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pete501
02-03-2015, 03:39 PM
But you can burn the heck out of it.

I had a half full pot in the RCBS Pro Melt all melted and it was time to empty my jar of reject bullets and shot into molten mix. Some how a loaded 9mm fmj was in the jar and now sitting on the top of the hot pot. I grabbed the ladle to scoop it out when it exploded, I was luck I was wearing glasses and long sleeves. I had lead stuck to my cuff and to my palm, all over my fingernails and in my hair. The underside of the bill of my ball cap was splattered. A slight burn on the forehead and a bruised pride. The inside of the pot now has a hole where the brass casing is lodged. I haven't found the ladle yet, must have thrown it somewhere in the barn.

Calamity Jake
02-03-2015, 03:41 PM
You one lucky dude, dude, glad your OK!!!!

danthman114
02-03-2015, 03:46 PM
holy $***! lessons learned i hope! my wife would make all of it disappear with a quickness.

jmort
02-03-2015, 03:52 PM
I hate the do something now predicaments like this one, try to remove live round or duck/cover/run. In the end you got the worst of both choices. Fortunately no serious bodily injury. I believe I would have tried to run and hide until it was over. I can just imagine myself looking at a live round on the melt.

Hickok
02-03-2015, 03:52 PM
Happy to hear you came out alright! That could have been real ugly.

OnceFired
02-03-2015, 04:06 PM
Wow, that's crazy! Glad to hear you & the barn survived the molten experience without major damage!

bob208
02-03-2015, 04:36 PM
I did that many years ago. scooped up a bunch of scrap dumped it in there was a .38 s&w in mine. only thing is I walked out of the room came back and lead was all over the bench.

Hardcast416taylor
02-03-2015, 05:21 PM
And to think that people call me "overly cautious" about checking ANYTHING that is going into a melting pot?Robert

SharpsShooter
02-03-2015, 05:27 PM
This is exactly why all scrap should be saved and tossed into the outside smelting job. Nothing should go into your pot but warm ingots and freshly cut sprues. Howinhell do you expect to maintain a consistent alloy dumping stuff in? Glad you are Ok and I expect you learned something too, so it isn't all bad.

SS

mold maker
02-03-2015, 05:44 PM
A real learning experience for you, and if we're smart for the rest of us as well.
I had the same thing happen with lesser results. It was a very caroded 380 that looked exactly like a long lead 38 RN. When I saw it, it wasa resting on top of the hand full of cool range lead. I quickly tried to scoop it out, but instead it rolled off and into the melt.
The expected happened, but long leather gloves and protective clothes kept me from harm.
The major mess was a pill to clean and the only real damage was melt marks on my prescription glasses, and one tiny burn on my lower neck.
It does happen, and I had literally washed (in a cement mixer) all of 80 gals of range lead over a years time.
It's imperative that we take extreme care to avoid this happening, but in the end, its the personal protective clothes that make the difference.

gwpercle
02-03-2015, 05:50 PM
And to think that people call me "overly cautious" about checking ANYTHING that is going into a melting pot?Robert
Cautious maybe , but can you be too careful when dealing with hot molten lead and things that go BANG? I don't think so....I know I inspect every bit of metal that goes in my pot, takes time , but rather safe than sorry. I'm with Hardcast416taylor on this subject.
Gary

foesgth
02-03-2015, 06:00 PM
We all have a list of "I'm not doing that again" stuff. The great part is that you are OK.

Artful
02-03-2015, 07:54 PM
Glad to hear the Tinsel Fairy didn't hurt ya too bad - I keep a towel by my pots to lay over the top when I add stuff - two things I hate the Tinsel Fairy and the Primer Demon.

Plate plinker
02-03-2015, 08:57 PM
I was thinking of welding up a nice steel cap for the smelter for these reasons any thoughts on why not to do so?

