Lyman #2 now at 2.99 a pound need to save $$

[10mmShooter]

Hi Guys question??

Its summer now time to get out and cast a few thousand rounds. Lyman #2 is nearly $3 a pound from Rotometals.

So I'm trying to dial back my alloy a bit to reduce my cost downward.

I have source for clip on wheel weight lead for roughly $1.30 a pound and I can get linotype to mix in for about $1.80 a pound.

I can mix up a batch of 150 lbs total and it will be at 93% Pb, <2% Sn, and 5% Sb for $1.47 per pound.

$1.47 is not bad but I'm at only 2% or less tin so fill out worries me, if I add additional tin back in at $17 a lb it really eats away quickly at the savings to get back to 5% tin in my mix I have to add 5 lbs of Sn and that would cost me $90 more in tin. So my "homemade" Lyman #2 would cost me right at $2.00 a lb vs $3 a lb from Rotometals.(already mixed of course)

30% or a buck a pound savings is not bad.......but my real question for the experts is how far can I dail back on the tin or antimony and not scarifice mold fill out for hardness for my application in my three calibers.

I shoot and cast ONLY these calibers and velocites 10mm @1000-1050fps, .357@800-1100 fps and .44@900-1050 fps.

Surely someone else has run the numbers too and figured this one out???

[GRUMPA]

Well this is just from my stand point.

Most of my what I call basic materials come from the S&S section and I've never paid over $1lb and that's for WW.

Except for my fast rifle boolits I've never had to go beyond 1% tin in anything else and I shoot the same things you do but I use the checked design and I water drop.

I also trade for lead and has come in very handy to have on hand.

Also a good quality lube helps alot and I use mostly LBT Blue lube, I do use others but not as much as the LBT.

I've got a shipment of range lead coming in and I'm doing some expansion testing with it sometime in the future with my swaged stuff. But from what I've been reading that stuff can be used safely around 1100FPS.

[alfloyd]

Around 2% of tin is all you will need. Most people use less than 2%.

You only need to add tin till it gives good fillout in the mold. Any more is a waste ( IMO ) of expensive tin.

I am in a very nice position in that I have a more tin, than I will need. NOT enought to sell!!

Lafaun

[popper]

I started with 50/50 Pb/#2 in .40 SA. I now use 98/2 and it works fine. Just a tad below max load for 180 gr. Fill-out is OK, I could add some Sn if I need to.

[GLL]

You might consider the 95/2.5/2.5 offered by Muddy Creek Sam !
VERY nice clean ingots at 60 pounds/$70.00 shipped ! I bought a "bunch" when it was even cheaper !

Jerry

[Blammer]

you worry too much, just cast some and shoot.