Sedalia Dave Posted September 25, 2021 Share Posted September 25, 2021 2 minutes ago, J-BAR #18287 said: I have good luck keeping them shiny by sealing them in a ziplock bag with the air squeezed out . I have some snap lock plastic food containers I am storing them in. The issues is when I put them in my loading stand for a two or three day match by the end they are starting to turn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted September 25, 2021 Share Posted September 25, 2021 1 hour ago, Sedalia Dave said: I have some snap lock plastic food containers I am storing them in. The issues is when I put them in my loading stand for a two or three day match by the end they are starting to turn. Wow, that’s fast! I leave balls in a leather pouch in my possibles bag for months and don’t see any oxidation at all. I wish I could explain why you are getting such a quick change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted September 25, 2021 Share Posted September 25, 2021 Just now, J-BAR #18287 said: Wow, that’s fast! I leave balls in a leather pouch in my possibles bag for months and don’t see any oxidation at all. I wish I could explain why you are getting such a quick change. No idea but it is frustrating as lead oxide is more easily adsorbed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted September 25, 2021 Share Posted September 25, 2021 2 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said: No idea but it is frustrating as lead oxide is more easily adsorbed. Until I figured out what was going on, I would spray something protective on the freshly cast balls, like PAM cooking spray(canola oil), Ballistol, or a furniture wax to keep the air away. Those would be cheap, quick, and easy; might help, couldn’t hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Assassin Posted September 25, 2021 Share Posted September 25, 2021 4 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said: I have some snap lock plastic food containers I am storing them in. The issues is when I put them in my loading stand for a two or three day match by the end they are starting to turn. I have a box full of balls that I cast 3-4 years back. No lid on the box. The balls are still shiny. Might be the humidity. We don't have much at 6600 feet. Shop is not conditioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-BAR #18287 Posted September 25, 2021 Share Posted September 25, 2021 I was thinking maybe Texas has more oxygen than Missouri... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted September 25, 2021 Share Posted September 25, 2021 It's weird because all the 20:1 bullets I cast don't do this. Only the pure lead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted September 25, 2021 Share Posted September 25, 2021 2 hours ago, Sedalia Dave said: 20:1 bullets I cast don't do this. Only the pure lead. Your soft lead metal may have some contaminant in it that oxidizes quickly. Something that is not in your 20:1 lead/tin mix. Aluminum dissolved in the soft lead might just oxidize as quickly as what you are seeing. This batch of .44 balls was cast 8 years ago, and stored in my ammo room in my house. Surface is showing only the slightest freckling of a dark gray color spots. Just by looking, I don't see much to tell it's the 8 year old lot, or the lot I cast a month ago. This came from scrapped lead plumbing pipe and shower pans, no additives. (I know which batch it is, as this batch has been stored in the same plastic jar that you see in picture.) And, some REAL slugs (50 cal, also of soft plumbing scrap lead) that were cast in 1996. Mostly stored in my garage. for those 25 years. The noses of some slugs are showing a little oxidation to dark gray lead oxide. Grooves and bases are largely shiny and look almost fresh. One of their brothers took a 200 pound muley in 1997, one shot at 60 yards through heart and liver. 4x5, in velvet, as it hangs over fireplace. good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted September 26, 2021 Share Posted September 26, 2021 Picture of the one's that are oxidizing and one in the same box that has just turned gray which is what I would expect. I also have a bag of Hornady 36 cal swagged balls that getting the same white coating. When I find the bag I'll post pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted September 26, 2021 Share Posted September 26, 2021 Sorta sounds like your bullet bag might contain some tanning chemicals that are reacting with the lead. The white oxidation could be lead acetate - as if the balls were in contact with vinegar or other acetic acid solution. Or lead sulfate (like on auto battery terminals) - sulfuric acid is commonly used in some tanning processes. Those acids would be easy to detect if you wet the leather and put a litmus strip (pool supply has them) on the leather surface. good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted September 26, 2021 Share Posted September 26, 2021 My loading stand has a small wooden drawer that I keep them in when shooting. I'm starting to think that I may have would up with a few ingots that were not pure lead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted September 26, 2021 Share Posted September 26, 2021 41 minutes ago, Sedalia Dave said: may have wound up with a few ingots that were not pure lead. If you get lead from others, it's a real possibility. I only buy my soft lead still in the form it was manufactured and originally used (like pipe, cable sheathing, or salvaged x-ray shielding sheets). Much less possibility of contaminated lead. About 1/4 of the "hard" lead I have bought from folks over the years (range scrap, wheelweights, etc) has either zinc or calcium contamination. Zinc from failing to pick out Zn weights during the smelt down. Calcium from tossing auto battery parts into the melt, or shooting at ranges where folks shoot badly contaminated bullets. I pass on any lead that comes from shooting ranges now. There is just too much crud in the berms!! And it's too hard to remove several of the contaminants. good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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