best size for sifter/screen

[10 ga]

What best size hardware cloth/wire screen for working a berm. Have a chance to work a rf berm and cf berm. Expect that a 1/4 X 1/4 might work for both? Have always just hand picked before. 10

[mold maker]

Depends on what the berm is made of and what cal CF you'll likely encounter. If its sand, a smaller screen size will yield more lead. If it'a damp clay, a smaller size screen will seriously slow the opperation. 22 LR, if whole, and not distorted, will almost pass 1/4" mesh. Although some foreign wire cloth measures the gap and not the wires per inch.
The range I used to glean had lots of small (shattered) rock so, 3/8 hardware cloth cought the handgun bullets and shed lots of the stones.

[chsparkman]

I used to mine the berms in CA using two screens, one .5" over another .25". This double tiered system worked quite efficiently for me.

[Jon]

I used 1/4" for mine. It seems to get almost everything. Oddly enough, I don't really see much 22lr. Maybe it buries itself in deeper than all the pistol bullets.

[Oreo]

I use those fine mesh waste bins sold at office stores. First fill bin. Dry sift, then submerg bin in a larger Tupperware bin full of water and sift more. This wet sifting breaks up the clay clumps pretty well. Also, organics and trash will float on the water for easy skimming and removal. Whats left is lead and rock. Skim the rock during the smelt.

[DukeInFlorida]

My system uses a 1/4" screen.... It goes as fast as I can shovel it onto the table.


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