I have a question

[olafhardt]

I would think that in the melting of range scrap some of the jacket components dissolve in the melt. Before you say "no it's not hot enough" consider that a solvent does not have to reach the solute melting temperature to dissolve it. Water dissolves salt or sugar at room temperature up to their solubility limits. So I assume that you have to skim jackets you must have some copper in your melt.

[borg]

Apples and oranges.
You can't compare

[NavyVet1959]

Well, if you have some copper in your melt, you must also have some iron since you are using an iron or steel pot for not only the smelting, but also for the casting.

Personally, I don't think that the solubility of copper or steel in lead is enough to make a difference (for me).

[Ola]

And IF there is some copper in the lead, that might not be entirely bad thing.. it would probably make the bullets harder.

[bangerjim]

0.5% Cu in my boolits makes the "tougher" not harder. I have an alloy with Cu already in it that I use to add the metal if I need it. Dissolving Cu in 750F lead????????????? Mabe if the phase of the moon is correct?

You can try adding it by using copper sulfate, but that strips out all the Sn and Sb, so you have to add it back in! Waste of time & $$.

The only way to know is to have your alloy analyzed with an x-ray gun. You will never see the difference just looking.

banger

[runfiverun]

i'll go with most of those jackets are oxidized.
oxidization will prevent you getting copper into the mix, unless you actually clean the jacket and use plenty of time to work it in, the amount of copper you might possibly get will be too low to even notice.

[lightman]

I doubt that it will, but even if it does it will help more than hurt.

[sqlbullet]

Salt and sugar are readily soluable in water. Solutions of high concentration are easily attained. Copper does not enjoy the same level of saluability in lead.

Grinding the jackets would increase the surface area and give you a boost, but not much.