Melting the lead from j-words

[DxieLandMan]

Is there a thread or has anybody have experience of melting the lead out of j-words and casting that? I did it about 30 years ago when me and my dad were making a cheap boat anchor out of lead and J words and wanted to know what was the best way to separate the lead and copper.

[Sgtonory]

As long as there is a spot for the lead to flow out of just heat it up and the jackets will float to the top.

[Sgtonory]

If its is fully covered i use either side cut's or just hit them with a hammer to make a small split in the copper jacket. Or trade your J words for lead.

[freebullet]

Indeed jackets float on the melt. Even if the jacket isn't split the lead will come out when hot enough. Do a search for "range scrap" tons of info on it here.

[newmexicocrawler]

I melt range scrap and all the jackets float to the top....only thing that gives me problems are the clay pigeon pieces...they turn gooy and can stick to everything.

[DxieLandMan]

Thank you. I was trying to get the lead out of fired projectiles so that I can melt the lead into ingots and sell the copper.

[Ole]

Run a magnet over your copper jackets after you separate them. Toss out anything that sticks to a magnet.

The scrapyard will poopoo your bounty if anything sticks to a magnet (from copper washed bullet jackets).

[btroj]

No cutting or hammering for me. Lead will always find a way out.

Any jacketed bullet must have a place where the core went in, it isn't sealed tight enough to keep mother lead in. Plated bullets have a thin enough coating that it falls apart when heated.

I have done well over a ton of range scrap and never saw a need for washing, hammering, sorting, or anything but heating.

[tomme boy]

btroj, you must be a lucky one. I have to sort through all of my jackets I take to the scrap yard. Another guy here brought some in and had a bunch that did not melt. I melt mine on a turkey fryer and it gets way hot. Much hoter than a casting pot. I always end up with a bunch that did not open and melt out. So I sort them out and cut them with side cutters.

I have actually started to sort them out before I smelt. I am also trying to get out the clay pigeons pieces. They make a big mess out of the jackets. And it sticks to the sides of the pot and you have to use a chisel and hammer to get it off. Plus they smell like sulfur and gives off yellow smoke.

[Bjornb]

The type of range you are recovering scrap from makes a big difference. I'm currently processing about 7 tons of indoor scrap, it's all been hitting a steel backstop so every jacketed projectile has been smashed flat to some degree. The problems occur when mining berms where bullets are recovered pretty much whole; some pistol bullets are well sealed up and need to be cracked or pinched in order to melt down the lead.

[btroj]

Mine are all from outdoor berms. Most bullets are intact.

[fastfire]

Plated bullets are usually the ones that didn't have a split or crack that I have to pick out of the scrap.

[MaLar]

Also be careful when melting recovered bullets. Some may have a bit of water in the jacket. Cover the pot wile melting. Little bit of water makes a mess on you if your too close. Ask me how I know.

LaMar

[rockshooter]

I make a point of cutting a drain in plated bullets. In my experience with range scrap, plated bullets end up looking like pregnant footballs when hot- and don't even think of squishing them with pliers- hot lead all over the place!
Loren

[rintinglen]

No cutting or hammering for me. Lead will always find a way out.

Any jacketed bullet must have a place where the core went in, it isn't sealed tight enough to keep mother lead in. Plated bullets have a thin enough coating that it falls apart when heated.

I have done well over a ton of range scrap and never saw a need for washing, hammering, sorting, or anything but heating.

Hey there, Btroj, If I send you two dollars will you buy me a lottery ticket?

I always have had at least a few "unmeltables" from my range pickups that require a whack from a sledge hammer to free the plumbous gold from its gilding metal prison. I once got a bucket from an indoor range that required TMJ ammunition and used chipped up tires for a back stop that was nearly worthless. I had to bash nearly half of those boogers to get the lead out. So called "FMJ's", with the hole in the base are no problem, but the TMJ stuff is a hole nother problem.