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Michael Bodner
03-26-2014, 12:25 PM
Here's one for all the Lead-Heads out there...

I recently acquired some 'new' wheel weights (used to harden my carbine rounds). I sorted them out, removed all Fe (iron) and the stick-on weights. Also pulled out all those marked Zn (for Zinc).

When I melted down a handful, it seems to not fully melt.... It didn't pour well, and I could skim off tons of dross on the top of the pot, so much that I was begging to wonder if anything would be left!

Add 1/2 pound to 4 lbs soft lead, and again, it seemed to want to float to the surface. I left it there, fluxed the pot, tried to stir it in. Stayed there. It started to turn blue with time.

Any ideas/comments from similar experiences???


BTW: I've been doing this stuff for more than 13 years, and this is the first time that it's occurred. Of course, like I said, these wheel weights are 'new'.

Thanks!

-Mike

John Holland
03-26-2014, 01:56 PM
Possibly the effect of Antimony, which as I recall wheel weights had gone to prior to the switch to Zinc?

Lou Lou Lou
03-26-2014, 03:50 PM
oatmealy- mushy lead could be Zinc. Try using a side cutter on all of the wheel weights to be sure they are lead. There are myriad threads about this on CastBoolits.gunloads.com.