Bank diggins question re leadfree ammo

[Lance Boyle]

I just had a thought looking at the berm here and thinking of diggin it. Looking at the bullets lying on the surfce many are MC training rounds and I just had the thought that they shot some leadfree winchester ammo for a couple years with those sintered powder winchester bullets.

I realize if you keep temps down enough you can melt lead and float zinc wheel weights. Will this same tact work with the leadfree bullets?

Just trying to be as educated as possibel before ruining a batch before I even get started.

Thanks in advance.

[ku4hx]

I guess it all depends on what the powder used in the sintering process is. If it's iron or copper or some other metal it may float to the surface for skimming. If some of the powder inside the capsule is some sort of plastic I'd think you'd have a mess on your hands if they're split open. Maybe not, maybe the stuff would just burn off. I really don't know.

The only sintering process I'm familiar with used iron powder. If that's what's in Winchester bullets then maybe a strong magnet could be used to separate them from the rest. If the iron is "cast" iron it may not even be attracted by a magnet. Just dunno.

Can you pick them out visually?

[Agent1187]

I occasionally get some in my scrounging adventures, and I just toss them in and strain them out afterwards. At normal melt temps they are nowhere near melting (and sure don't smush when struck with a hammer either). I find they look practically the same as other bullets in there - so they are kinda hard to pick out beforehand.

[Lance Boyle]

Thanks Agent, I was hoping for that.