Alloys

[Delmonico]

The question of what the heck is this stuff made up of comes up all the time.  Did some research on it quite a few years ago and came up with this much.  I have it on file in an old non-PC word processor and have not got all my files transfered over so I scanned this from my hard file. (Note Cards.)







Most print metal is of the lino type kind, although once in a while you can stuble on to some of the stereo-type like the 50 or so pounds of it that came my way about 10 years ago. 

The Taraco alloy to my understanding was developed in the 1980's for comercial bullet casting and is what most store bought bullets are made of, was developed to be a hard allow that would work in auto-loaders (read IPSC) and use the minimum amount of tin to get a very high rate of good bullets.

Most lead shot today is labelsd "Chilled" or "Magnum" or some other wording to indicate it is harder than the softer chilled.  Chilled can run from 1-4% antimony, depending on size and maker.  The harder ones can run from 4-8% and most times is labeled on the bag as to antimony content, if it ain't, I don't buy.

Old time "drop shot" was pure lead and has not been around much in years.

Shot does not contain any tin because it is not needed to drop shot, it does contain a very small amount of arsenic, this works as a surfactant to help make the pellets round.  For someone using Nitro powders and who want to heat treat (temper) bullets, this is a good thing.  Otherwise as long as you use good ventalation you are fine, because a lot of other alloys including WW has some arsenic.

Another one that floats up is 22 backstop lead, I've never been able to find out antimony content on it, but does contain some, I'd guess 2-3% since they seem to be about at hard as chilled shot.  Content most likely varies with the maker anyway.  22 backstop lead also does not contain any tin since these bullets are swaged.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Howdy Del

       Thanks for this information, and chart, I made a copy and will file it .


                         tEN wOLVES 

[RattlesnakeJack]

Thanks for this information, and chart, I made a copy and will file it .

Ditto!