Frangible Lead Free Bullets

[avan47]

What is in the new frangible lead free bullets that are starting to show up on shooting ranges? Does it vary by brand? Is there anything in them that would cause casting problems with the range scrap alloy?

[runfiverun]

powdered metal.
iron/copper/stuff like that.
you can make frangible cast with bismuth and tin, ain't cheap though.

[bumpo628]

They can also be made of zinc too.

[avan47]

Thanks for the replies, but I am not interested in making them. I need to know if the lead free bullets I pick up on the range are safe to melt into my boolit casting lead.

[PanaDP]

Doesn't the very name "lead free" kind of tell you?

[mold maker]

IIMHO Anything they include, that is safe to handle, will be left in the slag of the smelt. As for zinc, just keep your melt temps low, like smelting WWs and you should be OK.
Of course my opinion is guaranteed, to be worth, only what you paid for it.

[billyb]

I was given some 40S&W ammo loaded with frangable bullets that were water damaged. I looked online for some data to load these after I pulled them. There were almost 300 rounds! I pulled them all with an impact puller. There is a company in Florida that makes them. I contacted them and they sent me some samples with data and a DVD showing the making of the bullets. There's were made with powdered copper and tin. They foremed them under pressure and then heated them. It was interesting. Dont know where I put that DVD? I loaded them whith the data they sent and shot our steel plates. They shot very well. To purchase them would have pricey. Bill

[rexherring]

Doesn't the very name "lead free" kind of tell you?

Nope, could be zinc, tin, etc. that could melt.

[PanaDP]

Nope, could be zinc, tin, etc. that could melt.

Then apparently our bullet casting process are quite different. I actively avoid zinc and only add tin in known quantities so I keep my pot at a lead-tin mixture that is approximately known at all times.

[avan47]

Then apparently our bullet casting process are quite different. I actively avoid zinc and only add tin in known quantities so I keep my pot at a lead-tin mixture that is approximately known at all times.
That's the point of this thread. If they are zinc, we need to avoid putting them in our melt. If they are tin, that would be a benefit.

As it turns out, Remington's are iron and copper, and Winchesters are tungston and copper with some zinc stearate. None of these would be of any benefit in the melt, and should probably be avoided. Their may be some brands that contain tin, but I haven't found that info yet. I got this information from the MSDS that I found on line.