# Making it hard!!!



## fusil (Sep 23, 2008)

Bonjour from rural France,
I’ve been given 60lbs of scrap lead by a guy in the village who repairs old stained glass windows. He says its pure lead with maybe a little tin, but my French could be letting me down! He’ll give me more as he gets it, in exchange for English beer. :smt023

1.When adding lead free solder, how much to 10lbs of lead? 
2.If I can get some linotype or tin babbit, what ratio should I use?
3.Should I just mix it with my WW lead? I’ve read somewhere ¾ WW to ¼ pure and then water quench boolits straight from the mold. Oui or Non?

I only shoot light loads in my 38/357 revolvers so I don’t think it needs to be super hard. I’m still new at this and find it confusing most of the time.:anim_lol:

Merci mes Amies,
fusil


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## kev74 (Mar 22, 2008)

Tin and antimony (from the solder and linotype) are used to make the lead harder. Quenching the bullets in water also makes the bullets harder.

I would suggest starting with the pure lead and try a few bullets and see if you're getting excessive lead fouling in the barrel of your gun. If all is well, you won't have to make any additions. If you need the bullets harder add a little bit of either solder or linotype (.5% - 1% by weight) and try again. Remember that its a lot easier to add more tin or antimony later than is it to take it out, so small additions in small batches is best until you find what works for you. 

Good luck!


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Hi, Fusil;
For answers to all of your cast-bullets questions, go to the experienced bullet casters at: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/

I believe that stained-glass leading is pure, soft lead. It's pretty soft for bullets, unless they're patched and shot at low velocity.

(I still think you'll have to change your name to _Pistolet_.)


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## Wandering Man (Jul 9, 2006)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Hi, Fusil;
> For answers to all of your cast-bullets questions, go to the experienced bullet casters at: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/
> 
> I believe that stained-glass leading is pure, soft lead. It's pretty soft for bullets, unless they're patched and shot at low velocity.
> ...


+1

:smt023

Welcome to the wonderful world of casting lead.

When you start repeating yourself, you know you've been inhaling the fumes too long.

When you start repeating yourself, you know you've been inhaling the fumes too long.

WM


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