Wheel weights are fine for pistol and rifle bullets, the pure stuff is go for muzzle loader. Sources to harden are monotype, linotype and pewter. Tin which is in pewter will help harden and fill out the mold better. I traded some soft stuff for monotype pound for pound a few years back, so there is always a trade possibility on it.
In my 45's and 38 special loads I can get by with a 50/50 mix of clamp on wheel weight and soft lead.
I get more leading with straight clamp on wheel weight lead in my 45's
The lead is too hard to bump up and seal the bore quickly.
But my groove diameter is a bit on the large side .353+"
My bullets are sized to .3525" as any larger and I can't chamber the case.
I do powder coat pure soft lead rounds and those do very well no leading and shoot very accurate.
I shoot some in .308 and Marlin 32-20 but they are reduced loads.
I get more leading with straight clamp on wheel weight lead in my 45's
The lead is too hard to bump up and seal the bore quickly.
But my groove diameter is a bit on the large side .353+"
My bullets are sized to .3525" as any larger and I can't chamber the case.
I do powder coat pure soft lead rounds and those do very well no leading and shoot very accurate.
I shoot some in .308 and Marlin 32-20 but they are reduced loads.
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Casting and shooting lead boolits can be a very rewarding, and sometimes very frustrating, branch of the shooting sports hobby.
There is a lot of good info to be had from the interwebz on casting boolits.
Your clip on wheel weights will make fine boolits for most of your casual reloads and shooting.
Mixing various alloys and using different lubes can get you in to a rabbit hole that goes as far as you care to go with it.
Depending on the moulds you have you may also need a lubesizer but even grease groove bullets can be tumble lubed in alox or pan lubed with harder lubes.
The Lyman Cast Bullet handbook is a very in-depth reference - https://www.brownells.com/reloading...st-bullet-handbook-4th-edition-prod38632.aspx
I've found this website to have the most good information anywhere to be found - https://castboolits.gunloads.com/
There is a lot of good info to be had from the interwebz on casting boolits.
Your clip on wheel weights will make fine boolits for most of your casual reloads and shooting.
Mixing various alloys and using different lubes can get you in to a rabbit hole that goes as far as you care to go with it.
Depending on the moulds you have you may also need a lubesizer but even grease groove bullets can be tumble lubed in alox or pan lubed with harder lubes.
The Lyman Cast Bullet handbook is a very in-depth reference - https://www.brownells.com/reloading...st-bullet-handbook-4th-edition-prod38632.aspx
I've found this website to have the most good information anywhere to be found - https://castboolits.gunloads.com/
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I have a section on my google drive that has lots on reading in regards to casting.
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Thank for that
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