Odd Lot Bullet Recycling

[DocBII]

Good day,

I've been reloading for over 50 years, and I've collected bullets in various calibers and weights which are not large enough or too screwed up for use. Probably around 40 to 50 lbs. worth of mixed composition bullets.

Any good way to open and extract the lead separately from the brass? Is it worth the effort? Knowledge gained from the creation of such a large accumulation was worth it.

Thanks,
DocBII

 

[D Coots]

I've sold many culls from bullet making. Lots of 500 or 1,000 shipped in a flat rate USPS box. Seems like .13@ if I recall correctly. Some folks would most likely use them and be happy, instead of tearing them apart if they're usable at all.

My 2 cents...

Later

Dave

 

[Hipshoot]

Don't know about recycling the bullets, but I use a lot of mine for fouling shots and fireforming brass and also give some to my fellow shooters for the same purposes.

 

[DocBII]

Good day,

I give away a lot of good brass and bullets to new shooters to help get them started. I'd rather not frustrate their learning curve by starting them with crud.

If these were good enough to use as practice or foulers, I'd do so. Just not enough quantity, quality or consistency to do so.

Thanks,
DocBII

 

[Dave Way]

Lead melts at 621 degrees Fahrenheit while copper melts at 1,984 degrees Fahrenheit. I would think you could heat them and somehow pour off the lead.

Dave.

 

[Walt Krafft]

Ask your recycling dealer. Last month they included the seperate box of bullets in the weight of the brass.

 

[STS]

If you are intent on extracting the lead from the finished bullets, it's easy to do. Take a pair of wire cutters and pinch the bullet so that the jacket is split enough to see the core. You accomplish the same thing by giving them a good whack with a hammer on a hard surface. Toss them into a melting vessel such as an old cast iron skillet and melt away. Give them a stir and the jackets and dross will float to the surface to the lead. Skim off the trash and pour the lead into a muffin tin or other mold. Just make damn sure the bullets are DRY before melting.

 

[Fire Dog]

If you are intent on extracting the lead from the finished bullets, it's easy to do. Take a pair of wire cutters and pinch the bullet so that the jacket is split enough to see the core. You accomplish the same thing by giving them a good whack with a hammer on a hard surface. Toss them into a melting vessel such as an old cast iron skillet and melt away. Give them a stir and the jackets and dross will float to the surface to the lead. Skim off the trash and pour the lead into a muffin tin or other mold. Just make damn sure the bullets are DRY before melting.

Also do this outdoors or some place with lots of ventilation…
Lead is a toxic metal and has implications for your health…
I quite casting bullets years ago when a blood test indicated that I had elevated levels of lead… A Lyman lead pot in a closed room was not a good idea..
These days I always use nitrile gloves when cleaning or loading just to minimise exposure.

 

[ebb]

My neighbor gave me a bucket full of fishing sinkers to cast with. Several large egg sinkers had beach sand in the hole that goes through the middle and one or more had moisture in with the sand. I asked how long he had the sinkers in his garage before he gave them to me? He said they were all at least 9 months in the dry garage, and I had them four months since he gifted them to me. One or more still had enough moisture to blow up and send tinsel all over my shop. I run a drill bit through all the sinkers now. Be careful STS is not kidding just a little water, and it is violent.

 

[Hipshoot]

If you heat them up slowly the water will probably evaporate before you have any problem

 

[DocBII]

Good day,

Looking for an electric pinching tubing or limb trimming cutter for this task. Any recommendations for such from Lowes, Home Depot or Tractor Supply before heading to the Chinese at Harbor Freight?

Thanks,
DocBII