Gonna build a shot maker

[waksupi]

well if some ones makeing the boolts for it let me know im tring but im thinking a bout tring carb jets ther brass and chep and i can get all size it thay work

In English, please.

[xfoxofshogo]

Hello if some one is makeing the boolts for the dripers let me know

Im thinking about tring carb jets ther brass and chep and i can get all size will that work

sorry i was in a rush and i drop words some times

is that to your likeing

[xfoxofshogo]

well i built a one dripper shot maker and it makes 8-9 shot no mater what the lvl of the lead is.
and i have a trun off rod on it kind like a lead pot.
it all so makes it drip not run and i can make go it fast or slow it down to drip slower and it makes 8-9 shot. all the time
now all i have to do is get a good tank and some coolint even tho the water and dot3 works it makes a big mess.
i like to just wash it down if spill so i buy some all

ps its late and im sleepy so if you cant read this sorry

[merrden]

Hi: I would like a set of your shot maker plans. I am a machinist so nozzles pose no problem. I just need hole sizes to match shot sizes and specs for the nozzle. Meerrden@comcast.net. Please advise. Thanks much.

[Lonegun1894]

I dont know for a fact how relaible this is, but I have read that the size of the shot produced is 3x the size of the hole it drips from. Can anyone confirm/deny this?

[WVHunter129]

I also would like to have a set of plans. I want to start making my own shot, and I want to make approximately #4's or #5's, #6's would be fine as well, somewhere in that ball park. I already have close to 800 lbs of lead, I cast my own bullets for my handguns and two rifles. So I am no stranger to lead preparation, fluxings, etc. I have been casting now for about a year. If you can send me some rough plans I would appreciate it. My email address is wvhunter129@yahoo.com Thanks in advance.

[olafhardt]

Seems like this ought to be a sticky.

[JSAND]

heathydee, I would appreciate a copy of your plans, my email is jsande130@gamail.com. Thank you in advance.
jsand

[heathydee]

All the plans that there are , are there in the thread. The shotmakers will work with variations in angle , bib length , dripper height and types of coolant . The only critical size really is in the bleed holes in the drippers .
Also the level of lead in the trough has an influence on the size of shot. As a general rule , the larger the bleed hole , the lower the level of melt . Bleed hole sizes range from .040” which will make #5 or #6 shot down to holes of around .023” for #8 or #9 .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=App1k...RXzdA&index=12

If you looked at the link I posted to the video you will have seen #8 shot being produced . The droplets are falling about 3/8” and are bouncing two or three times on their way to the coolant . The fall into the coolant needs to be as short as can be managed without the bib touching the coolant . A longer fall to the coolant does nothing to improve shot quality . Pellets flatten out and assume a disc like shape .
A lot of guys get into trouble by not cleaning and fluxing their lead before attempting to make shot . Dirt and debris will find its way into the bleed holes ; clogging them and halting proceedings . Many years ago an electrically heated device known as a Shotmaster was available . Two drippers only . I bought several very cheaply from guys who could not get them to work - the problem being dirty lead .

Sorry I cannot help more with plans . Best of luck .

Heath

[fishin_bum]

Lead Shot Maker- The Never Ending Project! Ok, so last week I decided to make a shot maker, easy enough I whip out a dripper pan with drippers in about 3 hours, went to the garage and tested it out on the hot plate I use to make ingots on. The heat wasn't right with the hot plate but it worked (kind of) This week I decided to make a burner for it. Once I constructed a burner and attached it to the bottom. Now I need some thing to mount it on. I have an old BBQ grill that I was planning on making a forge out of, well after some cleaning and modifying replacing wheels and rebuilding the gas fittings. I am ready to build a coolant tank and an overflow tank. I feel like this project has taken life and is growing faster than my kids. I just wanted to make a few pounds of shot so I can try out the 12ga reloader that I have had new in the box for 4 years. The bright side; this unit will be totally contained on a small BBQ grill and its portable. I will post pics when I complete it.

[boltaction308]

I am thinking about making a shotmaker as well. I want to use electric and electric heater cartridges are available on ebay.

Question, why does the lead have to bounce off of a plate before going into the water. I would think dropping straight into the water would make a more round shot pellet.

[heathydee]

Question, why does the lead have to bounce off of a plate before going into the water. I would think dropping straight into the water would make a more round shot pellet.

Dropping directly into coolant will result in the pellets having tails .

[grubbylabs]

heathydee, what are the odds you would sell me a set of drippers for less than I can buy them from magma?

[dverna]

I was really interested in making shot when I started shooting a lot of Trap. I was reloading 15k+ rounds a year. That is over 1000 lbs of shot per year. First problem, where to find even half that much WW alloy. Then the time and effort. The homemade junk (yes, most of homemade shot is junk - at least the stuff I have seen) would only work for practice singles or first shot of doubles.

I decided that I was better served by buying a ton at at time when prices took a dip. If I want to shoot cheaper I load 7/8 or 1 oz of good shot instead of 1 1/8 oz of "junk". My standard practice load is now 1 oz of magnum 8 shot for singles and doubles.

If you do not shoot a lot, is it worth the bother? You can get 400 1 oz loads from a $40 bag of shot. If you shoot a lot, WW supply becomes a problem. And WW will only get tougher to get. I see WW going for over $1 per pound. That is $25+/bag. You still need to get shot making equipment, screens, coolant, washing set-up and time to wind up saving $15/bag and have an inferior product.

There is the joy of doing it - if that turns your crank. There is also the great feeling of being self-sufficient if things go crazy. But for me the economics and performance loss did not make it worthwhile.

[grubbylabs]

Being in the recycling business I have a supply of lead, so If I can get the shot maker to produce good shot, which some seems to think it does, then I think I would be ahead. My only down fall is I don't have the tools to make the drippers, every thing else I think I can manage.

[heathydee]

heathydee, what are the odds you would sell me a set of drippers for less than I can buy them from magma?

Sorry Grubby , I am not in the business of making and selling stuff . Too many projects and too little time . Freight from Australia would kill too . If you need a few pictures of the drippers to help a local machinist you may recruit , send me a PM and I will be glad to help .

Also , bear in mind what Dverna has to say about shot quality . I only recommend homemade shot for skeet or first barrel trap .

Heath

[khmer6]

that youtube video is awesome. i saw another guy on there they built one and had for sale. wanted 5k for it. nice and fancy, but we dont need fancy in here

[mtgrs737]

You can buy drippers from Mr. Stewart at "the better shotmaker", or contact Magma engineering for some Littleton drippers.

I have a Better Shotmaker from mr. Stewart, and no deverna the shot it makes is not junk, and have shot many 25 straights at trap with it. You do have to build a coolant tank and make some screens to help size the shot along with a few other things to make good shot. It is fun to make good shot but it is also time consuming, so if you don't have the time then maybe you are better off just shooting factory loads.

[jimb16]

I have a Littleton and my shot is almost like commercial drop except for a tiny recess in the shot from cooling. After running the shot in a tumbler to graphite it, most of those little pits disappear. I use my shot for skeet. And like MTGRS737, I've shot a lot of 24s and 25s with my shot. I have not problem with crushing the clay birds with my home made shot. I've hit 4 25 straights in the past 3 weeks and 6 24/25s. I've only been shooting for 3 years and am still a work in progress.

[quasi]

I am not chep, I am porrr.