How to get smaller lead fragments from range dirt

[Saxmann10]

When I sift the larger bullet and jackets, a lot of finer pieces flow thru the screen . Tried flushing with water but still misses a lot

[scottfire1957]

Sorry, but that is not something I worry about, but if I were, I would sift into a container, then sift the contents of the container with a smaller mesh. Progressivley smaller mesh as needed till I was satisfied.

[triggerhappy243]

Now if you had a ceramics firing kiln you could heat the pile of sand and melt the lead to come together.

[Mica_Hiebert]

gold pan?

[jabo52521]

5 gallon bucket of water. Pour the sifted stuff in. Let stand overnight. Stir and slowly pour water/trash out. You should have a lead rich sludge left in the bucket. Top off your COLD smelting pot with this sludge and when it gets up to working temp the captured lead will blend with what's in the pot. Please wear appropriate safety garments.

[reed1911]

Depends on how small and how concentrated. Sifting would be best through smaller screens, but at some point you have to feel the work outweighs the collection depending on how much lead you are loosing. Sifting shot from dirt is a pain but sometimes worth it.

[WILCO]

When I sift the larger bullet and jackets, a lot of finer pieces flow thru the screen . Tried flushing with water but still misses a lot

I had a similar problem way back when. Said "Skip it" and took what I could get.
Other sources of lead out there without the hassle of smaller pieces.
Good luck with how you proceed. Keep us posted.

[mold maker]

Duplicate post:oops:

[mold maker]

I sift out the clips/jackets with a slotted spoon, and add flux (sawdust) to what's left. Stir aggressively while sawdust burns and use a finer (approx 1/8") sifter to remove more dross. Add more sawdust and repeat stirring.
At this point there should be very little claimable lead left in the dross. It's not practical to try to claim every tiny bead of melt. It's a diminishing return situation.

[John Boy]

When I sift the larger bullet and jackets, a lot of finer pieces flow thru the screen . Tried flushing with water but still misses a lot IMO ... A waste of time and energy. Go to the scrap yard - pay 0.70 to 1.00 a lb for as much lead as you want - smelt it and be done with the process until time to cast
My last trip to the scrap yard was 286 lbs of sheet lead for 75 cents a pound

[Scooby]

I clean 2 local indoor ranges, both of which I am a member of the club. The one has play sand for the back stop and has a small bore league that does most of the shooting so I use 1/8" hardware cloth to sift it. The other range has dirt with rocks in it and sense that club has several revolver leagues shooting I use 1/4" hardware cloth. I do the club with small bore league twice a year and get about 200# of pre smelt material. The other club that has the revolver leagues is done every other week and can easily yield 2 to 300#. If you are willing to, physically able to, and have the time to do it there is still free lead out there to be had. good luck in future treasure hunts.

[country gent]

A rocker type slush box could be made to reclaim lead from the sand a trough with 1/4" -3/4 tall ledges every 4-6" 3 ft long covered with carpet or cloth put mix in one end with low pressure water and rock aggitating the mix sand and debris being lighter will run out the other end lead will be traped in the cloth in the corners of the rises and can be brushed or scrapped out. Would be time consuming and probably more work that what you will gain.