Melting Scrap Bullets

[tazman]

So whatever alloy was used in those "someone else's" bullets isn't really relevant? I'm sort of not worried about precise alloys because I'm going to be powder coating my own bullets, but I was curious about it.

If you only put a few in each time you add lead to the pot, it will have little effect on the mixture. Just don't dump them all in at once.

[Don1357]

Bullets are mostly lead that by design are alloyed something close to what you may have already (some tin, some antimony). The effects a few hundred grains of a slightly different alloy on a 10 pound pot of your alloy (700,000 gains) are insignificant.

[fredj338]

So whatever alloy was used in those "someone else's" bullets isn't really relevant? I'm sort of not worried about precise alloys because I'm going to be powder coating my own bullets, but I was curious about it.

IMO, far too much agony over exact alloy, especially for pistol bullets that are coated. I shoot mostly range scrap, who knows the exact composition. I will tweak it with lino if it isn't casting right, but it just doesn't matter that much. As noted, adding a hand full of bullets to a 10# pot isn't changing much unless they are lino.

[mjwcaster]

I throw any scrap/culls in a can.
Then just dump them in when smelting range scrap.
Anything from my reloading room is much cleaner than range scrap.
And it is going to be a mystery mix anyway.

Also I don’t bother smashing/cutting anything when initially smelting, most lead finds a way out.
I have sorted through the jackets after they cool down and pulled out the intact ones to smash for the next session.
But I find that too much like work for very little gain, I can just grab another shovel full of scrap at the range in a minute or two and get more lead for less time.

My local scrap dealers do not accept jackets, so they get returned to the range.
Although I have started keeping them Incase I ever make a trip to a scrap dealer that accepts them.

And I have never had jacketed bullets ‘explode’ just pop and send a stream of lead shooting out.

I just smelt outside, fill the pot, cover it and let it cook.
When it stops smoking too much it’s about done.


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[mdi]

"Range Lead" can be almost any alloy. If there is a lot of 22 rimfire shooting done at the particular range the lead will usually be on the softer side. If a lot of jacketed bullets are salvaged, then it too will be on the softer side. If a lot of dedicated lead boolit shooters use the range, more than likely the alloy will be harder. I have purchased range lead a few times and it usually runs about 11-12 BHN. I only air cool my bullets and this "mystery metal" alloy works well for my general casting. When/if I have a problem, I'll go to one of my "pure" alloys during troubleshooting to see if the alloy is at fault...

[edp2k]

For FMJ and 100% jacketed/plated use bolt cutters to nip or cut them in half.

[Victor N TN]

I used to pick up spent bullets at the impact area behind the targets stands all the time. But now there is too much traffic there. Save them until your smelting fresh ingots and use the lubed ones to flux the pot. I have done it that way. You might want to try it on a small batch and see how it works for you.

[OTShooter]

For FMJ and 100% jacketed/plated use bolt cutters to nip or cut them in half.

I'll have to give that a try. Mashing a buggered up plated .45 ACP bullet in my vise just got me a mashed, buggered up bullet. The plating held firm.

I don't have a bolt cutter, but I expect that an inexpensive pair of 12" cutters from Harbor Freight would be enough for this kind of task.

[GregLaROCHE]

If you’re melting a lot at a time, don’t do it in your casting pot. Find an old cast iron skillet in a thrift shop and of course do it outside. Consider using a fan if it is a calm day.

[OTShooter]

I have a 10" dutch oven for "rendering" scrap, which is what I'd be using for melting scrap bullets too.

[Valornor]

I picked up a single propane burner from Amazon and a few old canning pots from the 2nd hand store. Load up the pot full of range lead and put on the lid.

Doesn’t take more then a few minutes to melt everything down. Anything popping is able to do it safely in the covered pot. Definitely an out door activity but you can render several years worth of range lead in a few hours.

I used cupcake molds for my ingots.

Obviously don’t mix the lead equipment with your wife’s baking stuff.


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[Traffer]

You are talking about an OUTSIDE job. Easy peasy. As someone else said. make sure the jacketed bullets are not FULL JACKET. If they are, nip them open with a big side cutter or other instrument.
One other thing I do is melt the jacketed bullets separate from the other bullets. They are very soft. If you get soft ingots and hard ingots then you have the option of mixing to get the hardness that you want. If you melt them all together you get what you get. Probably around 13 bhn or maybe harder if you have a lot of hard cast bullets in there.

[Rich/WIS]

My experience mirrors mjd, about 10-12 BHN from range lead. Works well in bullets for my 45 ACP 1911A1 and my buddies 40 S&W. I smelt outdoors so smoke is not an issue. A lubed bullet or two when casting produces little smoke and helps flux. Only issue I had was with a large quantity of bullets lubed with the Lee liquid, what a mess. Fortunately the jackets/dirt in the rest of the melt mixed with the floating lube and it skimmed off but still left a ring around the smelting pot that I had to scrape off after it cooled.

[frkelly74]

I would add that you might want a lid of some sort just in case you get a POP from your melt. Keeps it contained and harmless.

[lightman]

I’m another that ends up with a cup or two of lubed bullets from time to time. I just dump them in with whatever I smelt next time. I always flux and I light the smoke anyway so a little lube is not a big deal.

[WRideout]

For FMJ and 100% jacketed/plated use bolt cutters to nip or cut them in half.

Any more, I dump all the range scrap in the pot and let it finish melting. When I scoop all the crud off the top there is always a sizeable amount of jacketed bullets that didn't melt. I have used various methods to break open the jackets including hit with chisel, smash with hammer, etc. I finally picked up a pair of end nippers I have hardly used, and found that to be the ideal tool for breaking open gilding metal jackets one at a time.

Wayne