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Post by Cody ( The Patriot ) on Nov 3, 2008 15:31:03 GMT -5
I dont know much about casting but what Billy teachs me but I was wondering if the lead in car batteries would be ok to use ?
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Post by beaudro on Nov 3, 2008 18:28:33 GMT -5
I've been cheap enough to use the lead from a battery. I can tell you my experience with it. I had no problem, did it outside, the battery was busted open long before i got it, the lead had crap floating on the top of it while melting, more than usual. I can't say how pure it was, the fumes weren't any different but i did this outside and might not have noticed. I wouldn't recommend that someone go out and bust a battery open and start melting the lead right away, I only know i wanted to use up what i had and do a little cleaning up. It worked, had good heavy round ammo, can't say much for quality of the lead however.
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Post by Buckskin Billy on Nov 3, 2008 22:19:30 GMT -5
i aint never used none at all, but it seems to me it would be good for muzzleloader round balls, cuz they are soft, or the ones i have seen is a soft lead.
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Post by Cody ( The Patriot ) on Nov 4, 2008 0:21:11 GMT -5
Mack told me it was pure lead but I wanted to run it by yall as things are we might need a fast supply of lead .I wonder if you coulnt just put the busted battery in a fire and burn the junk off it?
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Post by GW on Nov 4, 2008 1:17:10 GMT -5
Despite there being that pesky "fact" that ONLY pure lead should be used in muzzle stuffers lead wheel weights work fine. Because of the alloying they cast a slightly larger ball so use a thinner patch or cast a slightly smaller ball than normal. For instance I changed over to .526" round balls in my 54's (about the only thing I shoot) some 35 years ago and tain't never found a reason to change. I cast either pure lead or WW and use a pillow ticking patch and I haven't measured patching in more than a couple of coon's age - reckon the Old Ones didn't so why should I? - but then I'm not much of a paper shooter looking for the nth degree of accuracy with my BP arms, just a cranky demanding ole curmudgeon who likes to wander around the back country. For more info there was good article in Muzzleblasts awhile back on using WW for balls........
FWIW - the wheel weights are just a bit harder, but that can help penetration and on the big critters like elk or big bear that can be real nice........The old time Fellers that hunted Africa with muzzleloaders often used hardened lead balls and bullets so it's not a new thing at all......
I use WW in my cap n ball revolvers too, both my Navy and Army - they just shave off a bit more lead when loading.......
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Post by Cody ( The Patriot ) on Nov 4, 2008 8:48:53 GMT -5
Thanks Grey Wolf I recon the pure is ok for whitetail deer?
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Post by longtrail on Nov 4, 2008 13:20:46 GMT -5
Here's one fer ya. Years ago I had a friend, who had a couple of dentist friends. His dentist friends would save the lead from the dental xrays, must be in those horrible little painful things they jam against yer gums! Anway, doesn't seem like a lot, but it actually gave him quite a bit. As far as radiation in the lead? I have no idea of how that works, or even if the lead does absorb radiation. Hum, another class in science i musta slept through.
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Post by Buckskin Billy on Nov 4, 2008 19:24:34 GMT -5
the old time buffalo hunters used a lead mixture of 40:1. thats 40 parts lead to 1 part tin. that is a real soft lead mixture. they shot them out of those old sharps and remington rolling blocks. 20:1 was also a popular choice amongst the buffalo hunters too. that would be a little more harder but still a good mixture. i think its the most popular in these modern times. i have always read and been told that pure lead was suppose to be used in muzzle loaders,but i , like grey wolf use wheel weights and have no big problem. for my .54 hatfield i cast a .535 ball from a lyman mold and use flannel shirt material for patchs. i don't have to use no short starter but i do have to place wasp nest between powder and patch or the patch burns up in the barrel. but my accuracy for that gun is better than what i can shot. for my henry and model 1866 winchester i use wheel weights and they shoot dern good to. my only complaint is i get a lot more lead fowling than with a softer lead. i also use wheel weights out of my open top colts and my cap and balls. they are a little harder to seat but it aint no trouble. i was lucky enough to get 6 five gallon buckets full of wheel weights from a old man a couple of years ago and as long as i have them i'll be shooting wheel weights through all of my black powder guns. the experts say and i agree with them (i'm no expert) that as long as your velocity is 1600 feet per second or less pure lead or a real soft lead will do fine any thing over that you need a harder lead and maybe some form of a gas check, but not likely for a black powder shooter the main thing is if your gun shoots them good and loads with no real pain and kills the critter you're hunting humanly then just use it
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