Lyman cast bullet manual is the most current edition? I googled it and found tons of used ones available for less than $20 but I'd like to know what is the most recent??
Edward429451
Moderator
I cast SG slugs and use the plumbers lead scrap for those because it's basically pure lead. Little known secret, crawlspaces are a great place to find pure lead scrap leftover from the plumber's repairs. Old lead drain lines just laying there...add some 50/50 to harden it up for general use or use as is for SG slugs, 45/70 bullets, and roundballs for all you CAS shooters.
IllinoisCoyoteHunter
New member
I have the Third Edition Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook. Good stuff!
wncchester
New member
"using wheel weights, can you use straight ww's to cast bullets for guns such as the 30.06 and 9mm?"
Sure, you can use it. But...it really needs a bit of tin to cast AND shoot better.
Part of what happens during cooling/solidification of WW metal is the antimony crystalizes out before the lead solidifies. The (hard) antimony is then held in the lead as a two part matrix, much like rocks in concrete, leaving the exposed soft lead to smear onto a bore more than it should. That does't matter for wheel weights but it does for bullets. A little bit of tin changes the mixture into a real alloy and that makes MUCH better bullets.
"do you need to mix it with another alloy to make it softer?"
Wheel weights don't need to be softer so far as shooting it goes. It does have quite a bit more antimony than is actually needed, especially if you add the tin, so it's something of a waste that could help harden pure lead if you have some of that too.
Any of the older Lyman Cast Bullet handbooks are good, as is the NRA published "Cast bullets" by Harrison. It's out of print of course but Amazon's used book sellers usually have it available for reasonable prices. There is little new about bullet casting that the old guys didn't know.
Sure, you can use it. But...it really needs a bit of tin to cast AND shoot better.
Part of what happens during cooling/solidification of WW metal is the antimony crystalizes out before the lead solidifies. The (hard) antimony is then held in the lead as a two part matrix, much like rocks in concrete, leaving the exposed soft lead to smear onto a bore more than it should. That does't matter for wheel weights but it does for bullets. A little bit of tin changes the mixture into a real alloy and that makes MUCH better bullets.
"do you need to mix it with another alloy to make it softer?"
Wheel weights don't need to be softer so far as shooting it goes. It does have quite a bit more antimony than is actually needed, especially if you add the tin, so it's something of a waste that could help harden pure lead if you have some of that too.
Any of the older Lyman Cast Bullet handbooks are good, as is the NRA published "Cast bullets" by Harrison. It's out of print of course but Amazon's used book sellers usually have it available for reasonable prices. There is little new about bullet casting that the old guys didn't know.
IllinoisCoyoteHunter
New member
You sure about that..........
trip_sticker
New member
I agree with ya that the old timers know a lot about bullet casting and such but I was asking because all the reviews I've read concerning the Lyman manual complain about it only covering loads using Lyman molds and only have a select few load data tables for certain powders. I'm the type that tends to read tons before I spend a dollar. I insist on getting the most for my money and I will research for months before investing in anything I want to last a long time.