Anything special I need to for range lead?

[tayous1]

So I had gone to the range today and went to the back stop and started picking up lead there was a lot back there but most was FMJ a few JHP. Now what tools other then a something to melt the lead would I need? Is there something I have to do to the jackets of these rounds?

Any advice would help. Also I was given 4 lead weights they weigh about 5lbs each is there anything I can do with them? I was just about to hit send on my order when I thought of this.

[zxcvbob]

What do you want to do? (and what were you going to order?) You can melt down and clean up scrap lead with just a thrift store steel saucepan and an electric hotplate (it has to be the kind with an open coil heating element, not the fancy cast-iron-top hotplates) and some little stainless steel muffin cups. Melt it all down, stir in some sawdust or Crisco, skim out the jackets, and pour the clean lead into ingot molds.

You'll need a little more equipment than that to make bullets out of it, but you should render it into clean ingots first.

[tayous1]

What do you want to do? (and what were you going to order?) You can melt down and clean up scrap lead with just a thrift store steel saucepan and an electric hotplate (it has to be the kind with an open coil heating element, not the fancy cast-iron-top hotplates) and some little stainless steel muffin cups. Melt it all down, stir in some sawdust or Crisco, skim out the jackets, and pour the clean lead into ingot molds.

You'll need a little more equipment than that to make bullets out of it, but you should render it into clean ingots first.

I'm buying the molds for casting, LEE LUBE & SIZING KIT 452 , CAST BULLET HANDBOOK 4TH EDITION, LEE PRO 4-20 POT W/ADJ MLD GUIDE, Frankford Arsenal CleanCast Lead Fluxing Compound and Frankford Arsenal Drop Out Bullet Mold Release Agent and Lube. Buying them from Natchez and Midway

[zxcvbob]

That's a good lead pot for casting, but you don't want to be melting scrap in it (you'll clog up the pour spout if you do.)

[tayous1]

That's a good lead pot for casting, but you don't want to be melting scrap in it (you'll clog up the pour spout if you do.)

I know where to buy a cheap one for melting the lead in and like you said buy a hot pan. Any advice on how I should go about getting the jackets off some of the 45 ACP ammo I found its the kind that has the jacket even on the bottom of the bullet. I'm guessing just take some pliers and gash it open?

Also would I need to do anything to the lead weights I was given?

[imashooter2]

I know where to buy a cheap one for melting the lead in and like you said buy a hot pan. Any advice on how I should go about getting the jackets off some of the 45 ACP ammo I found its the kind that has the jacket even on the bottom of the bullet. I'm guessing just take some pliers and gash it open?

Also would I need to do anything to the lead weights I was given?

A 4 pound hammer makes short work of TMJ bullets.

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
BOOM BOOM'S OLD TIME PIONEER METHOD.
1. #10 STEEL COFFEE CAN OR SIMILAR FOOD CAN.
2. CAMPFIRE
3. LONG HANDLED 12" CHANNEL LOCKS & LEATHER GLOVES. TO PUT POT ON FIRE & LIFT IT OFF.
4.PUT 10 LBS. LEAD SCRAP IN , MORE MAKES IT TOO HEAVY TO HANDEL EASILY & POUR.
5. HAMMER, TO HIT J-BULLETS WITH AGAINST CONCRETE BEFORE PUTTING IN CAN.
6 INGOT MOLD TO POUR MELTED LEAD INTO.
7. WHEN MELTED STIR WITH HANDY DRY TREE BRANCH ABOUT 1" THICK.
8. LONG HANDLED 12" SLOTTED STEEL SPOON TO LIFT OUT BULLET JACKETS & OTHER CRUD BEFORE YOU POUR INGOTS.
WORKED FOR ME FOR OVER 20 YRS. NOW , CANS LAST 5 + MELTS/SMELTING OPERATIONS.
CHEAP:Fire::Fire:

[*Paladin*]

I know where to buy a cheap one for melting the lead in and like you said buy a hot pan. Any advice on how I should go about getting the jackets off some of the 45 ACP ammo I found its the kind that has the jacket even on the bottom of the bullet. I'm guessing just take some pliers and gash it open?
Also would I need to do anything to the lead weights I was given?

I just use a hammer and chisel to cut a hole in the jacket.

[Czech_too]

I would forgo buying the mold release and flux compound myself. Use sawdust for flux instead. I don't use any type of mould release. As to FMJ bullets, those go in the vise just enough to 'crack' the jacket.

Melt the WW's separate from the range scrap.

[Jal5]

Don't forget to keep the jackets, save them up and sell them to the scrap yard. With the prices of metals going up its worth it to do this now.

[cbrick]

I'm buying Frankford Arsenal CleanCast Lead Fluxing Compound and Frankford Arsenal Drop Out Bullet Mold Release Agent

Do yourself a huge favor and forget the borax flux. I used it for several years until I saw the light. Best thing I've ever done in my 30 years of casting is throw that cr*p in the trash. It "WILL" gunk up the inside of your pot and your tools. Horrid stuff it is. It also is quite greedy about absorbing humidity (water) out of the air then when you dunk it into the melt you get melted lead sprayed all over the room (and you).

