Bullet casting (range scrap question)

[bobcat93]

So.. I got about 300lbs of Range scrap lead I'm going to cast into ingots for later bullet casting.
There are alot of fullmetal jacket pistol bullets in the mix.
My question is...
Can I just toss it all in a pot ..will the lead leak out of the full metal jacket pistol bullets ..or pop and Splatter molten lead all over..I would hate to have to pick out all the jacketed bullet..
Please advise
Thanks guys

 

[Intheshop]

Jackets float on top for easy removal.Just be careful if they've been wet.

 

[bobcat93]

How does the lead get out if there fullmetal jacket and copper has a higher melting point..
Sorry if this is a dumbass question..I'm just curious..
Thank you for your reply

 

[spclark]

Lear has a higher density than copper (why bullets are made of it!) so when the lead melts the copper - still solid but lighter - floats to the surface.

Pretty much all the contaminents you’d see in range scrap will float, becomes the dross you want to skim off before pouring.

Remember to do these operations with good ventilation! Lead is toxic; you ought not be bteathing fumes generated when you’re running a batch.

 

[bobcat93]

Thank for all the reply, I have cast Lead bullets but I've used scrap lead with out ( fullmetal jackets)

 

[TIMO]

Thank for all the reply, I have cast Lead bullets but I've used scrap lead with out ( fullmetal jackets)

I have used quite a bit of range scrap lead. Most is just picked up from the ground, so I dump it out on the concrete driveway on a hot day and hose off any dirt, etc. When completely dry, I just melt it down for ingots for casting later, skimming off the junk. Works good for cheap 45 acp bullets.

Tim

 

[rockrat]

You have to go alot higher than normal casting temps to get outgassing from lead. I believe the vapor pressure is too low till you get to 1000 degrees +. If you eat it, its bad for you. Wash hands after smelting and don't eat while smelting. If any dampness present, you can usually melt it OK if you start out with the pot full and bring it up to temp. The water will evaporate. Just DO NOT add you range scrap to a pot full of melted lead. Tinsel fairy will visit you.

 

[ebb]

What do you melt the scrap in? My friend and I tried melting wheel weights the other day, we had a big aluminum cooking pot and tried it over a wood fire (he is a black powder guy and wanted the campfire setting). It would have eventually got hot enough to melt it all but looked like to me it was so big in diameter that it would have used all or at least way too much flux. I have a propane fish cooker and could set some thing on the tripod and get the heat right, but what do you use to melt in? Ive been told not to melt scrap in my bottom flow electric smelter as it will get it too dirty. Any advise would be appreciated.

 

[DirtySteve]

Just remember don't add any new scape to the pot once the contents are melted. Any small amount of water will cause a huge splatter of lead to come flying out. Make sure you pre-heat any utensils prior to placing them in the pot. I have a stainless slotted scoop
i use to clean out the trash. then I stir every thing well and add the flux. When I do big batches I use empty coke or beer cans as molds and then just peel off the can when I an ready to use it. I always add tin and antimony to my scrap lead to help make the lead harder.
And as stated above try to keep the temperature below 1000 degrees to avoid any harmful gases. And always make sure to work the pot from up wind so fumes will be blown away from you.

 

[Homerange]

What do you melt the scrap in? My friend and I tried melting wheel weights the other day, we had a big aluminum cooking pot and tried it over a wood fire (he is a black powder guy and wanted the campfire setting). It would have eventually got hot enough to melt it all but looked like to me it was so big in diameter that it would have used all or at least way too much flux. I have a propane fish cooker and could set some thing on the tripod and get the heat right, but what do you use to melt in? Ive been told not to melt scrap in my bottom flow electric smelter as it will get it too dirty. Any advise would be appreciated.

Any ferrous pot is good for molten lead and if you can't find one make one. Some big exhaust tube with an end welded onto it plus some sort of pouring lip beaten into it with a hammer. You'll need a handle too, a stout wire one will work but it's not too good to pour with unless you grab the *off* side with a pair of multigrips to steady it and have some control. Blacksmiths had circular tongs for crucibles, a pair for lifting end on and another for pouring side on.
If you're not going to be pouring ingots and only into split bullet molds, a CO2 canister with a 1/3 cut from the round end and the neck end drilled and pointed to fit the recess in the frue cutter works pretty good. Weld some 1/4" rod to it and add a wooden over-handle.
Press the canister against the mold in the horizontal position and tip the pair so the mold is underneath.

 

[TRA]

Don't believe for one minute that melting lead is harmless. It does not have to get to 1000 degrees to cause health issues.

As for melting the lead out of FMJ bullets, you're going to have to make a hole for the lead to come out. Range lead is the worst garbage to recycle. Lead gets a whitish grey powder covering it due to oxidation. You don't even want to handle or breath that, especially from a melting pot.

Bullets are way to cheap, to even handle lead. Buy them and save your health. I shot reloads indoors and made bullets for years. I wish I had been smart enough to tell those that said it was harmless to get bent. Every breath I take today is a REMINDER of just how harmful it is, and that's not counting the damage to your nervous system.

New wheel weights are not lead so make sure you know the difference, if you insist on pushing your luck.

