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Thread: Driped lead shot

  1. #21
    Boolit Master

    rancher1913's Avatar
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    thats actually a really cool set up. the drippers are more forgiving on the back pressure. looks like you got the drop figured out, they look fairly round and should shoot just fine.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master

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    I think it was more of beginners luck. I saw a video on you tube that was in russian. Couldnt understand what they old man was say but pictures are worth a thousand words.

    As far as hunting use, thats why i waz curious if there was a sifter i coul buy or make. Sort out the small ones for the rare dove hunt and keep the rest for clays and rabbits.

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  3. #23
    Boolit Master

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    There we have todays labors. One full camping propane canister from walmart. Started at 6pm and just now finished stifting the fails, or at least what i could. So thats six hours of labor and made about 30lbs. Minus 5 dollars i just earned 50ish bucks for watching TV. Need to devise a better sifter for the other fails. Will have to look at hardware cloth because i am too lazy to drill holes. The lack of symetry to the holes drilled would give me OCd relapse.

    Other pictures is the few OZs of fail. Click image for larger version. 

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  4. #24
    Boolit Master

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    Left to right: first attempt, second trial, commercial 7.5

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  5. #25
    Boolit Master MyFlatline's Avatar
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    Looks good. I think hardware cloth will be to big, some screen on the other hand....

  6. #26
    Boolit Grand Master
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    Or you could have sold 30 lbs of lead for $1.00.....making what you “earned” less than $20 for 6 hours of work.

    You can have lead shot shipped to your door for about $40/bag or less if you purchase reclaim. I buy in bulk and pay less than $40/bag for new hard shot.

    Making shot is neat but a a waste of time if you look at the real costs. BTW, even “free” lead has value. It is easy to sell for $1/lb.
    Don Verna


  7. #27
    Boolit Master
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    Instead of using graphite, try using Lundmark liquid floor wax to coat your shot. I just put a little in a plastic jar with shot and agitate it a bit, and dump out on newspaper to dry. It leaves it nicely coated and much cleaner than graphite.

  8. #28
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    You know that ebay pan with drippers was not that expensive.
    A jet type turkey fryer adjusted and adapted to the job is not that expensive.

    100 lbs of COWW that will just about double your investment. But get 100 lbs.

    So in theory if you run 100 lbs of good shot you paid for your tools and just about broke even cost wise. But now you can run another 100 lbs for just the cost of the lead. Now your starting to save.

    So what are you waiting for?

  9. #29
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    Has anybody tried Liquid Alox and kinda tumble lube their shot????

    Just wondering.....
    Any technology not understood, can seem like Magic!!!

    I will love the Lord with all my heart, all my soul, and all my mind.

  10. #30
    Boolit Master

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    the idea with coating is to keep them from sticking together when shot, I think alox would make them stick together.

  11. #31
    Boolit Buddy finstr's Avatar
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    Man you guys are pushing me to try this shot making!
    What's the largest shot size you guys have made? I use a fair bit of BB and #2 for coyotes. It's really tough to find lead in those sizes nowadays
    I'm the gun totin, meat eatin', BIBLE readin', redneck conservative your mother always warned you about.

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  12. #32
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    Should be out less than $100 for set of dripper bolts and a pre-made steel pan. Which is probably on my someday nice to have list just because it is another step toward being able to load what I want until the components run out. I would have to use a lot more shot than I do to justify it since as dverna pointed out bulk purchase or reclaimed shot might allow one to have a "robust" supply at the bench sufficient for modest needs at a reasonable cost and less time investment. If I bought one I would probably do just like the OP. Get it working, make a nice size batch, and sit back content in the knowledge I could do it again if I wanted or needed to.

    I really like the OP's whole idea of whipping up a solution out of assorted everyday items. Solving the problems that come up and gaining an understanding of how to git-r-done pretty decent with just what is readily available. I might have to keep an eye out when I'm at the Salvation Army looking for pewter to see if I can score a cookie or square cake pan to give that approach a try. Have sheet metal, have rivets, can bend things. If I got it to work I might try to pick up a couple of buckets of WW's and sit sorting the Pb ones out while feeding lead into a homemade dripper. The final results by the OP seem entirely acceptable to me. I would be happy to fill up a couple of 25# bags with what is in those last pictures for the cost of a thrift store pan and a little shop time.

    Not that it applies to the OP's use but one can cast buckshot and larger shot sizes #1, 00, and 000, plus #4 shot are all pretty readily available. #1 buckshot is approx. same as .310 round ball mold.
    Last edited by RogerDat; 04-02-2018 at 12:56 PM.
    Scrap.... because all the really pithy and emphatic four letter words were taken and we had to describe this source of casting material somehow so we added an "S" to what non casters and wives call what we collect.

