John, I think we all have (hopefully) learned something from our mistakes. I couldn't help thinking about the comment from Otto Von Bismark, "I don't want to learn from my mistakes; I prefer to learn from the mistakes of others."

quote:

Originally posted by carpetman1:
vzerone---That's my point. Lyman says use wheel weights, which really are an unknown, (for 95% of the mixture) then mix a small portion of knowns and come up with an exact??? Maybe written in Hollywood? Get some wheel weights and make some bullets.

Lyman does not say use wheel weights, they provide recipes for those who wish to use wheel-weights or linotype etc, to make up alloys close to their #2 alloy. They arrived at their #2 alloy with a BHN of 15 as an alloy with characteristics well suited to casting a range of bullets for a range of uses.

Lyman makes the point that they used a 'standard' alloy mix (#2) to ensure uniformity when working up loads for the range of cartridges in their book. Obviously they did not use wheel weights but would have had a foundry make up an alloy to to the specification they wanted from raw products, just as we can today if we want to pay for the minimum quantities foundries will quote on. Here in NZ 100 kg minimum order of #2 alloy for bullet casting.

Remember the Lyman No 3 Cast Bullet Handbook was printed in the 1980 when it was very likely that wheel-weights were a fairly constant composition of 95.5% lead, 0.5% tin and 4% antimony hence 9 lbs wheel-weights and 1 lb 50/50 (lead/tin) solder gave 10 lb #2 alloy close enough for all intents and purposes.

To extrapolate out to using wheel-weights available today in the same quantities to make #2 is nonsensical. Lyman themselves in the No 3 book speak of 'old' wheel-weights. Those lucky enough to come across the old style clip on weights would be quite within reason to use in the quantities above to make #2 but if using modern flat strip or mix other types of wheel-weights it would be pure guess work to get a consistent alloy. Everything else we do when reloading is about consistency, why drop that ball when it comes to bullet alloy.

I'm fortunate that I started collecting wheel weights in the early 70s when I started casting. I have enough in ingots now for a lifetime but I still have an understanding with the local tire center + he saves them for me but they are not at all the same as the old ones. I use 50/50 in my business so that is no issue + I bought up all the linotype I could find about 20 years ago. But you're right, the current W.W. will not give you the same results R/E Lyman # 2 as the old ones. Do you have a Saeco hardness tester? I bought one many years ago + was appalled at spending around $100.00 but I'm glad I did. It is an invaluable tool.

i have one too. has settled many arguments