How much tin?

[Butler Ford 40]

I want my balls to be smooth and shiny, not all wrinkly, How much tin to add to pure lead to get good fillout. I understand temp makes a difference but a little tin should go a long way toward good balls/

[Bigsmoke]

Adding tin to the mix will make the balls harder.  Harder = more difficult to get started in the barrel.
The reason the balls are wrinkly is that the lead is too cold.  Up the heat a little bit and see the difference it will make.  Of course, when they start to turn blue, they are too hot.

John (Bigsmoke)

[rollingb]

What John said.   

[KDubs]

x 3, I've found the same to be true. YMMV
kevin

[BEAVERMAN]

Bill if your dead set about adding tin, PM uncle Russ, he's made boolits for many MANY years and probably the most learned old fart on this forum when it comes to casting!

Russ, ya know we love you ya old pot licker!

[waksupi]

Yep, you are just running your lead too cold. I personally prefer a frosted ball, as you get more consistent fill out, with fewer voids,

[Butler Ford 40]

Thanks folks, the help is appreciated.  I'm not new to casting, though I started late in life, it was over 30 years ago.  Round ball, well that's different, if you remember the scene from The Patriot where Mel is melting soldiers in a ladle and casting in a bag mold, that's my round ball experience. A Rapine mold and a stick handle ladle. Neither Mel nor myself had pretty balls! I do know that as little as 1% tin in the mix helps with unmentionable bullets, increasing Brinnel hardness by .3 and was wondering if anyone here had already experimented with adding tin for round ball.
Your time and wisdom is appreciated, truly!

[Bigsmoke]

As an alternative, Lt. James Forsythe, author of The Sporting Rifle and its Projectiles, mentioned adding mercury when casting ball for his 14 bore (.69 cal) double rifle.  I am sure he had his rifle bearer do that rather than doing it himself.  NOT RECOMMENDED!!!!!!
John (Bigsmoke)

[Butler Ford 40]

    

[Hank in WV]

Did the mercury harden the lead some? Never heard this one before.

[Bigsmoke]

Yes, Hank, it sure did.
Forsythe was a leading proponent of slow twist barrels and using heavy charges of powder to push the ball downrange.  He was stationed in India and was really into hunting dangerous and large game.  So, he wanted a hard ball to penetrate their thick skin.
If you can find it, The Sporting Rifle and it's Projectiles is an interesting read.  He makes his case for bore size firearms quite well.
John (Bigsmoke)

[Hanshi]

+4.

My preference is to get the lead as hot as possible - within reason of course - and cast.  If they are "frosty" looking they will be good ball.  I've fired WW cast ball in my smoothbore and a couple of rifles and it can work well.  In fact my favorite smoothbore load with a bare ball worked extremely well.  STAY AWAY FROM MERCURY!

[Winter Hawk]

As an alternative, Lt. James Forsythe, author of The Sporting Rifle and its Projectiles, mentioned adding mercury when casting ball for his 14 bore (.69 cal) double rifle.  I am sure he had his rifle bearer do that rather than doing it himself.  NOT RECOMMENDED!!!!!!
John (Bigsmoke)

He probably didn't know the danger of mercury.  When i was in grade school we had some mercury in class and it was fun to watch little balls form on the desk top.  We also made our coins nice and shiny with it, and that was in the early 1950s.  In fact, mercury was used as a medicine up until recently.  So Forsythe would not have known how harmful it is.

~Kees~

[waksupi]

As an alternative, Lt. James Forsythe, author of The Sporting Rifle and its Projectiles, mentioned adding mercury when casting ball for his 14 bore (.69 cal) double rifle.  I am sure he had his rifle bearer do that rather than doing it himself.  NOT RECOMMENDED!!!!!!
John (Bigsmoke)

He probably didn't know the danger of mercury.  When i was in grade school we had some mercury in class and it was fun to watch little balls form on the desk top.  We also made our coins nice and shiny with it, and that was in the early 1950s.  In fact, mercury was used as a medicine up until recently.  So Forsythe would not have known how harmful it is.

~Kees~

They still use mercury in medicine. Read the label on flu vaccine.

[Winter Hawk]

I have yet to get the flu vaccine (ever), so haven't had the chance to read the label....   
~Kees~