A little help please

[Patguitarman]

several years ago, I bought all the lead a reloader had. He labeled everything. I figured out the Lyman #2, linotype, soft, and cast bullet lead. However, they’re are several of these that are only stamped with a “B” Any idea what it is? Could it be Babbitt? If so, I hit the jackpot….. thank you in advance

It weighs 1.66# if that helps…..

 

[Patguitarman]

There are also ingots labeled AB and ABB
Thanks

 

[Boogan1]

You need to do a lead hardness test. Probably cheapest way is with the art pencil set.

 

[Patguitarman]

You need to do a lead hardness test. Probably cheapest way is with the art pencil set.

Ok. I’ll google that, because I have no idea what that is. I was thinking of taking them to the scrap yard, because I’m fairly certain they have one of those things that can tell you metallurgical content

 

[Boogan1]

That would work too. They can also probably tell you the hardness. A quick google search for art pencil lead hardness test will explain it to you.

 

[Daezee]

Here’s what I do with “unknowns”. Unknown, but I know it’s hard due to scratching it with my fingernail. I’d previously bought some #2 from Rotometals and cast up sample rifle bullets and weighed them. For example, my 314299’s come out at 200 grains IIRC.

Using my small 4# lead pot used for experiments, I’d take say 2 lb clip on wheel weights + 1 lb unknown harder stuff and cast a few 314299’s and weigh them. Say they come out light at 198 grains. Now I know I need less of the unknown as the 1 to 2 ratio was making the bullets too light, so I’ll add 4 oz more of wheel weights to the mix along with my just cast test bullets and cast more test bullets for weighing. In a short time I’ll have figured out the ratios to make bullets of the same weight as the known #2. I write those numbers down for future use OR if there’s not a lot of the unknown, I’ll go ahead and use it all up making more of “my #2” alloy.

Now, will the new alloy be exactly #2 in % or hardness? Possibly not, but with the weight the same, I’ve seen no difference in accuracy or point of impact or performance. Over the last few years, doing estate selling for widows of deceased shooting friends, I’ve come across a bit of “unknowns”. This is how I handle them and it’s worked perfectly for me. Your mileage may vary. Have fun experimenting. It’s rather satisfying to be able to figure out how to use the unknowns.