Author Topic: Alloy (Read 4156 times)

Holsterguy · « **on:** March 18, 2018, 07:34:28 AM »

What's you guys preferred alloy for 44-40 and 45 colt with black powder? Kinda thinkin 25-1 or 30-1 lead to tin.

hellgate · « **Reply #1 on:** March 18, 2018, 07:57:15 AM »

Rifle or revolver?
If youhave the bullets sized properly to the bore it won’t make much difference in the rifle. For the revolver it is best to be sure the forcing cones on the cylinder are not smaller than the bore. Ream them to match (cant rememberif it is to the bore or a thou over) the bore and again, it wont matter a whole lot. If I had to pick id go wth the harder of the two alloys. Both are soft enough to bump up to bore diameter unless you are way off bore size. If you get leading the softer stuff is easier toremove. You are gonna need lots of lube on those boolits to keep the rifle from fouling out on you.

Holsterguy · « **Reply #2 on:** March 18, 2018, 08:34:21 AM »

Both rifle and pistol in 44-40, pistol only in 45lc.

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Dave T · « **Reply #3 on:** March 18, 2018, 01:09:39 PM »

I read yers ago that the original alloy for the 45 Colt round was 20-1. That's what I used for that cartridge, the 44 WCF and the 44 Russian, back when I could do that stuff. All shot extremely well with no leading to speak of.

Dave

reno · « **Reply #4 on:** March 18, 2018, 02:07:09 PM »

I agree with Dave, as I cast a blend of 9 lbs. wheel weights or pure led with 1 lb. 50/50 souilder, 20 to 1 and it is a great bullet for 44/40, 45 Colt 38/40, or any of the old west loads.

Reno

Lumpy Grits · « **Reply #5 on:** March 18, 2018, 06:50:28 PM »

I've had very good results with 30:1, and use DGL for lube.
LG

OD#3 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 19, 2018, 06:07:16 PM »

I have no idea what my alloy is. I get all the .22 cal. splash I want from a friend who runs a college shooting class where almost all the shooting is done with .22 LR. The backstop is steel, and the splatter falls into traps at the bottom. I suppose it may have some tin in it, but it is very soft and close to pure lead, as far as I can tell. Regardless, I cast everything with this stuff, and I've never had trouble with fill-out in the mold or leading. Personally, I think too much is made of exact alloy ratios. I've found that as long as I get good fill-out, and the bullets are clean and well-formed, there's either enough tin in the melt to accomplish that, or my casting temperature is adequate. Either way, my personal experience is that soft is good, and I've yet to get leading with any blackpowder round I've ever loaded. I can see where alloy percentages might be more pertinent in hunting applications, or when casting for higher pressure smokeless; terminal performance needs to be predictable in these applications. But I really think that we make a bigger deal out of alloy ratios than we need to when we're casting for just target shooting, competition, or plinking.

Lumpy Grits · « **Reply #7 on:** March 19, 2018, 06:17:35 PM »

Alloy and it's consistency, is very important to long range BPCR competitors for accuracy.
LG

Holsterguy · « **Reply #8 on:** March 19, 2018, 06:48:40 PM »

Thanks for all the replies guys!

Lumpy Grits · « **Reply #9 on:** March 19, 2018, 07:11:51 PM »

You're WELCOME!
Good luck,
LG

Ranch 13 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 19, 2018, 08:00:18 PM »

Quote from: Holsterguy on March 18, 2018, 07:34:28 AM

What's you guys preferred alloy for 44-40 and 45 colt with black powder? Kinda thinkin 25-1 or 30-1 lead to tin.

20-1 or 16-1 if you're mixing or buying alloy.
9 lbs wheel weights and 1 lb pure lead if you have good ww's.

Noz · « **Reply #11 on:** March 20, 2018, 10:06:52 AM »

You guys are thinking too hard.

WWs for any bullet and pure lead for round balls.

Long range then maybe worry about the alloy. Everything else, pour them and shoot them.

Lumpy Grits · « **Reply #12 on:** March 20, 2018, 10:40:26 AM »

Today's WW's, are made of Zinc.

This started a couple of yrs ago.
LG

Noz · « **Reply #13 on:** March 20, 2018, 04:21:56 PM »

You have to be picky but you can still find a large percentage of lead in a big bucketfull. Sort out what you want and take the rest back to the recycler.

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · « **Reply #14 on:** March 20, 2018, 05:30:33 PM »

Easy to tell. Heat 'em up, and if they float they must be ZINC. Fish 'em out and continue with what melted!

Noz · « **Reply #15 on:** March 20, 2018, 07:44:49 PM »

Quote from: Sir Charles deMouton-Black on March 20, 2018, 05:30:33 PM

Easy to tell. Heat 'em up, and if they float they must be tin. Fish 'em out and continue with what melted!

Don't you mean zinc?

Cliff Fendley · « **Reply #16 on:** March 21, 2018, 09:12:01 AM »

Quote from: Lumpy Grits on March 20, 2018, 10:40:26 AM

Today's WW's, are made of Zinc.
This started a couple of yrs ago.
LG

A lot of them are but still over 50% of the ones I get are lead. Have to sort them which is a pita to get out the zinc and steel ones.

Cliff Fendley · « **Reply #17 on:** March 21, 2018, 09:14:01 AM »

Quote from: Sir Charles deMouton-Black on March 20, 2018, 05:30:33 PM

Easy to tell. Heat 'em up, and if they float they must be tin. Fish 'em out and continue with what melted!

No you have to be very careful because if you melt a zinc one it ruins the entire batch of lead. Steel ones are no big deal they'll just float to the top, zinc ones will melt a little higher than the temp lead melts.

Sir Charles deMouton-Black · « **Reply #18 on:** March 21, 2018, 09:48:56 AM »

Quote from: Noz on March 20, 2018, 07:44:49 PM

Don't you mean zinc?

YUP! Corrected.

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Author Topic: Alloy (Read 4156 times)

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