Questions for the casters

[Mgderf]

A customer gave me what appears to be a bar of lead, but it is marked with the following,


Sn60 B.S. KESTER SOLDER E 1lb Sn60


So, I know it is solder, but what is the lead content, and what are the other alloys?
Can anyone help?

Thanks

 

[chillidip1]

Sn=Tin, so your solder is 60% tin and 40% lead

 

[Mgderf]

Bullet casters don't want tin, do they?

 

[AmmoManAaron]

Bullet casters don't want tin, do they?

Bite your tongue! Tin is the bees knees for alloying with lead. It is fairly expensive ($6 a pound or so) and to be given a 1 pound bar is a treat. Be nice to that customer in the future

 

[Mgderf]

Well, learn something new everyday!
Thanks!

 

[1980Harley]

I agree with the two above concerning tin in the alloy. Just 2% is enough to give really good bullet fill out in the mold.

 

[Leadeye]

Good stuff for mold flow out, mixing it with something like plumbers or roofing lead. Antimony is what really hardens lead. Stuff like foundry type or machined industrial counterweights can be hard enough to ring when you hit it.

 

[oldpink]

As was already mentioned by the knowledgeable casters, tin is one of the two metals customarily alloyed with lead to harden and/or produce better filled out bullets, although the other (antimony) is the one that serves to harden it the most.
Keep that tin and be grateful that you obtained a fairly large amount at no charge.

 

[djones]

Tin will harden lead but I like tin because it makes the alloy tougher. A good rifle bullet for hunting should be tough and malleable. Too much antimony will cause bullets to become brittle.

 

[NKBJ]

Yeah, antimony and other adjuncts can give you a bullet that fractures while mushrooming at close range and doesn't expand long range.
The crystal structure of adjuncts as they solidify while the lead is yet molten does some strange things when you are trying to get good clean filled castings and also strange things when hitting flesh and bone.
But a little bit of tin doesn't produce hardness so much as good flow characteristics to fill out the mold.

 

[Mgderf]

Great information, and even more good news.
I got hold of a casting buddy and he is quite excited about getting the bar of solder, but I got a bonus.
Another friend just dropped me off about 17lbs of reclaimed plumbers lead.
This is stuff that was poured into a cast iron pipe joint on top of oakum.
I would bet this stuff is really close to pure lead.

It's nice to have generous friends.
I'll get some nice new cast boolits for my troubles...

 

[Leadeye]

Lead is good.

 

[Michigan Slim]

Neighbor gave me 400 pounds of linotype a few years back. Makes a real pretty rifle bullet! I mix it 20-1 with pure lead. Another buddy gave me 1000 pounds of the pure stuff. Another buddy gave me 750 pounds of WW lead. I think my garage floor is sinking.

 

[Leo]

Neighbor gave me 400 pounds of linotype a few years back. Makes a real pretty rifle bullet! I mix it 20-1 with pure lead. Another buddy gave me 1000 pounds of the pure stuff. Another buddy gave me 750 pounds of WW lead. I think my garage floor is sinking.

Don't let the EPA types get wind of your stock, they will throw you out and declare your house a Hazmat site.

 

[Michigan Slim]

500 lbs casted in the den too.