Anybody else.....

[USSR]

Anybody else just got a couple of alloys they use regularly, and save the sprues and rejects in marked containers to add to the next batch you run? For handguns I've pretty much settled on 96.5/2.5/1.0 and 95.0/2.5/2.5 (Pb/Sn/Sb) and label the containers "Soft" and "Hard". These 2 alloys seems to cover pretty much whatever I need to do.

Don

 

[Rick]

I use two alloy's, CCW +2% SN @ 12 BHN in the Magma pot for the vast majority of my shooting and SWW +2% SN @ 8 BHN for my soft alloy in the RCBS pot. I ladle and sprues go back in the pot as soon as they come off the mold.

 

[Brad]

I wish I was that organized. I did that with an alloy long ago and the remaining 40 pounds or so is still under the bench in a separate pile.

Almost all of my shooting is range scrap.

 

[Bill]

I use one alloy its around 11bhn, then water drop for hardness, it goes to 18 or 20, I like a 200 lb batch but the last one was only 50 lb till I fire up the big one

Bill

 

[Ian]

I also use two alloys mainly (aside from frontstuffer fodder that's as soft as I can find). I never have any leftover sprues because they all get melted as I cast and policed up with culls and drips at the end of the session back in the pot.

Clippy weights straight or with added tin (depends on application) and sticky weights usually straight or with a dab of tin and/or wheelweights as I feel like it. Occasionally I'll cast a run of rifle bullets that shoot better boosted with some Rotometals Superhard and some assayed 63/37 reclaimed solder. Since I trap my own bullets and remelt the alloy I'm getting closer and closer to just one thing that's about like WW + 1% tin.

 

[fiver]

I have 3 basic alloys. [one is the big batch main alloy that does almost everything, sometimes with a little lino bump or something]
all the sprues go back in the pot as they come off the plate.
I don't worry about changing the alloy I have 4 casting pots.

 

[RicinYakima]

Since I empty the pots at the end of every session, I keep things pretty separate. Three: lino/mono diluted, WW's + 2%, and 40/1.

 

[Walks]

BOY HOWDY
I gots lots of different alloys and different ingot molds for each.
Linotype
#2
20-1
COWW
Pure
Range Scrap

Got a "1lb" coffee can for each, rejects and the odd sprue that gets loose after the pot is emptied.

 

[RBHarter]

Just 3 .
50/50 WW/pure
WW
75/25 WW/20-1+CU.
That covers 380/38 Special/45 S&W through 222/6.8 at full jacketed speeds . As far as pressure points to anyway .

 

[StrawHat]

Been using 20/1 and 16/1 for so long I forgot there were other alloys.

Kevin

 

[dale2242]

I use two.
My generic Lyman #2 for my handguns.
50/50 WW/lino. for my rifles because I have a lot of linotype.

 

[358156 hp]

I use scrap too. I will fortify it a bit at times generally with tin if it needs it. I use 40-1 for handgun hollowpoints, and I keep a few hundred lbs of lino around for some reason, if I want harder bullets I just heat-treat range scrap. I also have a couple of hundred lbs of clip on WWs to render into ingots yet. I'll get around to it, I promise.

 

[JonB]

I'd love to say I mostly use 94-3-3 and then another alloy for lower pressure loads where I cut that with 50% pure lead...and I do that, when I am semi-serious about what I am casting...BUT, it seems MOSTLY, I am not serious and grab some unknown alloy, of which I only know the hardness, then add a bit of "this or that" to make it as similar as COWW as I can. No doubt, that is a source of some of my problems.

 

[Cherokee]

My main alloy is 3/3/94 followed by 2/3/95 for softer bullets; one RCBS pot for each alloy. Sprues go back into the pot while casting. I make up a big batch of 10/10/80 alloy from Linotype and tin. Then I cut that with pure lead as needed to get the 3/3 or 2/3 alloys. So, I have on hand plenty of Lino and tin and have to keep restocking the lead from the salvage yard. Also have 100# of foundry 5/5/90 but just keep that in reserve. I gave up on WW's around here.

 

[abj]

I have two. 94-2-4, covers all rifle and pistol and 20:1 for wadcutters and big bore handgun hunting where I want some expansion.
Tony

 

[Rex]

mystery metal, if it melts I pour. The bullet weight always comes out about right so I'm happy. Some radiation shielding from a nuclear power plant, some hard crystalline stuff the guy called printers type but he didn't know either, lots of wheel weights.
It has worked for years.

 

[Creeker]

I simply shoot what comes my way. I'm shooting coww with 50% pure at the moment. That could change at any time.

 

[Mitty38]

I am just starting out and have several straight melts of stuff I need to eventually mix into alloys.
But so far it has been 2 alloys. Plumbers pipe and roof lead for the smoke pole. Range scrap for 38 special practice loads.

I plan on adding a third. Starting to cast medium speed bullets for the 06. Planing on using the 4 lbs of alloy Fiver sent me. After that is gone then just coww and 1%pewter for the rifle.

 

[Winelover]

My most used alloy is my Recovered Bullet Alloy from my backyard range. I label it RBA. The BHN runs @ 14, air cooled. Except for this year, it's running 18-20, air cooled, after one week. I shot a lot of commercial cast, that I've been trying to use up and then sorted out the recognizable soft HP bullets/alloy, before smelting.

When I want a know alloy, I mix lino with pure, in different combinations. Like 1-1, 2-1 or 3-1.............three parts pure to one part lino gives me @13 BHN, air cooled.

I use mostly air cooled, when I want harder, will oven heat treat.

 

[Ole_270]

Currently I have 3 batches mixed up for use. 2.7% Sb, 2%Sb, and 1.7%Sb, all with roughly 1% Sn. The first, often water dropped, is used for the faster rifle loads, middle for general casting and low for hunting use. Basis for all three was the big pile of muffins cast from range scrap. Additives have been babbitt, lino, and tin or pewter if available.
Sprues go back in the pot while casting, I try to cast until about an inch or less is all that remains in the pot in case the next session will require a change of alloy.