Pewter & Antimony - Sources?
#7344983
09/01/21 09:41 AM
09/01/21 09:41 AM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 670 ND
DakotaBoy
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I've gotten into bullet casting a the last few years, and have found a fairly steady source for wheel weights. What I'm in need of now is tin and antimony. Where I live, there aren't many antique-type stores, and garage sales and auctions don't have much for pewter figurines or decorative dishware. Does anyone know where a guy could find some good pewter or antimony, other than rotometals or the like?
"Pretty cocky for a starving pilgrim!" "An elk don't know how many legs a horse has!"
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Re: Pewter & Antimony - Sources?
[Re: DakotaBoy]
#7345002
09/01/21 09:59 AM
09/01/21 09:59 AM
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,374 Green County Wisconsin
GREENCOUNTYPETE
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silver solder also hardens bullets
good will for pewter
linotype for antimony
unless your trying to push high velocities , fit is much more important than hardness
clip on wheel weights give some hardness also unless your pushing >1600fps you probably need to go no harder than strait clip on WW
America only has one issue, we have a Responsibility crisis and everything else stems from it.
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Re: Pewter & Antimony - Sources?
[Re: DakotaBoy]
#7345007
09/01/21 10:03 AM
09/01/21 10:03 AM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 848 Michigan
coonlove
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Agree with Pete. I would avoid pewter as it can contain trace elements that are not good for casting bullets. Old 50/50 bar solder is a good choice for tin if you can find it.
"I'm the paterfamilias"
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Re: Pewter & Antimony - Sources?
[Re: DakotaBoy]
#7345025
09/01/21 10:16 AM
09/01/21 10:16 AM
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 848 Michigan
coonlove
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If they are that old they probably don't have teeth to use it on...........................................
"I'm the paterfamilias"
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Re: Pewter & Antimony - Sources?
[Re: DakotaBoy]
#7345033
09/01/21 10:22 AM
09/01/21 10:22 AM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 9,153 Alaska and Washington State
waggler
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"pewter" is a general term for alloys that contain various amounts of tin, lead, copper, and who knows what else. A lot of old style pewter is unsafe to drink or eat from due to the lead content. If you Google around you will be able to find sources for the metals you need.
"My life is better than your vacation"
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Re: Pewter & Antimony - Sources?
[Re: DakotaBoy]
#7345035
09/01/21 10:28 AM
09/01/21 10:28 AM
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,124 NC - Here there and everywhere
coondagger2
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"Brat"
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NC - Here there and everywhere
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Be careful what you use. I used to make bass fishing jigs for a bunch of guys and I always needed lead. One day a guy called and told me he had over 100 pounds, I said great!!
When he got there he had several flats of old pill bottles...made out of lead.
On the side of the pill bottles it said something like "Caution: Radioactive Material"....
I fake smiled and said thank you and disposed of them later
Gotta live up to the nickname...
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Re: Pewter & Antimony - Sources?
[Re: Starbits]
#7345167
09/01/21 02:02 PM
09/01/21 02:02 PM
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Joined: Feb 2010
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hippie
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Actually the lead shipping containers for radioactive materials are fine for casting. The lead does not become radioactive itself so there is no residual radiation to bother you. I bought tons of lead from a local nuclear pharmacy until they changed their policies and started shipping the lead out instead of selling it.
I agree with everything GCP said. Another source of tin is the pipes from pipe organs. The pipes are pure tin.
I always wondered about this. Years ago I was given sheet lead that was used in an x-ray room and was told it was ok. Guess it was, I'm still here. Not sure of the volume you need, but they make solder that is at least 50% tin.
Last edited by hippie; 09/01/21 02:03 PM.
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Re: Pewter & Antimony - Sources?
[Re: DakotaBoy]
#7345191
09/01/21 02:28 PM
09/01/21 02:28 PM
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,374 Green County Wisconsin
GREENCOUNTYPETE
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there had been a guy getting the lead containers from a nuclear medicine place and selling them on castboolits a while back
if there is no residue of the stuff on the lead then you are good since it was always described that it was in a container in the lead , the lead was safe
berm mining is one of the better places to get lead these days , and it is already mostly bullet alloy
the 25 foot pistol ranges are the best people tend to shoot everything in the same place
a wheel barrow with a frame of 1/4 inch hardware cloth shovel out the densest area onto a 1/2 sheet of plywood then sift and put the sand back where you took it from making a nice place to collect bullets next time
the guys shooting 230gr 45cp make lead for you fast
America only has one issue, we have a Responsibility crisis and everything else stems from it.
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