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purpose of adding tin in casting slugs
- Thread starter airgunfans
- Start date
It helps the lead wetting (fill the mold better) and prevents oxidation of the finished product.
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The result of Tin alloys' better wetting and reduced oxidation is improved surface appearance and allows (with a properly seasoned mold) the results to look better. This improves weight consistency and at some level can even improve accuracy. Even if not more accurate they look good. 
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HI I run 95% lead and 5% tin on my hi power slugs
on my lighter slugs for say small bore 22 or 25 I run pure lead
this finish is alot better with tin , also if you use 5% tin , you will have a lighter slug , and you dont need to heat lead as hot as tin melts at about 464 degrees .
example 52 gr .30 cal slug . they weigh 52 gr with pure lead , with 95./5 my slugs weigh aprox 50 gr and also the finished size will be a bit larger ,
note pure lead is about 4.5 bhn
95% lead and 5% tin is aprox 8bhn
97,5/2,5 is about 6bhn
here is hardness ,
on my lighter slugs for say small bore 22 or 25 I run pure lead
this finish is alot better with tin , also if you use 5% tin , you will have a lighter slug , and you dont need to heat lead as hot as tin melts at about 464 degrees .
example 52 gr .30 cal slug . they weigh 52 gr with pure lead , with 95./5 my slugs weigh aprox 50 gr and also the finished size will be a bit larger ,
note pure lead is about 4.5 bhn
95% lead and 5% tin is aprox 8bhn
97,5/2,5 is about 6bhn
here is hardness ,
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Thanks again for the very useful info. I am making slugs for my .22 Huben PCP. After adding Linotype to lead, I noticed that the alloy does not conform very well to the mold making the rings on the slug not very well shaped. No such problem for pure lead. I will start with 3% tin and see what will come out.
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Linotype is made to conform really well (and be really hard), about 4% tin, cutting it with lead lowers the tin percentage.
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You will find that in most airguns as hardness goes up, accuracy is inversely proportional.
In other words harder = less accurate
Antimony is used in centerfire powder propelled cast bullets but not by any serious pneumatic shooter I know because it makes hard bullets... Stick with tin and keep the hardness under 10 us what works best for me.
In other words harder = less accurate
Antimony is used in centerfire powder propelled cast bullets but not by any serious pneumatic shooter I know because it makes hard bullets... Stick with tin and keep the hardness under 10 us what works best for me.
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