Range lead, price and smelting technique

[DrB]

There are several scrap scavengers at one of our large local wma public ranges. At least one I've spoken to mostly picks the berms and accumulates hundreds of pounds of berm lead he sells to a local scrap dealer.

I've only ever fooled with smelting wheelweights. When I've tossed scrap jacketed bullets in the pot, I've had to dump them out to get the lead, unlike with skimming wheel weights.

Is there an easier way or better technique to get the lead out with range scrap?

Is it worth fooling with, and what's a fair price given the yield of lead and effort?

[grullaguy]

When I melt down range scrap I use a scoop for clearing the ice out of holes when ice fishing. I lift up a small quantity of jackets, give them a shake to get the residual lead out and then dump the jackets into a metal can. This is time consuming, but it is my only source of free lead. I always ensure that all the jackets are well split before melting as I have had them squirt at me in the past.
By picking up a few pounds every time I go the range, I have managed to accumulate over 200 lbs of ingots in a few months. For me, that is worthwhile.

You know better than anyone what your free time is worth.

[Swede44mag]

Talk to the scrap scavengers you may be able to get it for a good price and save them the time and cost to go to the local scrap dealer. I use a large cast iron dutch oven sitting on my propane fish fryer to melt the scrap down and remove the dross.

Like the man said you know what your free time is worth. Even if you pick it up for free it still cost to clean it up and make ingots. Where I live it is real hard to find anyone to buy wheel weights or any kind of lead.

[Defcon-One]

.... I use a scoop ..... I lift up a small quantity of jackets, give them a shake to get the residual lead out and then dump the jackets into a metal can.

Me too! I got a really nice set of ladle and mesh scoop (Skimmer) from RayinNH here on this site. A great ingot mold too.

http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=86784

I do not do much range lead, but when I see a bunch of fired bullets just laying there on the surface, I can not resisit. One day I picked up two small bags of fired bullets in 20 minutes. It smelted into 22 lbs. of ingots. That is worth it to me.

[Carolina Cast Bullets]

Keep the jackets you skim off. Some scrap metal dealers will buy it from you a "brass turnings" or " scrap brass" and pay sometimes as much as $1.95 / lb.

I've sold mine for that much a time or two. Only problem is not all scrap dealers will buy it, but, if you dont ask, you dont get.
'
Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets

[1kshooter]

I was going to start a fresh thread but it is so close I don't think the O.P would mind.... when using range lead (I pick up 90%cast and 10%jacketed) do I need to add anything to it before I cast with it like tin or antimony?....I figured as most is cast it should be pretty close to ideal mix as is???
thanks for any help you can offer Jonathan

[Defcon-One]

(I pick up 90%cast and 10%jacketed)

With 90% cast bullet in your mix, you should be good to go. My experience is that most of the commercially cast stuff is too hard anyway at about 6% Antimony. The 10% jacketed cores will thin that out a bit. Try it, it will probably be about right.

[DrB]

Thanks for the replies, guys. Anyone who comes through with additional tips or advice, I'll be checking.

[tomme boy]

My local scrap yard is paying $3.35/lb. They say it is #1 copper.

[clodhopper]

I use a metal pasta fork to skim jackets and shake out the moulten lead.
Works good for wheel weight clips too.
My pasta fork has two peices of wood screwed on the handle for heat insulation and to add some length.
I searched high and low for it, found one early on at wall mart but the price was high, Maybe 7.95.
Kept looking at garage sales and thrift stores with no luck.
After spending more than 7.95 on gas looking for a "deal" I went back to walmart and paid full price.
Some times it's not so much what it cost...but what it does.

[mroliver77]

That kinda burns me that a fellow mines the berms and sells the lead!

I too use a sive type spoon to remove jackets, clips, stones etc. I am lucky that I have torch, wire welder, stick welder, drill press and more and can fabricate many such tools that I need.
Jay.

[bumpo628]

There are several scrap scavengers at one of our large local wma public ranges. At least one I've spoken to mostly picks the berms and accumulates hundreds of pounds of berm lead he sells to a local scrap dealer.


I would buy the range lead from this guy at the price he gets from the scrap yard. Let him do all the grunt work and you just need to smelt it. You can always sell some off to pay for your cost too. Win-win for you and him.

[1kshooter]

With 90% cast bullet in your mix, you should be good to go. My experience is that most of the commercially cast stuff is too hard anyway at about 6% Antimony. The 10% jacketed cores will thin that out a bit. Try it, it will probably be about right.

thanks so much...and that is what I thought ...knowing is so much better though
thanks again! Jonathan

[rodm1]

What is a reasonable price for range lead? My club is selling it at $.80 to $.87 per pound. Is that a good price? I see they are paying $.50 for scrap here.

[Gtek]

We are not allowed to mine at our club due to recycle agreement. I do not mine, I just pick up off top. Wait till afternoon/evening of pouring a$$ rain, suit up and go for it. It has everything for me, a little excercise, a little wrong, a little dirty, and a little wet. Gtek

[Ole]

What is a reasonable price for range lead? My club is selling it at $.80 to $.87 per pound. Is that a good price?