A clean mold does not need it's vent lines plugged up with mold release. If your mold does not release bullets properly it is either dirty or has a bur. You'll be far better served by fixing the problem as opposed to attempting to cover it up.

Here is a short article on fluxing.
http://www.lasc.us/FryxellFluxing.htm

And chapter 4 of "From Ingot To Target" Fluxing.
http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Chapter_4_Fluxing.htm

Hope this helps, welcome to the addiction.

Rick

[frkelly74]

Yup all that! And don't forget to be safe and have fun.

And check in here often, you'll get advice and solutions for problems you didn't even know you had.

[Echo]

Welcome to the forum, T1. Read and heed. I have learned more form this site in the last few years than I had in the 30+ before.

[steg]

+1 with Echo on that one, and I'm sure that many casters have been helped out enormously by visiting these forums.....................steg

[mroliver77]

Also, the dross (crude you skim from the top of a melt) is potentially the most dangerous part of casting. The lead oxides can be easily ingested or absorbed into your body. The good news is that if you are careful and handle it correctly the danger is minimal. I use a steel can with a tight fitting lid to save up the dross to be sent to a landfill. Moisture in the saved dross is bad juju!(tight lid)

I agree about nixing the flux and mold release. Sift out the jackets for scrap sale along with spent primers and worn out or damaged cases.

Add the ingots to your melt after prewarming or from a cold pot. Big batches of alloy are best.

You will want to find some tin to add so start watching for a deal. Also your melt will be low on antimony(depending on whet the ingots are) so you might want to find some type of alloy to enrich your melt (magnum shot, wheel weight alloy or some suppliers sell a high antimony alloy just for this). Good news is .45 can get away with fairly soft alloy. Melt up what you have and try casting some first.

Jay
Jay

[Doc Highwall]

One other thing you can do is wash as much dirt off as possible and let it dry thoroughly. Even if you do not wash the dirt off watch out for moisture from the dirt that clings to the bullets so the tinsel fairy does not visit. The dirt makes it harder to melt the lead and use Lot's of sawdust or wood shavings when you flux. As others here mentioned DO NOT MELT IN YOUR LEE PRO 4-20, get a cast iron or steel pot to melt your lead to pour into ingots that will fit into your LEE pot. Check out tag sales or local thrift store for a old dutch oven it is not like you are going to eat out of it also old slotted spoons for skimming and stirring. Do not use a aluminum pot. Remember only put clean lead into your LEE pot that is clean enough to make bullets with and still flux often will make this a lot more enjoyable.

[zxcvbob]

12 ounce aluminum beverage cans make OK single-use ingot molds if you cut the tops off (and make sure they are dry inside.) If you fill almost to the top, the ingots will weight about 8.5 pounds. Half full is probably a more manageable size. The lead will not stick to the aluminum, but you'll have to peel the can off .

I bought a bunch of 2.5 ounce stainless "condiment cups". I think they were about 4 for $1 at Wal-mart. They make really nice ingots that drop out easily.

[Centaur 1]

I get all of my lead from range scrap. One of the best ways to seperate the lead from the jackets is to flux with the cheap tea candles from wally world. They're not solid wax, but rather compressed wax granules. The lead tends to coat the copper jackets as if they were lead plated. I cut the tea candles into pea sized chunks, then I crush the piece with my fingers and sprinkle the crushed granules on the floating jackets. As the wax melts, the lead and the jackets seperate. I took a coffee can full of jackets that still had the lead coating and put them back in the pot, after sprinkling the wax on them I collected another pound of lead.

The range scrap that I get is a good mix of jacketed and cast bullets. Since my smelting pot is small, I try and keep a good mix of both in the pot because commercial cast boolits tend to be harder lead than the core of a jacketed one. Other times I'll keep them seperate and use the harder lead for rifle boolits, and the softer lead for low velocity wadcutters.

Cupcake pans make great ingot molds, buy your wife a new one and take the old one from the kitchen.

[bowfin]

I bought a bunch of 2.5 ounce stainless "condiment cups". I think they were about 4 for $1 at Wal-mart. They make really nice ingots that drop out easily.

They make VERY NICE molds.

[tayous1]

Thanks I'm looking for a cheap hot plate right now since my dollar store did not have any! They had a muffin pan for $5 and a spoon that I could drill holes in for a dollar store and an Alum pot for $7 not sure if I can use that.

[selmerfan]

I tried to find the condiment cups at Walmart - no dice, only plastic and glass!

[zxcvbob]

Do not use an aluminum pan to melt lead! Aluminum loses too much strength at lead-melting temperatures and the whole thing can collapse on you. It might work, but you're skating on thin ice.

Walgreen's has hotplates for $10, sometimes they go on sale for $5. If you have a Coleman stove already, you can use that.

Go to The Salvation Army store or to Goodwill to look for used steel or stainless saucepans.

[tayous1]

Do not use an aluminum pan to melt lead! Aluminum loses too much strength at lead-melting temperatures and the whole thing can collapse on you. It might work, but you're skating on thin ice.

Walgreen's has hotplates for $10, sometimes they go on sale for $5. If you have a Coleman stove already, you can use that.

Go to The Salvation Army store or to Goodwill to look for used steel or stainless saucepans.

Thanks I found a nice pan at the dollar store for around $10 it's a frying pan. Would that work?