Salvaged Lead

[Grapeshot]

Anyone out there ever scrape the lead projectiles off the impact burm at your favorite outdoor range.

When I was in the Army I was stationed at Ft. Dix and my friend and I would go out to the pistol range that the local police used for qualification.

In one afternoo we pulled somewhere in the neighborhood og three hundred pounds of wadcutters, semi wadcutters and round nosed .38's as well as some .44's and .45's.:castmine:

Once we melted it down we would pour the lead into Lyman ingot molds. We split the lead and I was in business for about fifteen years after that.

That lead made up a bunch of .45 Colt and ACP Bullets as well as .45-70 slugs for years.:Fire:

[Shiloh]

I mine the berm for lead at the range.

Shiloh

[ChuckS1]

Me, too. I just pick up the cast bullets when I go out to change targets and throw them in a coffee can I keep with me for that purpose. This year's been pretty slim pickings, but last year I got about 75 pounds of ingots out of it.

[targetshootr]

Yes, and it adds up over time.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b233/targetshootr/DSCN0050.jpg

[imashooter2]

150 pounds was good for 15 years of shooting .45/70? You have got to get out more! :)

[shooterg]

I get a half gallon milk jug full about every trip to the range, too lazy to carry more at a time !

[snuffy]

I guess you could say I got a bit of range lead----;

About half way done.

http://photos.imageevent.com/jptowns/arrow/websize/P4110001.JPG

Bullets and jackets separated from the sand trap at my club's indoor range.

http://photos.imageevent.com/jptowns/arrow/websize/P4110004.JPG

More of the same with some "logs" that formed when bullets slide down the deflector plate to jam in the bottom corner of the sand trap.

http://photos.imageevent.com/jptowns/arrow/websize/P4110005.JPG

Fluxed and ready to pour ingots.

http://photos.imageevent.com/jptowns/arrow/websize/P4110007.JPG

So far the resulting boolits I have cast out of the reclaimed lead seem to need more tin. Poor fill-out, and undersized as-cast diameters. So the free lead is going to cost for the addition of some tin, along with the beer, pizzas, and propane used during the reclaiming process.

[leadman]

Can't count the beer & pizzas. But some of the linotype that is for sale here and it will probably fix your problem.
Has tin and antimony that the jacketed bullet lead cores are lacking.

[runfiverun]

i just mix the range stuff in with my ww's when i smelt them.
one scoop of range and 4 of ww's then top off with more ww's as i melt it down.
i can usually get about a 5 gal bucket through a seasons pickings.

[Down South]

I pick up 50 or so pounds when I make it out to the rage every once in a blue moon. Most of it is laying on top of the ground in front of the red dirt wall at the pistol range. I sometimes use a minnow trap to seperate the dirt from the bullets. I've still got a bucket of range scrap to smelt down one of these days.

[truckmsl]

I've picked up 500 lbs this year from the berm at my range. I mine at night using a headlamp so I don't have to worry about getting interupted. Mix 50/50 with wheel weights and water quench. I add tin if fill out is a problem.

[Shiloh]

I get a half gallon milk jug full about every trip to the range, too lazy to carry more at a time !

Me Too!!
I get some every trip.

When I bring the screen sieve and buckets, I carry one in each hand about 125 yards. about 75 yards up a 15% grade. It's WORK
The 2 1/2 gal buckets half full each, get dumped into a 5 gal. bucket in the garage. There are two full ones to be smelted.

Shiloh

[WHITETAIL]

Me Three!
Every time I go to the range.
I get something to take back.:lovebooli

[putteral]

Me Too! Everytime I change my target I get a couple of handfulls. It adds up since I go at least once a week.
:drinks:

[geargnasher]

I mine my own traps and back stops (sand-filled wooden target stands). I also mine all the local wrecking yards and body shops for wheel weights. Give the guys a few bucks for beer and fill my bucket. Occasionally when I go to the public range (more to mine for brass than anything!) I come back with 10-15 lbs boolits off the ground if no one else is there.

Funny how everyone, even the old, scroungy scrap guys, are getting very weird about lead. Mention it and they can't wait to change the subject, even when offered twice the going scrap rates.

Gear

[anachronism]

A friend just gave me 3-5 gal. buckets of range scrap from the indoor range that shut down a few years ago. Lead recovery runs about 50% by bulk, but about 75% by weight. The new owner of the range claims to be getting $1.50/lb for his scrap, I damn near called him a liar on the spot, but instead told him how well he's doing, then left quietly. Right now, I think 50 cents/lb would be high, considering the time & expense to process it. As pointed out earlier, it does need to be "enriched".