Personally, I wouldn't pay more than 1/2 that price unless I needed it really bad. If they are getting that price, I guess someone there needs lead badly. :?

Welcome to the forum!

[clodhopper]

Is that 80-87 cents a pound for dirty old bullets, clean splatters, or smelted ingots?
Sure sounds high.

[DrB]

$45 per 100 pounds, deal done.... And yes, the skimmed jackets go for around $3/pound around here.

[Franklin7x57]

Are you doing anything to the jackets before you sell them? I've got a 5 gal. bucket of jackets, little lead, and impurities from my smelt.

[tomme boy]

Make sure to take a magnet to them to get out the steel ones. I tumble mine for a few hours in crushed walnut to clean them a little. $3.72/lb this AM, took in 15lbs.

[blackbike]

range lead. good. price better,smelting technique get BFH. for fmj and shoot that scavenger in the bucket

[inkedbylee]

In TN the srape yard gives .13 a pound for range but id you clean it it gos up and then i get .50 cent for the copper just takes some work. i got a turky frier and worked on it for it to take the wight works good for me i dont know about getting lead from open ranges i get it from a indoor range.

[afish4570]

Is there a market for bullets like the TMJ (total metal jacket) pistol bullets that won't melt. Also noted the when some do they squirt a thin stream of lead 12" high. I know I could sort through the gravel, grit, jackets and pull each bullet out and buzz a hole in it with a mini grinder holding each bullet with an old pr. of pliers......What a job though. Not really practicle. Had about 2 #10 can fulls of this stuff that is not marketable or usual unless I fuss with it. Any ideas??[smilie=s:[smilie=s:afish4570

[clodhopper]

Is there a market for bullets like the TMJ (total metal jacket) pistol bullets that won't melt. Also noted the when some do they squirt a thin stream of lead 12" high. I know I could sort through the gravel, grit, jackets and pull each bullet out and buzz a hole in it with a mini grinder holding each bullet with an old pr. of pliers......What a job though. Not really practicle. Had about 2 #10 can fulls of this stuff that is not marketable or usual unless I fuss with it. Any ideas??[smilie=s:[smilie=s:afish4570

Smack em with a hammer or cut with side cutters.

[Jal5]

Any TMJ bullets I pick off the berms get smacked with a hammer to crack the jacket and tossed into the smelting pot. I put a lid with a brick on it on the pot in case there are any squirters. Works for me.

[Freightman]

Make sure to take a magnet to them to get out the steel ones. I tumble mine for a few hours in crushed walnut to clean them a little. $3.72/lb this AM, took in 15lbs.
Hope that my scraper gives me that much I have right at a 32 gal. drum of it sitting behind my shop I have trouble moving it I est about 300# . Guess I will have to clean and separate to get the Rifle I want. At that price you can get the lead and sell the jackets and it is free lead + I have permission to mine all I want just to lazy to do it.

[tomme boy]

Friday they paid $3.26 copper is all over the place right now.

[koehlerrk]

OK, done the range lead thing a little bit this year, God knows there's plenty at the club, and no one retrieves it to my knowledge. Sooo, that said....

I found the melt to be really, really dirty compared to what I normally do. So, should I get a second melter for processing scrap/WW/range lead, and keep my "good" melter for turning ingots into boolits?

Anyone else do this, and if so, what size batch / what size melter do you have for this? I'm thinking a 20# is probably the minimum.

[mac1911]

I must say you guys where ever you are have some great scrap yards. Heck most places in SE Mass wont even take the jackets even at scrap iron prices. I found one guy who offered up .30lb for the jackets when I have a 30g drum full ? really whats the difference 10lbs or 500lbs it all adds up. I have become so frustrated with this.
As for guys cleaning out the ranges to scrap it. I dont like it but if the casters are not pulling it out fast enough to where the scrappers are not getting enough to make it worth while. What do you do. I been bugging my range to let me at least mine a few hundred pounds a month to smelt. I have offered to smelt the indoor range for the cost of propane and sell off the ignots to members to raise cash for Jr programs. Got a what ever roll of the eyes.

[sig2009]

OK, done the range lead thing a little bit this year, God knows there's plenty at the club, and no one retrieves it to my knowledge. Sooo, that said....

I found the melt to be really, really dirty compared to what I normally do. So, should I get a second melter for processing scrap/WW/range lead, and keep my "good" melter for turning ingots into boolits?

Anyone else do this, and if so, what size batch / what size melter do you have for this? I'm thinking a 20# is probably the minimum.

Scrounged another 5 gal bucket of range lead from the indoor trap today. Free of course! I have the Lee 20lb pot and it takes me like 4 hours to melt down half of a 5 gal bucket. I thought about buying a second melter also.

