Round Ball Casting Recipes ... Let's Talk

[john boy]

Morning Pardners ... mind discussing revolver round ball recipes?

Most reads say only 'pure' lead.  Most casters have a better source to wheel weights and use this for their conicals.

Any recipes for pure lead mixed with WW's?
This is my first journey into casting round balls and I have more WW than pure lead in inventory, so .... the reason for the question.

[Cuts Crooked]

I've been runnin' WW and pure lead in about 50/50 mix for front stuffers and C&B revolvers for many years now. I use this mix for both hunting and competition with excellant results.

[john boy]

Thanks Cuts:  I did a couple of hundred with only lead.  Came in to check out CASCity, saw your reply ... now I's got a couple hundred 454 rounders in 50/50.  Appreciate the input

[Delmonico]

Just a thought here fer fun, I use up unknown, strange lead that I am not sure of in a 0.451 ball mould.  And why do you ask, slingshot!  Wish I'd had a few 25 lb shot bags of these 35 years ago.  Would a beat tryin' ta find round rocks and they are wicked comin' out of these modern slingshots.

Just a FYI in case ya ain't thought of it 25 years ago like I did.

[Pukin Dog]

Well, my brother found out the hard way that they have to be softer than wheel weight.  After a shooting session where he was standin on the loadin lever to seat the bullets, he found that he had bent the cylinder pin.

I'll try a 50/50 combo next time, maybe even be safe and do a 60% lead / 40% wheel weight ratio.

[john boy]

Well Pards, finally made it to the range today with a hundred of the 50/50 balls and my Navy Colts.
Bottom Line: Don't like the 50/50 mix!

• Too hard to press into the cylinders
• Will not seat all the way dowwn unless ya stand on the press

They shot OK, but just pure pain on my hand trying to force them down the cylinder.  Of course the pure lead ones slide down like soft butter.
So I'm going to throw the 50/50's back into the pot and drop some ingots that are 2 parts lead and 1 part WW ... then give them a go.

[Cactus Cris]

If your gonna shoot rnd ball or conical's -  they best be 100% lead, or your gonna fight them all the time.   Tried some conical's that I had that were made from 80/20 lead/ww and they almost didn't go into the cylinders.  Cast up the same boolit with 100% lead and they went right in.
    Found that C&B projectiles HAVE to be lead and maybe a dash of tin.
YOUR RESULTS MAY VARY-  But not much

[Cuts Crooked]

Part of what you experianced with the 50/50 mix is that it actually drops slightly larger diameter slugs/balls. I use the .451 mold when I'm csating with it. When I cast with pure I use my .454 mold

[john boy]

Cuts:  My mold drops the 50/50 balls at 454 and my swagged 454 lead balls mic the same diameter