How pure is my lead?

[JB101]

I would always recommend fluxing every batch of lead being melted .
The ingot break does not look right but as you said could be because it was hot when dropped and broke.
If the lead is pure in the pot you’ll notice an almost iridescent finish on the surface of the melt.
Could be that you need to turn the heat up a bit in the pot .
No doubt you’ll get more replies from people with a lot more experience of casting than myself.
ATB
James

[TALL]

is the range scrap all slugs or various cals of bullets?

[tinbum]

is the range scrap all slugs or various cals of bullets?

All sorts including lots of lead dust from the knock-down hoppers

[TALL]

range scrap is usually very hard, not good for slugs,
roofing lead and pipe is a good source of pure-ish lead,
yours will make nice rifle bullets,
good luck,
T

[tinbum]

range scrap is usually very hard, not good for slugs,
roofing lead and pipe is a good source of pure-ish lead,
yours will make nice rifle bullets,
good luck,
T

I melted some lead, did some fluxing and tried my new .357 mould. They look pretty

[IMG][/IMG]

[TALL]

sized and lubed
PERFECT,

[tinbum]

sized and lubed
PERFECT,

Sizing and lubing is new to me, not been necessary for the FMJ's I normally load. These are coming up .360" and I was going to get a .357 sizer and just use the bullets in a bag lubing method.
Since then I've been told the carbine wants a slightly oversize bullet, but the pistol will want sizing.

I am a bear of very little brain. My head hurts.

[tinbum]

Thankyou James. I am a complete beginner and this forum is a great resource of info

[loiner1965]

Thankyou James. I am a complete beginner and this forum is a great resource of info

if you can scratch it then its soft lol....
looks like the ignot wasnt fully hardened when dropped

[WebleyWombler]

I would always recommend fluxing every batch of lead being melted .
The ingot break does not look right but as you said could be because it was hot when dropped and broke.
If the lead is pure in the pot you’ll notice an almost iridescent finish on the surface of the melt.
Could be that you need to turn the heat up a bit in the pot .
No doubt you’ll get more replies from people with a lot more experience of casting than myself.
ATB
James

Pure lead will bend and stretch, not break when hot. That ingot has a lot of either antimony or tin in it, i suspect antimony. Good for casting metallic auto bullets but I wouldn't use it for shotgun slugs without a sabot