I have used wheel weights for my cast bullets for years. All i do is flux and pour. I have never had any problems. How about every one else? I have found that more of the weights these days are of a nickel mix that you can't use (they look "painted"). The tire store I get them from ($15 a bucket) said the epa will outlaw them before long. I am stocking up.
wheel weights
- Thread starter aeronca
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
I have a 2 1/2 gallon bucket of wheel weights I gathered up a few years ago. I never got into casting, though, but I still might.
My question for you, though, is: 11AC or 7AC? Chief or Champ? I owned a 1948 11AC, N86313, back in the late 60s or early 70s. Lots of fun.
My question for you, though, is: 11AC or 7AC? Chief or Champ? I owned a 1948 11AC, N86313, back in the late 60s or early 70s. Lots of fun.
Skip Sackett
US Veteran
aeronca,
I had to do a search to find out what all that 7AC, 11AC and N86313 stuff meant before I could answer your posts!
I thought you were talking about some kind of reloading stuff I had no clue about. There is plenty of stuff I don't know about reloading, but I thought I was really behind the old eight ball on this one!
At any rate, to answer your first question about casting. I started out doing things just like you. Load the pot, flux, pour. What I got was frustrated. I use Lee bottom pour pots and they were always "leaking" when I did like you. Not that that is solved 100% by doing what I do now, but it helps.
I use a turkey fryer burner with a cast iron pot to "smelt" my wheel weights now. Much easier to separate clips and flux this way. Then I make ingots and store for future use. Keeps my pots cleaner when I want to make bullets. Lets me make more bullets in less amount of time, kinda!
As for price, I get 5 gallon buckets for free when I get my work van serviced. I have paid from $10 to $20 per bucket before though. I ran into a sweat deal awhile back. A local tire store's recycler contract expired and the new one wouldn't pick up any wheel weights that were left in the old one's buckets. Right place, right time, got over 500lbs of wheel weights for $30.
Needless to say, I haven't gotten all of them converted into bullets yet!
I had to do a search to find out what all that 7AC, 11AC and N86313 stuff meant before I could answer your posts!
I thought you were talking about some kind of reloading stuff I had no clue about. There is plenty of stuff I don't know about reloading, but I thought I was really behind the old eight ball on this one!
At any rate, to answer your first question about casting. I started out doing things just like you. Load the pot, flux, pour. What I got was frustrated. I use Lee bottom pour pots and they were always "leaking" when I did like you. Not that that is solved 100% by doing what I do now, but it helps.
I use a turkey fryer burner with a cast iron pot to "smelt" my wheel weights now. Much easier to separate clips and flux this way. Then I make ingots and store for future use. Keeps my pots cleaner when I want to make bullets. Lets me make more bullets in less amount of time, kinda!
As for price, I get 5 gallon buckets for free when I get my work van serviced. I have paid from $10 to $20 per bucket before though. I ran into a sweat deal awhile back. A local tire store's recycler contract expired and the new one wouldn't pick up any wheel weights that were left in the old one's buckets. Right place, right time, got over 500lbs of wheel weights for $30.
Needless to say, I haven't gotten all of them converted into bullets yet!
I also have a problem with my lee pot leaking. I use a coleman stove and a cast iron pot to make my ingots. I use lyman and rcbs bullet lube. They both seem to keep lead fouling to a minimum. I just got 2 5gal buckets of weights for free with more on the way. By the way GOD BLESS AMERICA. We dont say that as much as we should.
jrm53
Member
I have used ww since I started casting but I mix a little bar solder in my pot. I rode through my first spin in an Aeronca Defender.
HAWKEYE10
Member
its been 25 or 30 years since i did any casting and i know things change. i used a rcbs bottom pour pot and it never leaked. maybe someone on this forum can tell us if the rcbs pot is as good as it once was.
don
Paul5388
US Veteran
I don't think any of them won't leak.
The solution I use on my Lee bottom pour (courtesy of Rigmarol on handloads.com) is a set of hemostats clamped on the cleaning screw. When it drips, I just give the hemostats a bump with my hand or the sprue mallet and keep on casting.
The solution I use on my Lee bottom pour (courtesy of Rigmarol on handloads.com) is a set of hemostats clamped on the cleaning screw. When it drips, I just give the hemostats a bump with my hand or the sprue mallet and keep on casting.