DLCTEX
02-03-2015, 09:04 PM
I bet that was an adrinalin rush.

leeggen
02-03-2015, 09:16 PM
I don't see this as a"can't fix stupid". I see it as a real natural reaction to seeing an accident about to happen and tyrying to stop it. It is that fraction of a second that you react, scoop or run. Glad your ok and ready for round 2.
CD

country gent
02-03-2015, 09:21 PM
The one thing on this site is we dont just learn from experiences we pass them along to hopefully save someone else from making the same mistake also. I had a loaded round "cook off" in the smelting pot years ago. I had just filled it and stoked the coalfire under neath the pot up and cranked up the blower. Covered with a home made lid. I was sitting back for my 1/2 hour 45min break while it cooked down, when it popped, I was back aways and with the cover no big issue, but Im sure lead would have been flying. In that batch of crud was a 45 acp case. This lead was range lead from an indoor ranges water tanks. Proper protective gear while hot and some what restrictive, definitly not a fashion statement will save you when an opps occurs. Hopefully no one has to ever find out that firsthand or see the results of not wearing it.

leeggen
02-03-2015, 09:33 PM
Not a stupid fix, just that fraction of a second that say, "GET THAT OUT OF THERE' moments.
Glad your ok and ready for round 2.
CD

retread
02-03-2015, 09:38 PM
I was starting a fire in my shop's woodstove, had the kindling an some larger stuff going good, when I decided to throw in some more scrap laying around. I still had my butane lighter in my hand when I threw the stuff and and you guessed it, the lighter went right into the now roaring fire. Had a stupid moment's thought about getting it out then sanity thankfully surfaced and I shut the stove door stood back a ways and waited for the result. It wasn't long before a define thump occurred letting me know that the
danger had passed. I think in those king of situations "cut and run" is the proper response.

jeepyj
02-03-2015, 09:52 PM
Interesting and scary, I'm so glad your okay. Hopefully it shall serve as a reminder for all of us for shop safety.
Jeepyj

pcolapaddler
02-03-2015, 10:17 PM
I'm a new reloader. Been thinking of trying casting at some point. I am so glad you are ok.

Thank you for sharing your experience.

You have helped others prevent a similar mishap.

JB Weld
02-03-2015, 10:22 PM
I am afraid I would have enacted the RLH Protocol!
Run Like Hell😊

Deadpool
02-03-2015, 10:26 PM
I was thinking of welding up a nice steel cap for the smelter for these reasons any thoughts on why not to do so?

More would splash outward instead of upward. If it goes up, you have a chance to get away. I recommend a SWAT shield to grab if you're worried. Anything you permanently attach on or near the pot to protect you will ultimately just slow you down. If you're careful you really don't need any protection at all. Having a brimmed hat would allow you to shield your face when you get an indication it's gonna blow. You'll always have a warning, I've found. Floating cartridge was your warning, in this case.

woodbutcher
02-04-2015, 12:01 AM
[smilie=b: RE:Loading the wood stove.Tossed a trash bag from the bedside trash can.The Missus had dropped a spray NITRO can in it.
Can you say"Change of wardrobe"?Sure cleaned out the flue pipe.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

MaryB
02-04-2015, 01:33 AM
I think a heavy enough lid would hold things in, or one that is hinged and has a latch...

Plate plinker
02-04-2015, 05:52 AM
I was thinking a removable lid with some weight to it. Nothing permanent probably smart to have a vent to avoid lift off:)

Daniel964
02-04-2015, 06:55 AM
Thanks for posting this. A valuable safety reminder for all of us. I think I'll work on a cover for my pots.

6bg6ga
02-04-2015, 07:22 AM
Maybe you can't fix stupid but in your case you toned it down quite a bit. You learned a lesson and you just taught a bunch of people what not to do and to make sure your casting area is free of loaded ammunition, primers, and anything that could come back and bite you in the rear.

lka
02-04-2015, 09:51 AM
I would've ran to the electrical panel lol you're brave for trying to remove the round! Glad you escaped injury!

Handloader109
02-04-2015, 09:55 AM
I've got a small cookie sheet that came out of my little oven I use for PC. In it goes all my small scrap lead. I can roll the pieces into my pot while watching out for things that should not go in. Not perfect, but I think it helps... Be careful and Slow down!!!!

mozeppa
02-04-2015, 09:56 AM
i feel your pain...really!