Wheel weights

PSFD DONKEY

Any one have a good method of cleaning the weights before putting them into the pot. I have a good source for the lead but it is really dirty when I get it, as you would expect. I thought maybe I could put them in a plastic bucket with some water and soap and manually agitate them a few times, waiting a day or so between times, then rinsing thoroughly and drying them for a few days to make sure I don't put a wet one in the pot. If anyone has a better idea, please speak up. Thanks

PSFD DONKEY

A friend of mine owns a auto shop and has approx. 300 lbs of used wheel weights I can have, can you cast bullets from them. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

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richbug

300# is only about 1 1/2 5 gallon buckets full. Yes they make very good high velocity pistol bullets, I use the in 10mm, 40, 357, 9mm, and 38+P. Also good for rifle bullets if you add some tin to them.

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Pearyw

I have used many of these to make pistol bullets. They are kind of messy as they will have a lot of dirt and grease on them. I usually melt them outdoors and pour them into 1# molds.

jonk

I agree with what all are saying. I build a good hot charcoal fire, break out a rotary bellows I got from somwwhere, I think it was my grandpas but why he had it who knows, then put the weights in an old iron pot and heat 'em till melting, then take out the steel bits with a magnet, scrape off the wost of the gunk, and ladle into ingots.

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GaBob

I have used them for years in all my handguns.
Melt them outdoors. Steel clips will float to surface. Pick up clips with a magnet. Then I pour metal into ingot moulds(disquised as cornstick pans)[:D]. Makes a good hard bullet that does not lead at reasonable velocities.

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Pinhead

I don't cast bullets anymore but I have in the past and used a lot of wheel weights. After cleaning the metal as in the above post remember that you will have fairly soft lead and you need to add some tin to the mix in order to keep leading down to a minimum. Removing the lead from a barrel is a no fun job. It too bad that the printing industry doesn't use the lineotype lead anymore, that stuff was a wonderful casting lead. Made very well formed and accurate bullets and they were hard. If you can get your hands on a copy of the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook I would highly recommend that you buy a copy. It is an excellent resource book. Good luck, Jim

chunkstyle

If you really want to reduce leading, you add antimony. This is what was in the linotype lead.

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bpost

They are great bullet makers, once you process them. Get some MARVELUX from brownells. Follow the directions for use, it is a very good flux for lead. However it is hydroscopic so care must be taken when using it. Fluxing will put the tin back into solution and help get the dirt to rise to the top. I have an old 50 pound lead burner from the phone company, its a bunson burner on steroids. I alloy all my lead in it. You can use a coleman stove and a old cast iron pan to melt lead in. The biggest danger is moisture, it will cause and explosion, so use extreme caution.

Iconoclast

I do the same as these other guys - use a plumber's pot to melt scrap lead from a variety of sources - wheelweight is good stuff for casual handgun slugs. You can use Marvelux as suggested or you can go real cheap with a few bits of parafin wax (the base material of candles - candle stubs can often be scrounged from houses of worship if you want to be *real* cheap!) - it will vaporize; toss in a match to burn off the fumes and skim away. I have some handmade skimmers, much like those used for skimming holes in ice fishing except more and smaller holes, cleans out the dross of all types. Lyman makes ingot molds. You can also find cast iron muffin pans of various shapes in yard sales, etc. A few of those will take care of your needs real well. You will need something like a pair of vice grips to flip the ingots onto a ****DRY**** inflammable surface once the lead has solidified so you can fill the molds again. Protective gear - especially around the eyes - is an absolute necessity. I scrounged some heat & fire proof gloves some years ago; bulky as all He!!, but much nicer than the alternative.

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Pinhead

Antimony does harden the bullet, it does not stop leading-just allows you to crank up the velocity a little before leading shows back up. All lead bulets will lead if you push them fast enough. The only way that I found to stop leading completely ws to add a gas check on the base of the bullet or to paper patch the bullet. The drawback to antimony is that it has a tendency to clump or as they say, to separate out to itself. I found that there is a difference between a hard bullet and a tough bullet. Antimony bullets are harder but they can also break up on bones in heavy animals. To toughen a bullet, add more tin --up to a point. After a period of expermintation, I never added more than 2% antimony but would go to as much as 4 or 5 % tin to make the bullet tougher. But then again, 900fps was my self imposed limit on velocity with lead bullets on pistols up thru .45 caliber. I'm not argueing with anyone else's experience or trying to change their minds--just stating my own experiences . What works for me may or may not work for you. Thanks, Jim

Blckhrn

A good forge is a hole in the ground with a 2" dia piece of iron pipe or old exhaust pipe running to the bottom with an electric leaf blower for the bellows. I use briquets for fuel as they last longer than plain charcoal.

The pipe should be around 4 or 5 feet long to keep the heat away from your blower. It will run up the pipe when the blower is off.

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65gto389

I have worked in auto shops before. You must be careful as not all wheel weights are lead. Some are either alunimium alloy, chrome alloy, or a combo of all three. The easiest way to tell is that lead wheel weights bend easily, do not usually carry a very bright luster as compared to aluminium and chrome weights, and write on paper easier than the others.
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