magnumlaod
new member
posted 20 September 2015 00:17
I have over 80 lbs of small ingots I made over 20 hrs ago. Between divorce and move lost track of which ones are pure lead or wheel weights. I need to be sure before making bullets for black powder rifle. Is there a way I can be sure, test somehow?

Posts: 19 | Location: caseyville, IL | Registered: 11 January 2012 Reply With Quote

you can get a lead harness tester

Pure lead can be scratched with a finger nail easily. Lead bars banged together will make a dull thud.

WW are harder and cant be scratched, banged together they will give a distinctive ring.

Yep, pure lead will oxidize darker, and will be heavier in weight too.

Thanks for the info I will try the all suggestions.

Did you really mean to make your AR handle, "laod"?

The thumbnail test is actually pretty effective. A thumbnail will dig into pure lead easily. It will leave a mark on wheel weights but will barely dig in. On linotype a nail will not leave a mark. It will be like dragging it over glass.

you can drop the ingots, lead has a dead sound, ingots that are harder than lead will have a ring type sound.

Then there are those that have a few shop skills, it is possible to make a lead hardness tester.

F. Guffey

Or you could just order a lead hardness test kit from Lee Precision or any gunshop I would imagine.

For decades, I've been using a Saeco Harness Tester with total satisfaction.

Pure lead is denser than its alloys with tin or antimony. Bullets (or other objects) cast in the same mold will weigh more when cast of pure lead than of alloy.

You can also poke or scratch them with a drywall screw, nail, or often fingernail. All you need to worry about IMHO is that your lead is soft enough to easily load.

I have an LBT hardness tester. Works really well in distinguishing the alloys.

What if you melted a small sample of each and observed the amount of slag on top. The alloy should float some tin and the pure lead should be clear.