Range lead

[Sasquatch-1]

Went to the range and spent some time talking with the care taker. We were talking about the scarcity of lead and told me to come with him. Gave me a little more the 1/2 a 5 gal bucket of range lead. [smilie=w:[smilie=w:[smilie=w:

[John in WI]

That's a good score! how much does that weigh? I'm normally running home with coffee cans full of range scrap, and they must have a good 20# in them.

My range doesn't have a policy one way or the other about range mining. But the president said it's ok "as long as I don't know about it". He was grumbling about the "greenies" and how hard lead is to come by these days. So I sweetened the deal with ~15# ingot of range scrap. I just smiled and said "don't ask, don't tell!"

[daniel lawecki]

We can mine lead out of your indoor range. On a first come bases as long as we post a sign on the day before saying range closed per posted times. Last year someone took 5 50 gallon drums. :lovebooli

[Sasquatch-1]

That's a good score! how much does that weigh? I'm normally running home with coffee cans full of range scrap, and they must have a good 20# in them.



It is probably in the 60 to 70 pound range. This old back was starting to have a hard time lifting it but i got it. And that doesn't include the 1/4 bucket I had already dug out of the berm.

[Jim]

It is probably in the 60 to 70 pound range. This old back was starting to have a hard time lifting it but i got it. And that doesn't include the 1/4 bucket I had already dug out of the berm.

Oh, brother, don't I know about THAT!

[Wis. Tom]

I am new to this, but you learn very fast on how much a 5 gallon pail weighs. LOL I now have learned to take 3 5gallon buckets and only fill to half full, as trying to drag 120+ pound pail across the range to the SUV, will only happen once.

[Sasquatch-1]

Oh, brother, don't I know about THAT!

I should have the problems you have with lead. :bigsmyl2:

[Jim]

Trust me when I tell you it ain't what you think. Some problem surfaces almost every day and has to be worked out. Employees showin' up late, balancing expenses, keeping track of orders, filing reports with the property owners, maintaining equipment, dealing with shut downs from equipment failure, rain, bein' away from home and my wife 3 weeks out of the month,.....

It's a real job.

[Sasquatch-1]

Trust me when I tell you it ain't what you think. Some problem surfaces almost every day and has to be worked out. Employees showin' up late, balancing expenses, keeping track of orders, filing reports with the property owners, maintaining equipment, dealing with shut downs from equipment failure, rain, bein' away from home and my wife 3 weeks out of the month,.....

It's a real job.

I started going through the bucket I got yesterday. It ends up that it was almost all wheel weights under the top layer of bullets. Appears to be all lead also. There was also about a third cup bird shot and a few air pellets. Oh yeah about a 1/4 cup of valve stems.

I do have one other question for you. Due to the number I found in the bucket, Do stink bugs make good flux? [smilie=1:

[John in WI]

stink bugs make good flux? [smilie=1:

Hmm--I have a neighbor who's always nosing around when I'm smelting--why don't you send them to me, and I'll let you know how it goes!?

[Sasquatch-1]

Hmm--I have a neighbor who's always nosing around when I'm smelting--why don't you send them to me, and I'll let you know how it goes!?

What? You don't have stinkbugs in Wisconsin?

"Hey honey pack the stuff, we're moving to Wisconsin!"

[Sasquatch-1]

This question is geared towards those who do a lot of range lead like Jim.

I may have asked these questions before, but with OLD TIMERS DESEASE setting in, I can't remember.

1: Do you seperate your jacketed from the cast when smelting?

2: Who is producing the copper plated steel jacketed bullets I am finding,if you know?

3: Should I add some of my dead soft to the jacketed lead before swaging.

[oneokie]

#1 Slotted spoon or a deep fry strainer
#2 former com-bloc or european mfg's
#3 no idea

[btroj]

I don't separate anything in my range lead. I don't snip FMJs nor do I squash them.

I dump it all into the pot and melt away.

I have a wire mesh scoop like those used to scoop stuff from a deep fryer. Works great for getting the jackets off the surface of the melt.

I get my range scrap for free. If I lose a little lead I don't worry it, I am not out any money.

I think some people way overthink this stuff. Why make It harder than it needs to be?

[Sasquatch-1]

#1 Slotted spoon or a deep fry strainer
#2 former com-bloc or european mfg's
#3 no idea

Question #1 was meant to mean do you take out the cast bullets from the jacket and smelt the seperately. I am into swaging and I have been seprating the jackets for smelting to use as cores. Seeing as how I know a member here who takes his cast up to over 30 on the Brinnell, I don't want to taker the chance that some of what I get at the range is that hard. I was mainly wondering if other swager go through the trouble of seperating.

[WILCO]

That's a good score!

I agree.