How Hard Is 10:1 Lead/Tin Alloy?

[Josh Smith]

Hello,

I have access to a large supply of 10:1 lead/tin. NO antimony.

Price is real good... 50 cents per pound

The man used it for blackpowder silouhette shooting.

Just wondering what the BH is on this stuff. I'd rather have pure lead as some of it's going in my muzzleloaders, but no big deal if not as I've put Linotype through them with good results.

Thanks,

Josh

[white eagle]

11.5
or there about

[Shiloh]

That is a bargain price. Good for you.

Shiloh

[Josh Smith]

Thanks folks!

Josh

[noylj]

Tin doesn't harden, it makes the alloy flow in the barrel.
Alloy it down to 1-2% tin and get some antimony in it.
Tin costs real money–don't waste it.

[HangFireW8]

Yeah, don't waste it- shoot it!

Anyway, tin has higher lubricity than antimony, so don't limit yourself to velocity based on BHN. That 1:10 will go a lot faster than the modern BHN versus Pressure or BHN versus Velocity suggestion charts would seem to allow.

-HF

[JeffinNZ]

Tin doesn't harden, it makes the alloy flow in the barrel.
Alloy it down to 1-2% tin and get some antimony in it.
Tin costs real money–don't waste it.

I have to disagree on both points.

Tin does increase the hardness of a binary allow of lead/tin. Pure lead is nominal 5 BHN, 1 - 10 is nominal 10 BHN.

Tin reduces the surface tension of a lead alloy and allows the molten alloy to form with great ease in moulds.

[Josh Smith]

Hello,

This stuff is going to be used mainly in muzzleloaders, so pure lead would be preferable.

However, I've already shown that these things are dead accurate with Linotype, which I can get as much of as I prefer, as well, though it's much more expensive.

Common knowledge has the pure lead ball deforming in the bore using a tight patch. I'm beginning to believe this isn't necessary, a looser patch will work just fine - just so long as the ball stays spherical.

The .50 cal are coming out at a nominal 175grn (pure lead would be 178grn). I'm beginning to wonder if maybe this is closer to 20:1 or less tin.

Thanks,

Josh

[lwknight]

The 10:1 alloy at todays market price is worth $2.00 per pound.
If you are getting it for 50 cents , you could trade even for pure with other guys.
Anyway its still a steal and you should get all you can afford even if you just sit on it
for trade fodder when US$$ are worthless.

[cajun shooter]

If you have gotten good results with linotype then you are a very lucky person indeed. It is way too hard for muzzleloaders and should cause leading to form in your barrel as it will not upset and seal the bore allowing the hot gases to go by the projectile. I shoot nothing but BP and I would not want to put linotype down my barrel. I can only think that just seating would be a hard task in it's self. Has your linotype been tested or is it just a guess on it's BHN?