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  13. #33
    Boolit Master

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    Yes, the ladel and dripperd could be had for around 100 bucks. I will up grade to a more stable and rugged setup after experminting. I dont just have 100 bucks laying around. In the mean time i can drip shot and save my lunch money. Same goes for reclaimed shot. Though for another cookie sheet i could make another ladel with as many drippers as i wanted. Only other thing i would add. If you try this make sure the pan is stable. I need to make mine more stable. It is purched or ballanced so to speek. I have mulling over cradle ideas to hold the pan.

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  14. #34
    Boolit Grand Master
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    If/when the SHTF, shot will be a difficult item to find. I like the simplicity of what you have come up with. I also was impressed with your first attempt as it looks like larger shot than the other home systems can produce. That is a real plus for small game hunting loads.

    I keep a minimum of 40 bags of shot in reserve JIC. And I have a mold to produce buckshot and a mold for slugs but pray I will never need them.

    You will be self sufficient whatever happens, and that is priceless.
    Don Verna


  15. #35
    Boolit Master
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    I bought various sized screens from multiple suppliers including geologists sieves. The only size I cant find is .085" to separate 8.5 from 9 shot.
    QUIS CUSTODIET IPSOS CUSTODES?

  16. #36
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rcmaveric View Post
    Left to right: first attempt, second trial, commercial 7.5

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    Shot looks good, if you want it to be "round" try use COWW, these have both arsenic and antimony which will aid in the "roundness" during the dripping. I've spent 100's of hours in the last two year trying to make shot. I finally was able to produce round shot. but it has to have arsenic and antimony to work correctly.

    I purchased a few sifting screens from Grainger and a few master screens from "too many things" here.

    Search a copy of my posts on shot making and you can see what I found works.

    Scott
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  17. #37
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by finstr View Post
    Man you guys are pushing me to try this shot making!
    What's the largest shot size you guys have made? I use a fair bit of BB and #2 for coyotes. It's really tough to find lead in those sizes nowadays
    Don't think you will have much luck with trying to drip that large a size.

    You get swan shot, globs, clumps and funky stuff.

    The drippers are designed to produce maybe 6 - 9.

    Think you'd have better luck casting small buckshot. T's or F's.
    A bit bigger than your BB and dueces but should hit hard.

    Out of all the shot I dripped when I had mine running I got maybe a cup or two of stuff that is bigger than 6 shot and reasonably round. Compared to 6-7 liters of 7.5's with a smattering of stuff that is a half size larger and smaller.

    I really should think about some screens and graphite.

  18. #38
    Boolit Master
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    Iam lucky i sell lead for $1.00 per lb local guy makes shot that looks factory made and sells it for $28.00 for 25lbs
    $3.00 kicked in to buy it keep forget to tell him hes selling to cheep!!

  19. #39
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by dsh1106 View Post
    Shot looks good, if you want it to be "round" try use COWW, these have both arsenic and antimony which will aid in the "roundness" during the dripping. I've spent 100's of hours in the last two year trying to make shot. I finally was able to produce round shot. but it has to have arsenic and antimony to work correctly.

    I purchased a few sifting screens from Grainger and a few master screens from "too many things" here.

    Search a copy of my posts on shot making and you can see what I found works.

    Scott
    I was reading about the arsenic. Will other grain refiners work? Like sulfur or selenium? I use mostly range scraps so i add sulfur to it which has the same affect as arsenic.

    I am gonna have to search for the sieves. I just want to get the obvious big drips out. Maybe latter find a means to separate it out enough to have a clays/bunny load, dove load, and maybe a pheasant sized load. Its all an idea ar this moment.

    Lee buckshot mold and the lee 7/8 slug mold is also on my list.

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  20. #40
    Boolit Master Cap'n Morgan's Avatar
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    Your shot looks great.

    As you have already found out, arsenic is the real secret behind perfectly round shot. Many years ago a buddy and I ran an experiment to see if we could produce shot from a "shot tower" (my buddy worked in a power plant which had a building with sufficient height) We managed to drip perfect #4 shot but only when using reclaimed shot from factory loads. Any other alloys would produce teardrop shot.

    I have used dripped #2 shot but they were far from perfect and the old guy who made them told me they were giving him a hard time.

    At one time I considered building a machine with rotary plates and stuff which would roll the shot into perfect spheres - much the same way you roll a ball of play dough between your palms. Never got around to build it though, other plans got in the way... the story of my life
    Cap'n Morgan

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check