recovering boolits

[41mag]

I have 10" heavy wall weld neck 90 with a 10" welded neck flange on it. I have used it quite a few times for pistol practice but since getting a bit more into casting I am thinking it will work well for this also.

My intentions are to set it up on top of a wooden support with a drum under it full of sand. My question(s) are, when using the plated bullets like Berry's and recycling the lead does the plating come to the top when they melt? When using this type of lead does it need to be mixed with anything (tin or solder) before use in casting standard lead boolits?

I only have the plated ones for two calibers, so I wanted to use them up first for target practice. I did however want to reuse the recovered metal if possible. I also have plenty of older jacketed that I plan on mining up as well once I get more into this project.

I looked into the crumb rubber, but with a farm which has all the sand I feel like shoveling on it already, it seemed a little counter productive. I have found that even my 454 loads will only go a foot or so into the sand after hitting the radius with the 90 sitting on the ground, it does however move it back a few inches at a time as well. I was only thinking of raising it up enough so that I could get a half barrel or more under it to catch the lead and make it easier than digging a hole in the ground when I wanted my bullet back.

Any input is welcomed, as with the way things are getting around here, if I shoot it, I better get it back to reuse it, as the supply of free or otherwise wheel weights is dwindling to the point I can't afford to drive around looking for it.

[SciFiJim]

The plating on the boolits will float. It is not nearly as heavy as the lead.
As for what to add to it. I would treat it like any other range scrap. It will probably be on the soft side, so mixing it with WW lead 50/50 would stretch you existing supply of WWs. Only add tin or solder when needed to aid fill out. Try the alloy without first. If it works GREAT, if not, add a little tin.

[41mag]

Thanks Jim, I only have about a half a 5gal bucket of actual WW, but I have some other straight lead that once it is gone I will work up hopefully to a usable mix.

I also have a butt load of Oregon Trial bullets that I am going to keep separated until I get up enough of them to try out as well.

I'm just getting into cast and know just enough about it to get them out of the barrel. How well they do is yet to be determined. LOL

[lwknight]

I would not bother with the sand under the 90 trap. Almost all the energy will be transferred to the pipe and what is not will be in the form of liquid lead spray. The sand will be more of a contaminant than containment. A plain hard steel plate in bottom would be best. The sprrayed on lead will just scrape off.

[doubledown]

I get oak or yellow pine 12x12's from work and cut them two or three foot long, and bring them to the range. I staple my targets on them and blast away. Depending on how much I shoot that day, and the condition of the 12x12 when I am done, I either go down range and pick the log apart with my K-Bar and get most of my bullets back or with the oak 12x12 leave it there for a week or two and get my bullets and everyone else's thats been shooting at it.