 

[SSL]

I melt a lot of wheel weights and scrap lead in a Lee bottom pour pot. Not saying it can't happen, but so far it hasn't clogged anything. Flux and skim regularly. Don't forget that most of today's wheel weights are not lead, they are a zinc alloy and will not melt at lead temperatures. They seem to contaminate the mix even though they don't melt. They are easily identified by a stamped "Z" on most of them. A decent set of cutting pliers can also be used to test them. If lead, they will indent with moderate pressure. If alloy, the are to hard for the cutters to mark to any depth.
For safety from fumes I always have a small fan blowing from behind me and an open window in front. Vents all fumes straight out. Wear leather gloves and pay attention. Be safe!

 

[pacificman]

So.. I got about 300lbs of Range scrap lead I'm going to cast into ingots for later bullet casting.
There are alot of fullmetal jacket pistol bullets in the mix.
My question is...
Can I just toss it all in a pot ..will the lead leak out of the full metal jacket pistol bullets ..or pop and Splatter molten lead all over..I would hate to have to pick out all the jacketed bullet..
Please advise
Thanks guys

I use heavy nippers for the full jacketed bullets ...all you have to do is make a small cut in the jacket
then throw it in the pot ...the lead will come out when heated and then you can screed off the empty jackets.

 

[fivering1]

I use heavy nippers for the full jacketed bullets ...all you have to do is make a small cut in the jacket
then throw it in the pot ...the lead will come out when heated and then you can screed off the empty jackets.

A one quart cast iron pot works very well, melt the lead in it, clean off the dross, set somewhere safe to cool, then when cool dump out on an old piece of scrap plywood, repeat. The taper in most cast iron pots make for pretty easy removal. Should result in 8-10 lb round ingots.

 

[Texan]

Don't worry about cleaning dirt off of anything...it'll all float to the top of the molten lead.

Also, I would remove trash, flux, and pour ingots immediately after everything is melted, and not wait for temperatures to get much higher.

If it gets too high, whatever good metals are present (antimony, tin) can be inadvertently removed as dross.

As already mentioned, the other result of too high temperature is possible zinc contamination, which could ruin your whole batch.

 

[bobcat93]

Good stuff guys..thank you..
I've cast ingots , but as I've mentioned it was all x-ray lead.
The stuff I have now came from a bullet stop of an indoor pistol range..( I'm a lucky man) I just need to pick the pieces of rubber backstop out of it..and it's nice and clean .. other then the bullet jackets and crap like that..at least I know it's all came out the barrel of a gun..not full of rocks, dirt, unknown elements ect.
I also know there are casting forums ( but I know there is a lot of experience right here on our forum) I just looking at all the full metal jacket pistol bullets in the bucket and started thinking how to get the lead out of them, and are these safe to toss in a Lee pot, or a Dutch oven , will they heat up and pop once the lead inside the jacket melts,..do I need to waste my time cutting them all in 1/2 to let the lead leak out..

 

[Intheshop]

Vent systems can be or go as far as you want to take it.Not directed at anyone but,find it interesting that folks who are "put off" by the notion of casting,will go to an indoor range and blast away?Assuming clean air in ANY shop or recreational activity is a crapshoot.Be positive in your approach to clean air,be it casting,shooting,or snorting hoppes.

Coming from;we build custom dust systems for wood and welding shops.And we also have an indoor range.Which started because of $$$ and products not engineered for exactly what situations call for.It ain't a money makin gig.

 

[TRA]

Vent systems can be or go as far as you want to take it.Not directed at anyone but,find it interesting that folks who are "put off" by the notion of casting,will go to an indoor range and blast away?Assuming clean air in ANY shop or recreational activity is a crapshoot.Be positive in your approach to clean air,be it casting,shooting,or snorting hoppes.

Coming from;we build custom dust systems for wood and welding shops.And we also have an indoor range.Which started because of $$$ and products not engineered for exactly what situations call for.It ain't a money makin gig.

Read, that I said used to shoot indoors, learned my lesson the hard way. Being properly forewarned is not being put out. Way too much false information given about this subject. It is next to impossible to make the process harmless. Even with fans an plenty of ventilation the prefilters on a quality breathing apparatus will show lead trapped in them.

 

[Texan]

Bobcat,

Unless it's big chunks of rubber, I wouldn't waste time picking it out either. Anything but lead will float to the top.

I'd get a Dutch oven from Harbor Freight Tools if you have one near you...you can get one around $20 on sale.

If any bullets have a fully encapsulated jacket you'll have to nip a cut into the bullet with some cutters as already mentioned. They won't pop if you don't cut them...you just won't get that lead.

If there's a way for the lead to get out (open base, already damaged and broken open) you won't have to bother with cutting.

 

[Texan]

TRA,

I'm sorry to hear that you've had some difficulties.

Do you know exactly what caused your elevated lead levels? Do you attribute it more to shooting indoors or to casting?

Over on the Cast Boolit forums there's a bunch of posts on this topic. Over many years some have had problems and others have had no elevation of lead levels in their blood tests.

If enough precautions are taken...staying upwind of casting fumes, washing hands, not shooting indoors, powder coating, etc., I wouldn't say it's near impossible to be safe, but what you've posted above is a good reminder to be careful.