Alloy for 480 Ruger

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Alloy for 480 Ruger

Post by 357cyrus »

Well after several months of waiting and watching, today I finally saw someone had Lee six-cavity mold handles for sale, and I jumped on it like a pack of dogs on a three legged cat. It won't be long and I'll be pouring my first bullets. Just wanted to check and see what kind of alloys everyone is using and how they're holding up to the pressure. I'll be using the Ranchdog 375 mold specifically. Also, all I have right now are some wheel weight ingots I melted last fall. Any recommendations on where to scrounge up any alloy additives would be appreciated. Thanks!
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Re: Alloy for 480 Ruger

Post by akuser47 »

I cannot wait for the results +corn keep us posted please. +corn
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Re: Alloy for 480 Ruger

Post by Ranch Dog »

I use 95/5 wheel weights/tin with 1 oz by volume of #8 per ten pounds of alloy. In other words, in my Lee pot I mix 9.5# of wheel weights with 1/2 pound tin. Once the lead is molten and fluxed, I sprinkle a loose layer of #8 shot on top and flux it in. I use saw dust for flux.

Wheel weights as an alloy is... well there is only two things you can say about it. First it is lead, well sort of, second it is cheap. As as stand alone allow it does not have the definition that I like especially with bullet like I design that have a number detailed features cut into them for cartridge they are to be used with. Also, wheel weights can not have much pressure allied to it before it fails. So I add tin for definition and the arsenic of #8 shot for strength. I use #8 shot because it is the finest so it is easier to measure it lays on top of the molten lead when added to the pop rather than sinks. The larger size of shot tries to sink so it sputters on the way in.

With all this ready to go including a prepped and hot mold, I water quench the bullets at the drop. These bullets measure 21 BHN have stood up to 52.0K PSI in my 454 Casull R92. My R92 in 480 Ruger operates at 10.0K PSI less and seems to love the alloy.
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Re: Alloy for 480 Ruger

Post by 357cyrus »

Thanks all great info. Is sizing/gaschecking time sensitive after you quench? I've read opinions that point in both directions.
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Re: Alloy for 480 Ruger

Post by Ranch Dog »

357cyrus wrote:Thanks all great info. Is sizing/gaschecking time sensitive after you quench? I've read opinions that point in both directions.
With the large hard bullets, I like to size right about 48 hours after the drop. Recently,I actually broke a link on my Lee Precision Breechlock Challenger Press sizing hard 45 Colt bullets that I was using with the 454 Casull!

Did you ever get a .378" sizing die? If not, I will stick mine in a USPS Flat Rate Box. Just get it back to me the same way Pronto.
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Re: Alloy for 480 Ruger

Post by 357cyrus »

No, I didn't send for that sizer yet. I did get a hold of that guy Buckshot though, and got all the info I needed to place an order with him. Ill most likely have that in the mail Monday. PA bear season isn't until mid Nov. so Im not in that big of a hurry, thanks for the offer though. Where is the best place to get some tin?
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Re: Alloy for 480 Ruger

Post by Missionary »

Greetings
You won't have any regrets with a product from Buckshot. He has been doing machine work as long as I have known about hin. He has produced hundreds of sizers and items for people on castboolits.
He has posted on Castboolits Numerous helps that I have used to open dies, sizers and molds.
Mike in Peru
Way down south in Arequipa, Peru till June 2020.
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Re: Alloy for 480 Ruger

Post by Ranch Dog »

357cyrus wrote:Where is the best place to get some tin?
Rotometals

Buckshot sent me a message around the first of April that he was going to be taking a break from the business. He wasn't sure when he would start doing the work again. Have you communicated with him in the last 30 days?
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Re: Alloy for 480 Ruger

Post by 357cyrus »

No I haven't... Wouldn't that be a nice little twist. Ill send him a message today to see what's possible. Thanks for the heads up.
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Re: Alloy for 480 Ruger

Post by Ranch Dog »

357cyrus wrote:No I haven't... Wouldn't that be a nice little twist. Ill send him a message today to see what's possible. Thanks for the heads up.
Let me know if he is back at it as I need some work from him in that Lee is shut down.
Michael
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