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Tire weights

zipperzapzipperzap Member Posts: 25,057
edited December 2005 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
I guess I'm going to be going back into the reloading/casting
business ... well, just for us ... and I forget if there is any
downside to using tire weight alloy to cast bullets. It's been
so long that I can't remember the arguments pro/con. I have
virtually an unlimited source.
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Comments

  • Tailgunner1954Tailgunner1954 Member Posts: 7,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Other than it's a fairly hard alloy (not good for charcoal burners) and the hassel of picking out the steel clips, I find it works well.

    Whittemore
    Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.
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  • PearywPearyw Member Posts: 3,699
    edited November -1
    That is about all I use. It is good for pistol bullets and I do rifle bullets up to around 1600 fps. I generally try to melt them outdoors and make one pound ingots. There is a lot of smoke from the dirt and grease that is on them.
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  • eastwood44mageastwood44mag Member Posts: 2,655 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    What is that alloy?

    O Lord,
    grant me the Serenity
    to accept the things
    I cannot change
    the courage to change the things I can,
    and the supreme firepower to make the difference.
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  • buddybbuddyb Member Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a 5 gallon bucket of wheel weights waiting to be transformed into bullets.They work fine.I use a magnet to get the steel clips out when they float to the top and like Pearyw said they are smokey while melting.
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  • nononsensenononsense Member Posts: 10,928 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I take the extra steps of cleaning the weights first before melting them, that way the smoke is held to a minimum. I still do this part and the rest outside. Check newer weights carefully since thay have a different (cheaper) way of attaching them to tires with a couple of forms of adhesives.


    Here's the series that I usually refer to:

    http://www.realguns.com/archives/055.htm

    http://www.realguns.com/archives/056.htm

    http://www.realguns.com/archives/057.htm

    http://www.realguns.com/archives/059.htm

    Getting Started:

    http://www.n-ssa.org/NORTHWEST/Casting Bullets.htm

    Heat Treating:

    http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/alloyhardness/index.asp

    rifleman.gif
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  • chunkstylechunkstyle Member Posts: 2,463 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Be careful not to have any of the zinc alloy weights mixed in. Zinc is not good for bullets. You can tell the zinc ones in that they are still quite shiny after all the lead ones have dulled to grey.

    Wheel weight lead is a bit soft for the more demanding bullets applications. Traditionally, some linotype metal or bar solder is mixed in.

    Lyman publishes an excellent book on the subject.

    "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross."
    ~Sinclair Lewis, It Can't Happen Here

    "Our enemies...never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
    ~President George W. Bush
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  • brier-49brier-49 Member Posts: 7,090 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    some of the newer wheel weights are not lead and will do a fine imatation of a rocket if put in a hot pot.the ones that have done this to me are the ones with the adhesive back,but not all adhesive backed do thatand i can't tell the diference just looking at them. i've learned to wear a full face sheild.

    gun control is not about guns, it is about CONTROL!
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  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    I find they work fine for handguns, and with a little hardening, such as 1/2 pound of either tin or linotype per 10 pounds of wheelweights, do fine for rifle too, up to 1900fps, the max I ususually shoot.

    "...hit your enemy in the belly, and kick him when he is down, and boil his prisoners in oil- if you take any- and torture his women and children. Then people will keep clear of you..." -Admiral of the Fleet Lord Fisher, speaking at the Hague Peace Conf
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