Reclaimed Lead Shot

[Bushwacker Berg]

So I have been gathering and starting to collect lead for awhile and picked up a 5 gallon bucket of reclaimed lead shot. How does this compare to COWW lead? I also have several large sheets of lead used for body work prior to them using Bondo. Any help and information would be great. I have been shooting cast since I was a kid but this will be my first of rolling my own. Thanks, Ryan

[runfiverun]

well they will make boolits.
the lead shot is probably gonna come out in the 4-5% antimony range depending on the size [s]
the body lead can be just about anything from 10-30% tin.
the tin was used to prolong the slush stage and to lower the melt temp so the lead could be worked longer with less heat.
it come in different 'grades' depending on the surface you were working on
basically the more/less vertical areas dictated the tin percentage you wanted to use.

[leadman]

A tip for smelting the reclaimed lead shot: Do not fill up your pot with the shot, just about 1" to 2" in the bottom to start. Most of the time the shot will have to be smusched against the side of the pot with a big spoon or similar tool. The oxide and graphite make an insulating shell on the outside that needs to be broken to release the lead inside. Add an inch or so at a time when the first load is melted. Shot will usually make fine boolits even for rifles and magnum handgun velocities. For 38s and 45s it can be cut with pure.
If you are casting boolits with sharp shoulders like a SWC some tin may help with fillout.

[Bushwacker Berg]

Would it be good to try mixing half and half with the body work lead and the lead shot when smelting? I am truly just starting in figuring out what mixes are good and bad. Thank you for the info I really appreciate it.

[Larry Gibson]

Would it be good to try mixing half and half with the body work lead and the lead shot when smelting? I am truly just starting in figuring out what mixes are good and bad. Thank you for the info I really appreciate it.

If the lead you have has 5% + tin it then it should work fine. Othersize get some pure tin or solder with 40 - 60% tin and add that to the shot. Compute it so you are adding 2 - 3% tin. That will give you a very good alloy similar to Lyman #2 with a BHN in the 14 - 16 range. With that alloy you can then cut it with the lead you have (if it has no tin) to a softer BHN or you can WQ the bullets for a harder bullet with a higher BHN. Either way you've got good componants to work with.

Larry Gibson

[Bushwacker Berg]

Thank you all for the wonderful information!

[khmer6]

if you want to trade let me know :-) looking for a cheap source of reclaimed leadshot for shotshell

[Sensai]

Be careful about overheating the reclaimed shot. The higher grades (harder) shot has arsenic in it to aid in dropping rounder from the shot tower and also to aid in hardness. This is great, especially if you're going to heat treat the boolits, but it can be a danger if the melt gets really hot. I don't remember the exact temperature, but it's hotter than we normally use. I think around 900 or so. The thing that I remember being cautioned is that if you detect an odor of almonds then leave the area. They don't use a lot of arsenic, but it don't take much to do you harm!

[bruce drake]

I just purchased 50lbs of reclaimed shot from Rotometals so this thread came up as the first thread in the search of this forum. Great answers from the forum members for answering my question because someone else had already asked about forecasted hardness of the shot.

[Nose Dive]

Yea...fellas are right,,,,'stay cool jewel'.... I keep my old shot smelts (and as always...'other corruption') down low temp..below 700 and as stated by the fellas above....NEVER FILL THE SMELT POT.... just makes an awful mess....

I always put about 1' or 2 of sawdust and sulfur mix as flux in the bottom of a cold pot....add the smelt material... stay 2" off the top at least.....then while outside....start the heat....low and slow.....no need to get crazy to see melted material....but...once you do...mix well and come up abit on the heat... add some more flux (sawdust and sulfur)....mix well...scrap the sides and bottom.....and let her come to a smooth pot of smelt....scrap dross...scarp sides....scarp bottom..... go slow.... I smelt some bad news stuff so temperature is ALWAYS A CONCERN......at very low temp.....300 or soo....pooping and spitting is controlled... at 600 or so....KAPLOWY!.... you got smelt all over the place.... soo... low temp...stir...flux...take it easy...no hurry..... and with SHOT .....no need for a HOT POT.... mix...slow...flux.... you should have not issues....

and,,,i do had WW's and Pewter to shot smelt.... once done...once made into ingots.... I resmelt with a bit of PURE LEAD....(and I don't really know if i own any!!)

And...don't forget...once heat is on the pot..NEVER..>EVER>>> add any more smelt material to the pot... (SEE KAPLOWY above)....

Nose Dive

Cheap, Fast, Good. Kindly pick two.