FMJ and Boolits mixed

[nathan619]

I'm new here but I've been doing a lot of reading here for the past couple of weeks and now I have a question.

I'm planning on recovering my store bought FMJ lead this weekend from my sand pile. I'm also planning on melting some wheel weights and turning those into ingots to be cast in to 40 boolits later.

I question is, do or can I mix the WW's with the FMJ lead or do I need to keep them seperate? Also, I assume I need to take the sleeve off the lead of the FMJ lead before I melt them, right?

Thanks.

[Jim]

..... I assume I need to take the sleeve off the lead of the FMJ lead before I melt them, right?

Thanks.

Throw 'em right in the pot with everything else. The filler in the FMJs will melt and the jackets will float on the top. Skim off everything that's not lead and go to casting your ingots.

[slide]

If you don't have a lid for your pot you might be extra safe. I have had those fmj squirt lead out of the pot. Especially if they get a little moisture in them from the sand pile.

[Breadman03]

How would you address TMJ rounds where there is no exposed lead? I don't want to hijack, but I figure it may be an issue for the OP.

[para45lda]

Some people smash with a hammer some use side cutters. Some use a lid and make "popcorn".

I'd vote for the hammer and anvil - lower pot temp I think.

Wes

[Jim]

Slide, that's a good point! I fill the pot, cold, with my 'ore' and then light the fire. I NEVER dump range lead in a hot pot!

Breadman, if you have the patience to pick out the TMJs, separate them and smack 'em with a hammer to 'crack the nut'.

[Breadman03]

Thanks for the tip.

[sqlbullet]

If you have a bunch, I might keep them separate. The cores in the FMJ ammo are likely to be near pure lead. Of course, I never do more work than absolutely required.

[zxcvbob]

Slide, that's a good point! I fill the pot, cold, with my 'ore' and then light the fire. I NEVER dump range lead in a hot pot!

Breadman, if you have the patience to pick out the TMJs, separate them and smack 'em with a hammer to 'crack the nut'.[/SIZE][/B]

You can dump range lead in a hot pot if you turn the fire off first, just until the lead starts to harden. It melts a lot faster that way rather than totally draining the pot first or letting it get cold.