# wheel weights



## beenie (Sep 28, 2020)

HI guys have started casting my own projectiles from wheel weights and they seem ok to me. My problem is some people claim that the lead is to soft and will lead up your barrel but I have not met anyone who this has actually happened to. Is this a myth?. You will always have some build up of lead in your barrel and you can clean when needed so I can not see a problem.
I also use lee alox as a lubricant. Will appreciate any input
Thanks Beenie


----------



## Budlight_909 (Aug 31, 2020)

beenie said:


> HI guys have started casting my own projectiles from wheel weights and they seem ok to me. My problem is some people claim that the lead is to soft and will lead up your barrel but I have not met anyone who this has actually happened to. Is this a myth?. You will always have some build up of lead in your barrel and you can clean when needed so I can not see a problem.
> I also use lee alox as a lubricant. Will appreciate any input
> Thanks Beenie


unless there is some sort of additive hardener to the leading process, to me, lead is lead.

maybe in the factories, the lead is pressed as it cools to make it harder?

otherwise, go ahead and do it, and you tell us, what's happening?

too many others (that i have read) don't mention about soft lead being a problem.


----------



## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

I am not sure about this, so take it for what it is worth. When I used to reload shotgun shells some if not all of the 25# shot bags used the term chilled shot.
Mirriam webster defines it as: *:" *lead shot that has an antimony content of 3 to 6 percent"
Apparently you can change the physical characteristics of lead by adding a percentage of antimony.

GW


----------



## beenie (Sep 28, 2020)

Yes I know about tin and antimony. The question I wanted answered does the use of wheel weights cause your barrel to lead up using it as is?


----------



## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Lead-based wheel weights contain at least some tin. Some lead-based wheel weights my also include antimony.
But I've been told that today's wheel weights are, essentially, lead-free. (They are now made of zinc, steel, and other metals.)

Read-up on the subject here: http://castbulletassoc.org/blog/article/2020/1/186/what's-with-wheel-weights


----------



## noylj (Dec 8, 2011)

Don't listen to nincompoops at the range. If you gun isn't leading, then they must be wrong.
If your gun is leading, you need to use larger diameter bullets or a better lubricant. Alloy just isn't that important.
You can lead up a barrel quicker with HARD alloy than soft (undersized soft alloy bullets can at least expand to fill the bore under pressure).
When my commercial castled bullets lead the barrel, I simply apply a light coat of Lee Liquid Alox to the bullets and leading is eliminated.
For ALL lead bullets, the bullet diameter must be at least 0.001" LARGER than actual measured groove diameter (unless you are Mike Venturino (sp?) who uses hard cast in submachine guns sized to actual groove diameter—which has always been a guaranteed source of leading in my guns).
I have been shooting wheel weight plus a little Pb/Sn solder (need about 1% tin for the molten metal fo flow in the mold and fill out the bullet) in everything from .32 S&W long wadcutter (case wadcutters just aren't that accurate though) to .44 Rem Mag without leading. In rifles, once I reach 1500-1700 fps, I start using gas checks with the same alloy without any issue.


----------



## Mowgli Terry (Sep 19, 2019)

Coming in late. Wheel weights make good bullets. The problem may be dealing with changes in alloy depending who made the wheel weights. 

Wheel weights: The down and dirty way to come up with harder bullets is to water quench the bullets. Drop bullets directly water as bullet leaved the mold. 
Totally right on bullet fit. If the bullet is leading the bore there can be clues about the problem. The most common fouling is from gas cutting the bullet that is too small or too hard. Lead will be deposited in the in the throat area and rear portion of the bore. All the way down the bore mainly too soft alloy. Down toward the muzzle shows a lube failure. Right, it a mixture of lead, antimony, and tin. The proportions determine hardness.


----------



## paper2punch (Jan 24, 2021)

Wheel weights make a great source of cheap lead. They do however vary greatly in their alloy values and therefore weight per gn. Due to their previous life they also frequently are loaded with dirt (which will do a ton more harm than leading to your bore)and iron oxide from their brackets (steel clamps that wrap on the wheels) so it would be advisable to wash them well or run them thru a sonic cleaner and dry completely before melting, and picking the brackets out. If your mould is for a .358 diameter 148 gn double base wadcutter and it throws a 120gn slug... you can figure adding pure lead to the mix to bring your weight up( if it matters to you). Lees commercial lube is excellent. And the previous reply regarding diameter and leading was spot on.


----------



## Mowgli Terry (Sep 19, 2019)

On cleaning the wheel weights it a matter of what you want. It's a matter of what works for you. For me (YMMV) it all has to do with fluxing the melted lead. I have shot many thousands of rounds made from wheel weights. My lead is cleaned by fluxing in the molten state. I have had no undue wear to my handguns. Brackets and dirt come to the surface. The idea is to remove the trash and leave the tin in the mix

Do what works for you. I have found good information in the Rotometal website under bullet alloys. This company has several products for hardening alloys. 

I will give you a heads up on lead. Locally Lead is getting scarce. Make sure of your supply.


----------



## gwpercle (Jun 8, 2018)

For handgun and most rifle ... straight clip on wheel weight metal is plenty hard enough .
I have always air cooled them and lubed with a good soft (alox / beeswax or Lithium / beeswax) lube .
(You have to use a good soft lube...that's a hard learned secrete).
In handguns , except for Heavy Magnum Loads, wheel weights are a little hard and you get better results with a blend of 50/50 COWW and soft lead or range scrap.
Another tip ... size / fit of cast bullet to throat/bore is much more important than being hard and water dropping bullets to harden them is sort of a waste of time ... sizing them work softens the bullet and you're back to square one .
If you water drop , don't size them...load and shoot as cast .
Straight COWW , air cooled is plenty hard for most rifle , auto-pistol and heavy magnum revolver handgun loads, standard velocity/ standard pressure loads it is actually too hard and can be softened.

All of the above is learned from 50 years of experience ... I've never leaded a barrel while following the above tips on fit , hardness , sizing and lubrication . Slug your guns throat / bore and size bullets accordingly . I can tell you a hard undersized rifle / magnum handgun bullet, with hard lube, can lead up a barrel like you wouldn't believe... I watched a buddy do it ! 
Gary


----------



## Mowgli Terry (Sep 19, 2019)

gwpercle said:


> For handgun and most rifle ... straight clip on wheel weight metal is plenty hard enough .


Right on! Hard bullets and hard lube made for shipping not shooting. I have found like you that fit is better. Fit bullets to cylinder throats

I have read that commercial bullet lube is paraffin and food coloring. My shooting partners depend on quality store bought bullets. The bullets are good looking and have a softer lube. These bullets are very hard. In 45ACP there is no need for that hardness.

My experience: I have a different experience water quenching cast bullets. Water quenching works very well for auto handguns with shallow rifling and/or at velocities in excess of 1000fps. Water quenching also works very well for high velocity center fire rifle bullets. I conventionally size and lube my bullets using 50/50.

Not disagreeing just sharing my experience. The coated bullets are a coming thing. Following your instructions if a person gets lead they are cursed some way. That's traditional wisdom of bullet casting.


----------



## rexherring (Nov 13, 2012)

I've shot thousands of WW bullets and no problems. I've also shot softer ones with Cowboy loads for practice. If the bullet is the right size .001 over and not pushed to magnum velocity, you shouldn't have a problem.


----------

