Final questions before casting 9MM??

[darylu]

HI,

First, on alloy.  I've got about 150 lbs of old wheel weights melted into about 1.5 lb. cakes.  They were older and the majority were truck weights if this info helps on the content.  Then, i have about 20 lbs of old lead plumbing pipe melted into the same 1.5 lb cakes.  Then, I have about 25 lbs of body solder sticks - I'm guessing they are 30/70.

So, what should I cast my 9mm with?  My first thought is just use the wheel weights.  I plan on quenching them from the mold.

I'm planning on using a 6 cavity Lee micro-band mold for a round nose - I think it is 124 or 125 grains.  I'm also thinking of maybe going with the Lyman 124 grain Devastator HP - or may do that later.

I'm new to all this.

Input and suggestions would be appreciated.

[darylu]

PS

I'm also thinking of casting some 00 buckshot down the road.

[Silicon Wolverine]

straight WW lead works teh best as it is harder than the others.  plumbing pipe and body lead are too soft for high velocity bullets, you have to cut them with linotype to get it hard enough.  you can use it for blackpowder though.

SW

[andrew241]

I wonder if you could qunch the softer stuff to get the hardness up. Might be a good investment to get a hardness tester.

[Super Virgil]

You could do mostly WW, and the add a half pound of you body solder. The tin would help with mold fill out as well. i tried melting down plumbers pipe, and found it to be really dirty lead, with a on of crap to flux out. Stick to the WW  with a little of your body solder and you will be cool.

[Silicon Wolverine]

if you do pipe in a cast iron pan over an old BBQ grill you can spoon off the crap and get pretty good lead.  its about a 30% weight loss but its till useable lead.

SW

[darylu]

if you do pipe in a cast iron pan over an old BBQ grill you can spoon off the crap and get pretty good lead.  its about a 30% weight loss but its till useable lead.

SW

I actually found an old stainless steel tea kettle that could hold about 15 lbs at a time.  I chopped the pipes up and hammered 'em a bit to get them in there, but it only took a couple minutes.  And, they did clean up fine and it was some nasty stuff to start.  I'm just not sure of the resulting alloy.  I used a MAP torch to get some of it started in the pot and cut it down to fit better. I have been thinking about getting a harness tester from Lee.

[Super Virgil]

i think plumbing pipe is pretty close to pure lead.