Smelting large quantity of indoor range lead?

[Linear Thinker]

After nearly 30 years of handloading, I decided to try casting my own. The recent doubling/tripling of boolit prices was the deciding factor. I used to help a friend with casting black-powder balls, so I am no stranger to the process.

As a range officer at an indoor range, I have access to ~unlimited quantity of lead. We have a concave steel backstop, which bounces the boolits upward into a steel plate, where they get smooshed and roll down the backstop into the trays at the bottom. Most boolits vaporize and fall down as dust, but some fall down as little pancakes.

I can pick through the trays, and select lead chunks for smelting before we sell the lead to a recycler for 2 cents/lb.
However, the lead is coated with unburned powder dust. We have an occasional flameup in the catch trays, our sign to empty them out!

My questions:

Would you wash or otherwise clean the lead? Any other safety precautions, other than lead vapor avoidance?
What is the best way to smelt the chunky or powdery lead?
Any other advise on processing downrange lead ?
I will have a Lee 20lb pot shortly.

I have read the stickies, and the Goatlips' guide, but am looking for more specific advise.

TIA,
LT

[blysmelter]

You need a bigger pot, and washing your lead is OK if you leave it to dry after or melt it from cold(ie dont add wet lead to allready molten lead).
I wouldnt worry about it, just melt it as it is. Outside or under a roof is better.

[mtgrs737]

You're a lucky dog! Having access to free lead is almost unheard of these days! Get a turkey fryer and a large cast iron dutch oven, some ingot moulds and a ladel and you are set to go. Save the bullet jackets and sell them to a recycler to pay for your propane and smelting set up. Stay clear of the fumes as much as possible and enjoy your treasure. The last range lead I smelted came out at 8 BHN which is hard enough for 45 acp pistol boolits.

If you get enough extra lead you may be able to trade some for casting, or loading equipment. :drinks::castmine:

[454PB]

I'd suggest you wear a dust mask (or better yet a HEPA respirator) when handling the lead "dust". Though ingesting lead is not a big danger in normal smelting, those very fine particles could cause problems. Other than that, you've got a heck of a good supply!

I wouldn't worry about washing first.

[imashooter2]

I've smelted a lot of indoor range scrap. You say you're going to pick the chunks out of the trap. Sounds like a PITA to me. Just shovel it into buckets and bring it home. Dust melts just like chunks. Get a big Dutch oven and a turkey fryer. Turn your bucket out into a wheel barrow and load the fine lead into the pot with a long handled garden shovel. This is the method I've found most efficient since powdered lead doesn't handle like larger chunks (WW, etc.). It also gives you a last chance to look your stuff over for dud .22'sand puts you a couple feet from the pot in case you miss one.

Don't try to wash the lead. Fines from indoor traps do not dry off like larger chunks will. They'll still be wet months from now.

Good luck with it. The indoor range scrap I got was much nicer to cast with than plain WW, but more difficult to smelt.

[mike in co]

if your recyler is only paying you 2 cents a pound find a new recyler.

my yard pays me 30 for range scrap, and 55 or so for large qty( 50k lbs)....

and then as far as your lead...throw it all in the pot outside ..a big pot as in a large 50 cal ammo can on a turkey burner on a 10/20 lb propane bottle.

you will need this big of a rig is you want to cast.

go to a restraunt supply and get two laddles...make one into a sivie( drill some small holes) and the second smaller one to pour bricks/ingots/muffins...what ever size works for you.

mike in co

[blysmelter]

Just shovel it into buckets and bring it home.


If handling manually, use small buckets:-)

[Linear Thinker]

All - Thank you for the advise.

Lead toxicity is a concern, I was measured at 22 ppB 4 years ago.
Down to 13 ppB last year, after I started to take precautions, and improving the range ventilation.

I will probably go the outdoor turkey burner routine to smelt the range lead into ingots, and take it from there.

LT

[imashooter2]

Your biggest exposure is the indoor range. Smelting won't hold a candle to it.

[Larry Gibson]

I've smelted a lot of indoor range scrap. You say you're going to pick the chunks out of the trap. Sounds like a PITA to me. Just shovel it into buckets and bring it home. Dust melts just like chunks. Get a big Dutch oven and a turkey fryer. Turn your bucket out into a wheel barrow and load the fine lead into the pot with a long handled garden shovel. This is the method I've found most efficient since powdered lead doesn't handle like larger chunks (WW, etc.). It also gives you a last chance to look your stuff over for dud .22'sand puts you a couple feet from the pot in case you miss one.

Don't try to wash the lead. Fines from indoor traps do not dry off like larger chunks will. They'll still be wet months from now.

Good luck with it. The indoor range scrap I got was much nicer to cast with than plain WW, but more difficult to smelt.

Ditto here; I've done a lot of range lead also. I melt it down pretty much as mentioned above. Watch carefully for then dud .22 rounds. I flux heavily and pour into ingots (I use the top of old GI mess kit as it makes a nice 3 lb ingot that goes easily into the lyman/lee/RCBS pots). I've found that most range lead will be high on antimony content and low on tin so I add tin (2.5 to 5%) to make a very good alloy (similar to current WWs) for most cast bullets.

Larry Gibson