Lead ingots made from shotgun slugs

[Camper64]

I've may have an opportunity to purchase some lead ingots that were made from 95% shotgun slugs. It would be a local purchase. Here is the ad.

"The lead was smelted into muffin pan ingots. Ingots range from about 1 1/2lbs to 1 3/4 lbs. 95% of the lead was smelted from shotgun slugs. I have several hundred pounds. $1 per pound. Discounted if you buy it all."




I'm not sure of the composition of shotgun slugs. I have been using wheel weights to cast boolits so I'm not sure if I would have to add tin/antimony to this to get the proper BHN for which I currently don't have any. I'd appreciate some advise if I should pursue this.

[NyFirefighter357]

Buy it all, send a sample for testing.

[Bigslug]

I've done several smelts in which the shotgun slugs were all segregated from other materials, and the slugs in the smelts were predominantly Winchester Fosters. I did a hardness test of bullets that were both air and water-cooled and got 8 BHN from both, which suggests 40-1 lead/tin.

Same process on jacketed seemed to indicate 25-1 or 30-1 at 9 BHN.

Just a guess, but I'd wager you've got police range scrounging with mostly slugs and the balance jacketed handgun with the odd cast .38 backup round thrown in. Maybe it would heat-treat to harder, but I'd guess you'll be buying a low-speed pistol alloy.

[Camper64]

Thanks, Bigslug. That's what I was looking for.

Got a reply from the seller, they have a little over 400# and will sell the whole lot for $375.00.

[rsrocket1]

Even if it's pure lead and you wish to sweeten it with some tin, that's a good deal. Buy it all. If you want to harden it up with some tin or Sn/Sb, do it as you cast, don't make a whole batch of mixed alloy with all you buy. That way you'll be able to use as little or as much additive as you want and still have pure lead if you ever get into slug molding, muzzle loading or anything else that calls for pure lead.

If the analysis comes back as an already alloyed mixture, you're still good to go for centerfire bullets at a good price.

[bangerjim]

It could be ANYTHING! Probably on the softer side. Get it ALL if you are hoarding Pb. Get it analyzed after you own it.

That is why we recommend keeping Pb ( lino / type / COWWs / etc in their NATIVE form. The person that cast those could have used just about anything that would melt in a pot. Hope it is not a load of Zn.

The only way you will ever know it to get an x-ray analysis of it from someone on here or at a local scrap yard.

Banger

[Camper64]

I just picked up 50# this afternoon and going to try casting some boolits this weekend to see how to goes. I'm not a hoarder per se, but I don't want to miss a good deal if one comes my way. Seller said they would take it back if I don't like it. I did a finger nail test and it seems pretty close to WW. I know this isn't the best way to test but it gives me a general idea of where it stands in comparison to my WW ingots. I'm predicting that the boolits will drop a touch heavier. If that's the case, I'll probably powder coat, load and shoot a few to see if I'm getting any leading in the barrel.

[bangerjim]

If you PC, I realy doubt you will see ANY leading! Unless you waaaaaay undersized.

I have cast and PC’d many thouands of slugs in the past 4 years and not a SINGLE leading problem!!!!! B4 that with grease lube, I had to regularly mine lead out of my barrels, even though sizing was right on!!!

And with PC, I really do not worry about hardness any longer. Most of my standard slugs are 10-12 +PC with rifles at 14-16 +PC. I just throw a little of this and a little of that in the casting pot, knowing what all the feed ingots are and I end up with the range of hardness I want on my Cabine tester every time. I do NOT melt up hundreds of ingots of “favorite” alloy hardness, but keep all my primary metals sorted so I can change the mix anytime I want. Works for me!!!!!

[Camper64]

Just an update.

Casted a few boolits from this lead and they do drop a little heavier. Using a Lee 401-175-TC mold, they dropped at 184ish. Same mold using straight wheel weights drop at 180ish. I'm currently going to save this lead until I get some "superhard" and pewter to mix with it.

Bigslug, I think you are close to it being 40:1.