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Lead and Copper Save or Scrap

Missouri Mule K30
I always save both,lead for casting and copper for the same but only
cast lead for the older black powder pistols and rifles.

Now I have never tried to cast copper into my lead molds, not wanting to ruin mold but if there was a need would it be possible using bright copper and making solids for newer rifles? Or would it be better to mix the two for having a backup material incase of government overreach, banning lead?

Or just scrap copper and purchase bullets outright. Just thinking that copper would be a trade material in again civil unrest, just like silver, gold, salt.

Cast Boolits has information on different ways to do this, just wondering if anyone here has tried to and what the results were like?

Thanks, having plenty of components on hand already, I keep looking at buckets, and a couple of barrels of bright on hand and think of dry burying it.
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Comments

7 comments

Date Votes
  • remingtonoaks
    Using Solid copper bullets requires a different way of thinking than with jacketed lead core bullets. Since copper is lighter and less dense than lead, it is not practical to make very heavy bullets without making them extremely long. Very long bullets require a much faster twist barrel to stabilize them, which are not standard on factory rifles, and become unstable quicker. Thus, the use of lighter bullets requires "thinking faster" instead of heavier. A lighter bullet with a high ballistic coefficient shot at faster speeds has less drop at all ranges than heavy jacketed bullets. Energy is slightly less and wind drift is virtually the same.

    Most lighter bullets suffer from low ballistic coefficients and therefore are not a good alternative to heavier bullets as heavier lead core bullets tend to have a higher ballistic coefficient due to their density being greater.
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  • mag00
    The permit for a huge copper/zink mine was issued today in Minisota. Copper may not be worth holding on to, the lead, yes. Lead has been under attack for along time due to epa etc.

    Hell, I was trying to find lead wheel weights and they are starting to get a little bit scarce.
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  • Missouri Mule K30
    Very interesting look at the usage of solid copper remingtonoaks. Shorter range, less stable but an alternative if lead is not available. Now maybe a look at the combination of the two smelted together.

    Or it is more useful as a form of currency? I suppose so, if the availability of silver is nonexistent. And gold would be for some kind of hyperinflation.

    mag00 I have seen zink or steel wheel weights for some time now. Actually helps for its anticorrosion properties.

    Maybe now they will reopen the lead smelter in Herculaneum.
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  • EVILDR235
    Lead is used in several places on older cars. Chrysler used lead weights under steering wheels to make the tilt steering wheels drop better. Ford had tin cans of lead shot on the tail housings of the transmission on Crown Victoria's and RWD Mercs for vibration reduction. later Crown Vics and Mercury's changed to steel shot to save money. I worked in a wrecking yard for many years and saved just over 80 pounds of lead shot. We once had a 3,000 pound lead counter weight off of a crane and offered to give it to me, but I had no way to haul or unload it once I got it home.

    Jose.
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  • Brookwood
    I have been a lead collector for many years. I much prefer the softer purer stuff that has few additives. Old Roof flashings, cable housings, and medical x-ray barriers are usually good sources for good soft lead.

    I have a lifetime supply for all of my casting used for black powder muzzle loader's.
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  • yoshmyster
    Better to cast the copper in to ingots and gold crayon it for gifts.
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  • mrmike08075
    Monolithic solid projectiles have been around for a long time and are still offered (Barnes and Asquare and woodliegh come to mind prominently)

    Copper solids and brass solids were most prominent due to the relative ease of casting and the least amount of damage to the bore or rifling of a bbl

    Mike
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