Range Lead?

[steve4102]

I have an opportunity to purchase some lead ingots made from "range Lead". I know this is not exact and almost impossible to know for sure, But.

What would be a good guess as to the Hardness (BHN) of range lead from an indoor range?

Thanks
Steve

[snuffy]

Get it!

74129

That's all from my clubs indoor range. It averages about 12-14 BHN, needs some tin added for good fill-out. That's just half of what was in that backstop.

Here's some 40's made from it.

74130

[mrblue]

If the price is right Id say get some. It beats having to dig it out of the dirt pile at my range!

[Hounddog]

I use range scrap almost exclusively for all my pistols. Works great in my 9mm, 40, 45acp, and my 45 colt. I can't beat the price, free. Just gotta dig it up and process it.

[Scharfschuetze]

I've used it "as is" for 38 Special and 45 ACP loads. As Snuffy suggests, you might need some tin, but try it "as is" and see how ductile or how well it fills out your molds before that expense.

[Oreo]

Range scrap is my primary source as well. I buy superhard from rotometals to sweeten the alloy with antimony a bit but it doesn't need much.

[Sasquatch-1]

My scrap ranges from 12 to 13 one day out of the mold up to 22 aged for a month. Part of this depends on how I separate prior to smelting.

[Huskerguy]

I wish I had a way to test the lead from my range. I have to assume that it would be consistent from any range so I just go with that. I mix mine with some tin when I have it and some wheel weight lead.

A question for the experts (obviously not me) - would water dropping also increase the hardness and I have read a little about heat treating. Don't want to hijack the thread but if the OP is concerned about hardness it might be helpful to know.

[steve4102]

Get it!



I'm going to get it, just wanted to know what to expect.

Thanks for all the help.

[Brenden]

the rang lead I get ranges 8-9 bhn its alot of 22 and jacketed.

[jcwit]

I cast using 2 ingots range lead and 1 ingot of wheel weights, works for me.

[SlowSmokeN]

I use range scrap almost exclusively for all my pistols. Works great in my 9mm, 40, 45acp, and my 45 colt. I can't beat the price, free. Just gotta dig it up and process it.

Same for me. Works in them all and the price is right

[Idz]

My indoor trap lead measured by my Lee hardness tester is usually 8-9 BHN. Its a mix of 22 LR, cast, plated, and FMJ bullets. A big user is law enforcement so FMJ is probably the majority. Shotguns aren't allowed so it probably mostly lead+tin

[mikeym1a]

My indoor trap lead measured by my Lee hardness tester is usually 8-9 BHN. Its a mix of 22 LR, cast, plated, and FMJ bullets. A big user is law enforcement so FMJ is probably the majority. Shotguns aren't allowed so it probably mostly lead+tin
Just curious, why no shotguns? Velocity no greater than magnum pistol loads, unless they are worried about the mass being to great for the backstop???

[snuffy]

Just curious, why no shotguns? Velocity no greater than magnum pistol loads, unless they are worried about the mass being to great for the backstop???

The wads! It's a mess to sweep up the wads in front of the trap. Or if they make it into the trap itself.

"My indoor trap lead measured by my Lee hardness tester is usually 8-9 BHN. Its a mix of 22 LR, cast, plated, and FMJ bullets. A big user is law enforcement so FMJ is probably the majority. Shotguns aren't allowed so it probably mostly lead+tin "

Our club range was divided into two sections, 1-5 were for magnum pistols, 6-10 were for rimfire only. The lead I recovered was two distinct hardness, .22 lead is nearly pure with a trace of tin and antimony. I wish we could have kept the two separated, the huge logistic problem of hauling over a ton of **** lead did not lend itself to keeping it marked and separated. Maybe if I were more OCD it could have happened----,, OMG, NO

I did save about 200 pounds of that lead that got trapped in the bottom angle of the slanted steel deflector.;

74141

Those "logs" are wedge shaped, created by the 22 bullets slamming into the deflector, then sliding down to weld themselves on top of each other. The rest of that container was also from 6-10, all .22 lead. I cast some 45/70 420's from a lee group buy 6 banger;

74142

74143

74144

Those are dipped in mule snot, then allowed to drain. They shot beautifully in my NEF buff classic.

[runfiverun]

if you drain them on wax paper you can eventually re-claim the run off alox.

[Shiloh]

I use range scrap almost exclusively for all my pistols. Works great in my 9mm, 40, 45acp, and my 45 colt. I can't beat the price, free. Just gotta dig it up and process it.

Me too. I have sweetened it with linotype if to soft.

Shiloh

[Idz]

Shotguns were banned from our indoor range due to the apparent skills of some shooters. They managed to miss the bullet trap completely and blast holes in the ceiling. Personally its nice because I don't have to pick plastic wads out of the range scrap.

[Nickle]

Range lead is going to vary, depending on what it was before.

Jacketed cores and 22 rimfire bullets are fairly soft (under 10 BHN). Cast bullets will run from medium (about 11-12 BHN) to hard (20 BHN and up).

I added the BHN ratings because soft/hard is too relative. You's be shocked at how many times I've been asked if the boolits used in ammo I sell was hard. They are so used to the commercial hype for hard boolits that they expect it. I usually take a moment and explain why commercial is hard, but mine isn't. You not only don't need more than COWW alloy for "most" pistol (or slow rifle) boolits, it's actually better.

These days, I'm getting into swaging, so I bought something I should've had long ago, a hardness tester (I went with SAECO, no regrets). Now I can cast a few wadcutters and then test them to see how hard the alloy is. I'm using Corbin S dies, so my cores need to stay 11 BHN and under. If an alloy batch is too hard, all I need to do is cut it with softer lead.

[27judge]

I tried range lead from a indoor backstop made up of chunks of tires. Anyone have a suggestion how to get the majority of tire pieces out before melting it down into ingots. Its a real chore with all the little tire pieces burning in your pot. tks KEN

[mroliver77]

My range scrap came from an indoor range a few years ago. It is hard enough to ring when hit together and does heat treat. It has been too long since I tested it to remember numbers.

As far as trash I smelt outside in the country so I walk away until nasties are burnt off. f I am in a hurry I dump some used motor oil on top of my crucible and light it. Fire above and below melt it quickly.
J

[a.squibload]

Range scrap is good stuff for pistol boolits.

I smelted a bunch of j-word bullets from my
range scrap, got some pretty soft lead for
round balls but what a pain. Better to buy
ingots!

[Bigslug]

9-10 BHN in my somewhat limited experience - - a high percentage of shotgun slug with mine.

[GSM]

I tried range lead from a indoor backstop made up of chunks of tires. Anyone have a suggestion how to get the majority of tire pieces out before melting it down into ingots. Its a real chore with all the little tire pieces burning in your pot. tks KEN

Try to float the rubber in bucket of water. Depends on the density of the rubber - might have to use a different fluid.