Driped lead shot

[Rcmaveric]

I have been wanting to start reloading for my shot guns. Mostly plan on busting clays and bunnies and occasional slugs and buckshot for deer season. While i finnish gathering supplies to start reloading shotshells and looking at the prices of shot i about had a heart attack. I broke down and bought a bag of #7.5 to experiment with but cost me 56 bucks. While i wait for wads i broke out the you tube and google and was able to fabricate an apparatus to make shot.

I know it needs to be dried and graphited. But does it need to be sorted and how? Is it good enough to bust clays with? Size of the shot is all over the place. I am surprised i got it that close to round, not purfectly

Took 2 days of experimenting. Today i made about 20 ish pounds in an hour or so if this is usable.
round.

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[Rcmaveric]

My shot next to commercial 7.5. They started to roll together. Graphited is store bought and non is my cast.

Shot was casted from range scraps.

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[MyFlatline]

I have been reading too on how to cast shot. Head pressure and cooling fluid have been the biggest things I have read. Would like to see pictures of you shot maker.

[GhostHawk]

Looks like good shot to me.

I think they graphite it because a loaded shot shell still has some access to air. Meaning shot will oxidise, turn white. If it does that in the shell you are going to be shooting masses of shot clumped together. More like slugs. Graphite coating prevents that.

As for your other questions, I'd shoot it and see.

Is it good enough to bust clays with? I suspect it is.

The shot I made 2 years ago and stored in 2 liter pop bottles is still shiny. But no access to air.

Load what you will use this year. Stash the rest against need.

Screens are available I believe from Grainger for removing large and small shot.

[toallmy]

I'd shoot it , I have seen some pretty rough looking reclaimed shot work well . I must say good job .

[dverna]

Graphite keeps the shot from bridging when delivering into the hull down the drop tube.

Shot is not cast, BTW

It looks useable to me but take some large pieces of paper and pattern it. Check the diameter and get an average. Deduct that from .17 and that is your shot size. Ex, if it averages .12, you have #5 shot. If it averages .09, you have #8 shot.

[rancher1913]

look up ghosthawks thread on homemade shot, lots of photos and advice as well as what works and what don't. several of us copied his setup and now make usable shot.

[RED333]

Here is my setup
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ghlight=RED333

[Rcmaveric]

I use a cookie sheet. Bought the wife a new one and took her old one. Slightly bent the cookie sheet long ways to make the lead puddle in the middle. Then i bent up the edge to catch the lead puddle. Didnt have enough pressure with out it.

To make the hole. I used a nail to make dent where i want the hole. Then i use screw because it has a better point. Just make a dent and not a whole. Once a decent dent was there. I lightly sanded the dent till i had a needle hole. I didnt have enought pressure to make that pin hole drip, so i use a sowing needle to expand the pin hole til it drips.

For the ramp. First attempt, wouldnt work. Lessons learn were to sharpen its eadges so there are no burs. Ramp needs to be hot enough to melt lead so the kead skips down it. I dont think the ramp needs to be lubed. But rubbed Mica on it. If a bur of lead would build up, i put a few drops of 2 stroke oil on a q-tip and wipe the ramp. It would flash and drip fin after words. Use a rivets to attach the ramp. JB weld will not work no matter how much you wish and try. It catches fire and turns to dust.

I had to put a nick in the edge to make it bend long ways. Once bent the edges over lapped and out a few rivets in it to make it tight and not leak lead. Makes great reference marks. Fill puddle to just below to top rivet and refill once you hit the bottom rivet.

I use a camping propane stove. I am sure i can use any heat source as long as the ramp is also heates.

Coolant container is just a military flare container. Lesson learn is to agitate it. Listen for the quenching sound. If you dont hear the quesnt mix it. I tried numerous containers and it needs to be deep.

All in all, 8 dollars worth of dollar store fabric softener and a dollar atore cookie sheet. And a 20 dollar camping stove and propane (Ozark traiks one to be specific, take the heat deflector off so the pan and ramp can sit on the burner, the use half of a can to protect the nob from heat). Thats about a 30 dollar investment to make shot. Just need graphite and wads now and to start the next leg of my experiments.

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[toallmy]

Love it thinking out of the box

[GhostHawk]

Awesome!

[Budzilla 19]

back in the '80's, my dad and I bought a Littleton shot maker, still have it, haven't made shot in a while, but the shot we made looked just like yours !!! It's a learning curve, but I wouldn't hesitate a second to load and shoot that shot! As for busting clays, just send it! your patterns might be off a little as opposed to factory shot, but sometimes in the clay target game, you get that "golden bb" that breaks a target!!! Good job, sir!

[MyFlatline]

Maybe one of you guys that has a dripper would rent it out, say for maybe 30 days. One could make enough shot for a year and pass it on along. Sorry, I'm cheap...I don't shoot competition but would like to make 100 pounds a year.

[Rcmaveric]

I was looking at the shot drippers. Experminting is half the fun. I like to learn some thing before i commit the big bucks.

As of now i am able to get consistent shot size by controling the head pressure. To control the head pressure i cast sheets if lead and break it up into chips. Now the chips slowly melt and feed the make shift ladel.

Faster it drips, the smaller the shot.

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[Rcmaveric]

By the time i am done tinking you realize its good enough. Then you whisper to your self... you know what, that will do donkey, that will due.

If this all works as plans i might buy the ladel off ebay and then get a drippers from Littleton. I know that will last longer than my back yard engineering. I am not a welder or machinists. Just an electrician.

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[Rcmaveric]

Maybe one of you guys that has a dripper would rent it out, say for maybe 30 days. One could make enough shot for a year and pass it on along. Sorry, I'm cheap...I don't shoot competition but would like to make 100 pounds a year.

I wouldnt rent it out nor borrow it. Things tend to break or fet lost. The drippers arent that badly expensive. Seven bucks and dripper.

I want something like the Shannon Master Shot. Surprisingly thid little pan pumping it out. Just sitting here on the porch playing with lead and watching tv.

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[MyFlatline]

I wouldnt rent it out nor borrow it. Things tend to break or fet lost. The drippers arent that badly expensive. Seven bucks and dripper.

I want something like the Shannon Master Shot. Surprisingly thid little pan pumping it out. Just sitting here on the porch playing with lead and watching tv.

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Was a bit tongue and cheek Rc.. More teasing about me being cheap..

[Rcmaveric]

My bad. I am in the zone and missed the humor. Lol i read that and thought of a few friendships ruined over loaned out video games and comic books.

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[MyFlatline]

No Biggie.. Reminds me of a sticker I had on my tool box,,,Don't ask to borrow my tools and I won't ask to borrow your wife..

You mention the head pressure. I am looking for hunting shot, say #5's or #6. Could that be done with just head pressure? of would a different nozzle be needed. I'm still plotting an planning. I think I have the heat figured out by using my Lee pot and a hot plate. Now for the shot size..

[Rcmaveric]

We same the same about asking to ride some ones motorcycle.

If i could have built enough pressure to make the first hole drip it would have been some small shot. I couldnt get it to drip so i hammered a sowing needle through the hole.

This shot is hovering around plus and minus 7.5 shot size more inconsistently than last batch. I use 7.5 for clays and rabbits. I try to dove hunt. Never could hit them. I only go clay shooting a couple times year and i want to go monthly.

I will post a comparison picture after i am done running this batch.

At 56 bucks for 25lbs. I will run free range scraps all day.

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