I've been a reloader for over 20 years but never really considered casting my own bullets. Just didn't want to get into the cost of equiptment, not real big on working with molten lead and not to mention the time involved which I really don't have.
However, with component costs steadily rising, today I saw that bucket of used wheel weights in the shop with a bit more interest. I can get pretty much all I want for free.
So somebody fill me in on using wheel weights to cast bullets. Is the alloy good as is or does it need a bit of "fixing"?

I use a 50/50 mix of clip-on WWs to stick-on WWS with a little chilled shot added (.2# per 4# of the mix, just in case I want to heat treat them at some point).

Even if you don't get into casting, you can probably trade your lead for some already cast bullets.

Heck, I just use straight wheel weights. Sometimes I may add some 50/50 solder to get some more tin in the mix, but not very often. I don't shoot much over 1000 fps.

wheel weights work fine for most shooting.
if you need a harder alloy, add solder as needed.
With wheel weights today you'll need to watch out for the nady dreaded zinc weights.
If your running your pot hot enough, you can melt them, which will turn everything in to heavy metal oatmeal

Tin is mostly for good fill out of the bullet.

If you want a harder bullet, you need Antimony or a little Arsenic. It's the Antimony that makes linotype harder, but the little bit of Arsenic in chilled shot will allow better response to heat treating.

Straight wheelweight works fine for just about any centerfire pistol cartridge.... especially 38 Special and 45 Long Colt.

quote:

Originally posted by Venom Ballistics:
wheel weights work fine for most shooting.
if you need a harder alloy, add solder as needed.
With wheel weights today you'll need to watch out for the nady dreaded zinc weights.
If your running your pot hot enough, you can melt them, which will turn everything in to heavy metal oatmeal

Keep the pot temp around 700 degress and all the S**T floats to the top where you can skim it off

700F and the zinc won't melt.

I used to add lino to the mix, but proper sizing - .001 over bore size - was really all I needed to do to prevent leading with straight wheel weights.

I have gas check rounds, but shooting Keiths of similar weight at magnum velocities don't lead for me, YMMV.

Look at an RCBS 11 Kilo furnace, they're worth it.

You got that right snapping twig! I run my 50/50 mix at some pretty healthy velocities and don't get leading. However, I size big with a Lyman 4500 and if I need to go a little smaller, I use a Lee push through sizing die for further reductions.

I also use Keith type bullets whenever possible, like 358429, .41-210 KT, 429421, .45-255 SWC and NEI .45-255 SWC. I have a 429215, but I don't think I've even cast with it, since I don't see a need for gas checks with properly sized bullets.

For the most part I use straight wheelweights. If I am going to go into the stratosphere velocity wise, I add a little Linotype to the pot for hardness. I cast only for handgun cartridges, even if shot in a rifle. I also use a homemade lube and get virtually no leading with my stuff. Like has been said earlier, use of Keith type bullets, sized for the gun and all works well.

Mine are by no means free really. I got over 450lbs one time for $30 and now when I take my service truck in to be repaired I take along a couple of empty 5gal buckets and we trade. I don't have to pay for the work to the truck and I get wheelweights, I guess that is at least "free to me".

I use straight wheel weights, if I want them harder I drop them out of the mould into a bucket of water.

These days , ya gotta sort thru them carefully. A lot of states are banning lead wheelweights and lead-free ones are quickly taking their place. These are mostly zinc and some even contain powdered tungsten. These will ruin a pot of otherwise good metal , as well as yer barrel.

Grayfox,

These guys know what they're talkin' about. The only thing they left out is that casting is just as much fun as reloading. It can be addictive! There are so many choices for bullets and moulds and powders, and technique.

It's also very satisfying if you shoot calibers over .454. The cost savings vs. buying jacketed bullets is tremendous, and the cast bullets are better....

I use straight WW and about 2% tin (95-5 Solder) for fill out. WW is plenty hard enough by itself for pistol/revolver cartridges. If I want my alloy a little harder then I water drop my boolits from the mould.
The dreaded zinc WW are hard to spot so I don’t worry about trying to sort through several buckets of WW to find them. I do pick out all of the stick on WW that I can find and keep them separate. Many of the stick on WW are almost pure lead and are very soft. Steel and zinc can be found in stick on WW now too.
If you keep your smelting temp down to just where it melts the lead WW, the zinc WW will float to the top of the melt and can be skimmed off with the clips and other trash.
I too have been a reloader for many years. I started casting not to long ago to offset the price of bullets. Like another said above, casting is as much fun as reloading.

Grayfox

I have been casting for awhile. Although I have not been at it long I have found that wheel wheights work fine by themselves. I have not picked through any of the buckets I have had no problem with the non lead weights melting. My pot will only get to about 600deg. I think that is leads melting point. Anyway its is alot of fun and good luck with it. I have had my .357's up around 1200fps. with no trouble using straight wheel weight lead.

Smithiac