# pound of lead



## dpoole (May 16, 2013)

how much does a 45cal round ball weigh? How many balls can you get out of a pound of lead?


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## flyfisher76544 (May 16, 2013)

Depends on what size ball you use...
Pure lead ball weight;
.440=128 grains 
.445=133 grains 

According to most reloading sites/articles.....a pound of lead is 7,000 grains.
So a .440 would be 54.68
.445 would be 52.63

So roughly 50 PRB from a 1 pound lead block.

Hope this helps!


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## Bernard goldsmith (May 16, 2013)

close enff for me!!
Bernie Goldsmith
Field Rep NMLRA


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## dpoole (May 21, 2013)

thanks


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## kno3mike (Sep 14, 2013)

Where can you get a pound of lead?....Tire shop?...online?


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## ky55 (Sep 14, 2013)

kno3mike said:


> Where can you get a pound of lead?....Tire shop?...online?



Go to a plumbing supply store and ask for a chunk of plumber's lead. It usually comes in 3 pound ingots. 
If you're gonna cast round balls you need pure lead.


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## Whiteeagle (Sep 14, 2013)

kno3mike, use only pure SOFT plumbers lead! The antimony (tin) in wheel weights will ruin the rifling in your M/L gun!


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## Bernard goldsmith (Sep 14, 2013)

Hunting an competition pure lead. Target I use wheel weights. The ball don't touch the barrel.
Bernie Goldsmith
Field Rep NMLRA


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## tv_racin_fan (Sep 14, 2013)

Bernard goldsmith said:


> Hunting an competition pure lead. Target I use wheel weights. The ball don't touch the barrel.
> Bernie Goldsmith
> Field Rep NMLRA


 
I'll never understand the idea that something as soft as a lead alloy will damage the rifling in a rifle barrel or the rifling in a rifled shotgun barrel.

Were that the case a jacketted bullet would ruin a rifled barrel in no time flat. As the jacket is harder than any lead alloy.

Understanding of course that anything going down that barrel at that speed is doing some damage. Even so if pure lead is going to wear out that barrel at the 5,000 round mark wheelweights will probably shorten that life by less than 250 rounds.


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## Bernard goldsmith (Sep 15, 2013)

Good point there!! I agree with that though. The wrong ram rod can do a lot of damage also!!
Bernie Goldsmith
Field Rep NMLRA


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## ky55 (Sep 15, 2013)

I always thought the purpose of pure lead in a round ball was to allow the patch to get a firm imprint into the ball when it was started into the barrel.


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## Gaducker (Sep 15, 2013)

I have plenty of wheel weight lead cast in to ingots.


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## kno3mike (Sep 15, 2013)

Thanks guys.......I'll try the plumbers supply for the lead.....any links to the mold tool?


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## dawg2 (Sep 15, 2013)

kno3mike said:


> Thanks guys.......I'll try the plumbers supply for the lead.....any links to the mold tool?



http://www.trackofthewolf.com/list/Item.aspx/1202/3

I bought my ball and ingot molds and my lead pot from them.  Lead pots here: http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Search.aspx?search=lee lead pot


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## kno3mike (Sep 15, 2013)

Thanks dawg2.......I can  order the lead .440 round balls there too....but it would be neat to melt and mold my own....(if I can get the project rifle working).....if not, I'll hang it on the wall and buy another Kentucky rifle.


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## Whiteeagle (Sep 15, 2013)

The purpose of the soft lead is two-fold, 1. The rifling is shallower in a m/l than a modern rifle designed for smokeless. 2. The modern cartridge bullet has a greater(lots greater) muzzle velocity than a m/l, and the m/l bullet travels much slower to the point of impact and soft lead will mushroom at these lower speeds. The alloys in wheel weights "wear-out" the barrels on the m/l's because they are made of a softer steel than modern rifles. Black powder also builds less pressure in the "chamber" than modern nitrocellulose based powder. Do your homework and stay safe!!!


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## tv_racin_fan (Sep 16, 2013)

The wheelweights aint enough harder to cause much issue IF you adjust your load for the projectile.

Pure lead does expand easier or mushroom or whatever term you want to use thus at slower speed you want pure lead. Speed the projectile up or harden the target and you need something to control the rate ef expansion. You could use a copper or some other metal jacket or you could harden the alloy. Either one can be effective depending on the specific speed.

There are guys who shoot wheelweight round ball out of smoothbore "rifles" without a patch around the ball. They use a card between ball and powder and some use a cushion wad as well and they use an over shot card on top of the ball. They use wheelweights because it doesn't deform on the side of the barrel on the way out and impact accuracy as easily as pure lead does. Some people shoot Brown Bess's for accuracy at 100 yards...

You need pure lead for a revolver so you do not put undue strain on the loading system.

Seems like I read an article from a guy who shot buffalo with a 72 cal double rifle using wheelweight ball.


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## The Longhunter (Sep 16, 2013)

You will get less flaws in your bullets if you use pure (soft lead).  That's the primary reason I prefer it for my casting.


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## Hunting 4 Him (Oct 10, 2013)

If you know anyone who works on old organs they can be a good source too.  My neighbor happens to do just that and has supplied me with a bunch of pieces of pure lead from some of the organs he has repaired in the past.


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