Bullet lead

[enjenjo]

Any one here into reloading? I picked up a quantity of bullet lead today, made by National Lead, two alloys FS1336, and FS1086. I am trying to find out what the alloy percentages are. So far, nothing on the web, but I may not have come up with the right search term.

[kb426]

I know some people to ask. I'll try not to forget.

[enjenjo]

Thanks.

[kb426]

I'm not having any success yet. I have a few more people to track down but I'm not confident.

[Rrumbler]

I googled them and found that FS1336 is 60-40 body solder, according to
this forum:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/archive/index.php/t-12357.html

I didn't get any results for FS1086.

[Charlie Chops 1940]

Bullet lead probably has more of the lead poisoning so that if the hole doesn't kill the lead poisoning will get it done as a backup....

Well, could be.

[purplepickup]

I asked a guy that casts his own black powder bullets and he just uses old wheel weights he gets for free.  He said he doesn't care what alloy it is. But bullets are cheap to buy and he only casts them as a novelty.

Maybe your lead would be worth something as bartering material after the SHTF.

[Beck]

I cast quite a few muzzle loader slugs from wheel weights many years ago. I also had access to what was supposed to be pure sheet lead back then I made some from that also. Either way the deer got dead in the same amount of time. They looked the same, but the pure lead ones were softer. I fired may rounds into a clay bank and recovered some of the slugs. I don't think I ever compared the expansion of the two.

I prefer the bought muzzle loader bullets and have not cast any for years. My guns kept getting better. Out past 200 yd I wanted something with a little better aerodynamics.

The wheel weights really stink when melted. Like a fool I did that in my garage with the doors closed during the winter. NOT the thing to do! A fish fryer burner with a cast iron skillet does the trick. I have cast several weights for different things. I cast some small tractor weights. The part that hangs on the weight bar would occasionally bend. Just put them back in the pot and cast again. I would have liked for them to all weigh the same, which didn't happen.

[unklian]

Old wheel weights were a cheap source of Lead.

Now they have to be Lead free,
but there is no standard composition.

[kb426]

Rumbler, I found the formula towards the bottom of the page interesting. I don't know that I will ever use it but it's nice to know it's there.

[enjenjo]

I used that site as a starting point, and located another that gives similar results. I have another guy who is checking some old books, he said he would let me know tomorrow. Thanks for the help.