[mrbillbus]

I must say you guys where ever you are have some great scrap yards. Heck most places in SE Mass wont even take the jackets even at scrap iron prices. I found one guy who offered up .30lb for the jackets when I have a 30g drum full ? really whats the difference 10lbs or 500lbs it all adds up. I have become so frustrated with this.
As for guys cleaning out the ranges to scrap it. I dont like it but if the casters are not pulling it out fast enough to where the scrappers are not getting enough to make it worth while. What do you do. I been bugging my range to let me at least mine a few hundred pounds a month to smelt. I have offered to smelt the indoor range for the cost of propane and sell off the ignots to members to raise cash for Jr programs. Got a what ever roll of the eyes.

Maybe you need to find a different range/club.

[imashooter2]

Scrounged another 5 gal bucket of range lead from the indoor trap today. Free of course! I have the Lee 20lb pot and it takes me like 4 hours to melt down half of a 5 gal bucket. I thought about buying a second melter also.

You can do a bucket an hour with an 8 quart Dutch oven and a turkey fryer. I like to save it up and do about 5 buckets in a session. Add in set up, tear down and put away and i sleep sound that night...

[evan price]

I don't really mine, I just pick up the loose slugs laying all over the berm. Best time to go is a day after a good rain. That way the rain washes away the loose dirt from the berm, and the bullets are just laying there clean and easy to see. I use a bunch of the small 2.5 gallon Quickrete buckets because bigger buckets are unstable on the hillside and also they tempt you to fill them up and let me tell you hoofing a half-full 5-gallon bucket of lead to the car will wreck your morning!

I use a 3-gallon pot on a turkey fryer. I get 75 pounds of lead in one potfull- about 1/3 of a 5-gallon bucket. I fill the pot to heaping full then light the fire. I put a stainless steel hubcap on top of the pot for a lid and put a half-brick on top of it. Run the pot at high heat about half an hour-45 minutes. This is hot enough to melt aluminum the way I have my burner set up with the wind-chimney.

Seen the tinsel fairie once or twice but it is long, hair-like spits from TMJs. Have found some TMJs that were intact, a good whack with the mini-sledge on a concrete slab busts them open (cooled down, of course!) otherwise what the heck it's a handful of bullets and I got 300# to smelt. The TMJs that won't co-operate go in the dross bucket, and get sold as scrap sheetmetal at $300/ton.

Yes, it is dirty lead. I use a wire-mesh scoop I got at Wal-Mart for scooping the jackets. Scoop up the jackets, shake and tap on the side of the pot to get the liquid lead out. Dump in a metal bucket. Once I have all the jackets out I flux twice with used motor oil. About 3-4 ounces (Full ladle) each time. Let it burn, stir it up good while flaming (use long welder's leather gloves). Scoop off the black tar on top when the fire goes out, and all the dirt. That goes in dross bucket for you guessed it- $300/ton.

The copper jackets, when cooled, I dump on a work surface (Steel table I made) and layed out in a thin layer. I use a pair of old car speakers for magnets, and sweep through the jackets and remove the ones that stick to the magnet (steel, $300/ton). The copper jackets, and the copper solid bullets (Get a lot of them from the muzzle-loader range for some reason) go in buckets for #2 Copper along with burnt wire and go to my smelter who buys my scrap brass cartridge cases and spent primers and such.

The #2 Copper scrap money pays for the propane to smelt the range lead, gas to go get it, and beverages to drink while smelting it. The Yellow Brass scrap pays for primers and powder and ALOX and stuff. The sheetmetal scrap pays for lunch.

Yup, I shoot for free nowadays.

[Jal5]

Evan very resourceful! You are even going with the "green" rage recycling all that material.:kidding: I like how you think.

[afish4570]

When moving 5 gal. buckets partial full of lead. I discovered quickly my rubber tired hand truck with pneumatic tires really saves the back. Works great moving stuff from truck to shed, blacktop and onto lawn without any great effort. afish4570

[Gadget]

I lock an 18" bolt cutter into my bench vice and use that to cut each jacket to expose the lead. Melts out quicker and cleaner than waiting for the lead to find it's own hole. I just finished smelting about 200# of range lead and ended up with about 25# of copper (3.00/lb in Albuquerque).

[a.squibload]

... I use a bunch of the small 2.5 gallon Quickrete buckets...

I used a razor knife to cut around the spout in the top of a couple of antifreeze bottles, left the handles on.

[mrbillbus]

I used a razor knife to cut around the spout in the top of a couple of antifreeze bottles, left the handles on.

Perfect for handpicking. I use a liquid fabric softener jug the same way.

When I got around to building my nifty sifter I had to go with an open top bucket.

The sifter is much quicker and the pile builds up fast. The down side is you get more dirt than with hand picking. Even sifted there is still quite a bit of crud, rocks, grass, sticks, clay pigeons and so on. The stuff you don't pick up hand picking. I'm not sure which way is best. I guess you are going to spend the time separating the crud anyway. Just have to decide if it is at the range or at home.

[sabrecross03]

FYI, If it is 32 gallons of range scrap, the weight is closer to 800 lbs.


Hope that my scraper gives me that much I have right at a 32 gal. drum of it sitting behind my shop I have trouble moving it I est about 300# . Guess I will have to clean and separate to get the Rifle I want. At that price you can get the lead and sell the jackets and it is free lead + I have permission to mine all I want just to lazy to do it.