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Murphy
05-01-2006, 11:44 PM
Hey guys,

I just picked 6 containers that held some sort of medicine from the local hospital. Just a quick fingernail scratch, they are equal to if not harder than WW's.

Any one been using this stuff lately? Any idea as to BHN?

Any info would be very much appreciated.

By the way, any good sources for Tin would be appreciated as well.



Murphy

Dale53
05-02-2006, 12:59 AM
Murphy, the lead containers were probably from the nuclear medicine community at the hospital. I have not hardness tested any of these. Now, is your opportunity to cast some bullets from these and you can tell US:)

I live near Cincinnati Ohio and I bought 25 lbs of tin from a local refinery. If you live near a major city you might be able to do the same. It has been a good while since I bought my tin, so any price I might quote would, no doubt, be terribly outdated.

Dale53

ktw
05-02-2006, 01:22 AM
Hey guys,

I just picked 6 containers that held some sort of medicine from the local hospital. Just a quick fingernail scratch, they are equal to if not harder than WW's.

Any one been using this stuff lately? Any idea as to BHN?


I have something similar. came in 20 and 30lb, roughly egg shaped pieces.

A day after smelting into ingots mine came out 11-12 BHN with a lee tester. I am getting 12-13 with the same tester on regular wheelweights.

-ktw

snowtigger
05-02-2006, 01:45 AM
My source for tin is 95/5 plumbers solder. It is 95% tin and 5% antimony. You may have to go to a PLUMBING supply store, as the various "Home centers" I have visited do not reveal the content of their solders.

Murphy
05-02-2006, 10:21 PM
Thanks for the info guys.

I just weighed the containers and they weigh in at an average of 33 Lb's each.
There isn't any markings or a label one on any of them.

I guess these things come in all shapes and size's. Mine are shaped like spire point boat tail boolits. Hummmmmmmm......a 'sign' from above? *GRIN*.

Murphy

Four Fingers of Death
05-03-2006, 05:18 AM
Sounds too good to be true, do you glow in the dark after using this stuff? :-)

Bucks Owin
05-03-2006, 01:33 PM
Any update on this Murph? Are they radioactive? Are they full of HazMat stuff? Are you still with us?!? :-)

Dennis

redneckdan
05-03-2006, 04:59 PM
Lead does not be come radioactive:roll:

felix
05-03-2006, 05:02 PM
The lead is safe. What was in the containers is not, and the hospital is SUPPOSED to hold back that lead in a special leaded room until the half life of the material has been met as a minimum. Usually within 6 months. ... felix

Bucks Owin
05-03-2006, 05:21 PM
Lead does not be come radioactive:roll:


"Was it a bird? Was it a plane?"....:roll:

Humor aside, I'd just like to know if the source worked out for usable lead! :wink:

Dennis

ktw
05-03-2006, 05:48 PM
Humor aside, I'd just like to know if the source worked out for usable lead!

I consider it an acceptable substitute for wheelweights, although not neccesarily a financially desirable one. The medical lead containers cost me 25c a lb. I don't have a problem getting all the WW I want for free. And with wheelweights I have at least a rough idea of the alloy I'm working with.

-ktw

swheeler
05-03-2006, 06:37 PM
Murphy; I was given about fifty pounds of "isotope containers" a while back. Some were the size of coffe cups, others as small as a tylenol bottkles, all painted blue, orange and red oxide primer. They were mixed 1 iso-1 ww-1 lino which made an alloy of 17 bhn, the alloy cast good sharp boolits. Seems one of the orange ones was labeled radioactive Iodine?
Scooter

Murphy
05-03-2006, 06:45 PM
I just picked these up on Monday. It may be few weeks before I get around to casting anything with them.

A. If I should begin to 'Glow' in any shape, form or fashion...y'all will be second to konw.

B. If any of the boolits fired, appear to look like tracer's going down range...I will indeed let you know.

Thanks for the input/info guys.

Murphy

Duckiller
05-03-2006, 11:16 PM
Alternative "B" sounds like fun.

crazy mark
05-03-2006, 11:29 PM
They are from the Nuclear Med dept. I get these all the time for free. Otherwise we have to pay toget rid of them. Not sure what alloy they are made of but I just mix them and ww's with equal parts each and they shoot good. They are checked before they leave the department and find their way to the facilities office. Mark

Bucks Owin
05-04-2006, 02:35 AM
Alternative "B" sounds like fun.

Sure does! Tracers, whoopee! :-)

Dennis

glicerin
05-04-2006, 07:01 PM
When I was still in metals lab I analysed radioactive isotope container and got same numbers as for WW. No dirt or grime, no zinc! Hospital lab staff HAVE to(in Canada) geiger test container and plastic or other outside package before crossing off radioactive skull and crossbones. Safer than crossing the street.

buck1
05-05-2006, 05:07 PM
I have been feeding them to my .44 mag for about a year. After 2 WKS =BHN14.
Its good stuff. I have had no si si side effffffets, buuuuuuuuuuut that third eyeball growing from my forhead may be a warning sign???
......Buck

doc25
05-07-2006, 05:42 PM
3RD eyball should help shooting if you are center eye dominant.

ktw
07-25-2007, 12:54 PM
I have something similar. came in 20 and 30lb, roughly egg shaped pieces.

A day after smelting into ingots mine came out 11-12 BHN with a lee tester. I am getting 12-13 with the same tester on regular wheelweights.


I tried heat treating some of these for the first time recently. In the oven for 1 hr at 450. Went from 11 bhn before heat treating to 27 BHN 24 hrs after heat treating.

Good stuff for rifle bullets.

-ktw

Blammer
07-25-2007, 03:17 PM
the ones I got from the radiology dept was pure lead! It had a hard coat of somethign on the outside but after smelting it was very soft.

mazo kid
07-25-2007, 03:30 PM
I disagree that lead will not pick up radioactivity; however I don't have first hand knowledge. I remember reading in the American Rifleman several years ago the warning to have these isotope containers checked before using them. I had my brother in law bring the Geiger counter from work and checked the 2 I had. There was more radiation in his watch face! Emery

dakotashooter2
07-25-2007, 03:41 PM
Sounds too good to be true, do you glow in the dark after using this
stuff?

That would make for some cool home cast tracers>:) :) :)

:castmine:

UweJ
07-27-2007, 01:30 PM
I have just gotten 55 isotope containers from a buddy at the shooting range.He´s a nuclear physician at a local hospital.I talked to him about your post and he said he had some more if I wanted some.They come in two sizes 1)450 grams 2)800 grams. He said he was using them for .45cal Auto.
Thanks for pointing that out, I had just gotten 330 Kilo´s from a group buy from a foundry.
Now I got a steady source of good lead.
Thanks again,
Uwe