I have just acquired a Lee electric furnace, the one with the infinite heat control and bottom poring spout, it was a second hand deal but as it turns out it is unused. I can now retire my old gas stove out in the garage. Along with this I also got a couple of pounds of antimony. I have been collecting (from the local car boot sales) pewter beer tankards and now own twelve of them, I read that pewter is good to use for casting, I have only used good old WW's up to now.

My question is, always providing I got the pewter bit right, is there a recipe that I can use incorporating all three ingredients. I cast for my Hornet, 243 and I shall be for a 6.5 very shortly.

I am a reasonably inexperienced "cook" so the more simple the better

Thanks in advance

John

You may wish to get some info as to the content antimony of your Wheel weights. The WW I get here in Virginia have enough antimony, so that I add 2 to 4 percent tin and I have beautiful bullets. I use the same alloy for pistol and rifle the only difference is I drop the rifle bullets into a bucket of water to harden them, at casting. I'm casting rifle bullets for 30-06, 375 Whelen, 45-70, 405 Winchester and 45 Colt.
I had good results using babbit metal for my 243 Win. You may find the babbit metal in scrap yards/mongers around ship yards and rail yards. It's high in tin, antimony, some copper and lord only knows what else. I've made bullets for my 243 and 375 Whelen that would pass as jewels and worked like armour piercing.
Jim

JayB--I don't have a hornet but have cast for .222 and 22-250 using the RCBS .22 mold with great results. Have not been able to get my .223(Win 70)to shoot these bullets although it does well with jacketed. Have shot the RCBS 6MM bullet in .243's with great results(poor results on the one deer I tried---not a hunting bullet). In the .243 they will shoot at jacketed velocities. I use a blend of wheel weights that I get free mixed with wheel weights I didnt have to pay for and that works for me. I heard for years to add tin to help with fill out. I bought some and tried it and frankly couldn't tell the difference except that it was my first and only casting material I paid for.

Isn't most pewter now an aluminum-based alloy?

Modern pewter is 90%+ Tin. You can treat it as straight tin. Two pounds to 100 WW is a good alloy. Antimony is dangerous stuff and it takes special techniques to alloy it. Try www.theantimonyman.com for more info. I only looked into it deep enough to decide I wanted nothing to do with it.

Thanks to all for the replies. I think it looks as if it is down to a little experimentation to see how it goes. I can't stand the thought of that row of pewter mugs just standing there. They have been in death row long enough, they will get melted doen some time this week (I hope).

Onc again thanks

John