I'd be interested to know how much the ball you are casting actually weigh. Pure lead - as pure as we can get here without buying lab samples - SHOULD cast a .457" ball about 145/6gr.

Some of the ball I've cast using 'lead' flashing offcuts have weighed around 125gr or so.

Plainly, what we are looking at here, as far as flashing lead is concerned, is not lead as we know it, Jim.

The best stuff I've ever had came out of our old house in Chester - the pre-WW1 plumbing. That stuff was pure gold to a caster, if you'll forgive me mixing metaphors.

You might get better results fluxing with a small piece of beeswax, or maybe borax powder.

tac