durango
03-29-2016, 08:41 PM
I have recently smelted two batches of 'range lead' from two different indoor ranges. Both ranges are fairly new and environmentally PC--that is-all debris from the cartridge is captured into buckets at the rear of the range. No sand, no dirt, no nothing that didn't come out of the gun barrels.
Both batches were about 400 lbs. and netted about the same amount of lead, bullet jackets, etc. What I also got was 40 lbs. of a material that I cannot identify (from each batch). As stated, the weight is 40 lbs.(10% loss) and the volume is about 2 gallons--if I remember correctly, the gross volume of the batches was about 25 gallons. The texture of the material is between granulated and powdered sugar-mostly powdered-and the color is a dark grey. This stuff has gone through the pot during smelting and it doesn't melt like lead.
So----, what is this stuff? My favorite guess is graphite--(isn't graphite used as a coating on gunpowder?) What are your thoughts? Is there any value to graphite for recycling? With a 10% loss, it's a considerable dollar amount to be reclaimed. The volume, however, seems a bit excessive when you consider the amount of gunpowder that would be in each cartridge.
Please share your thoughts about this material. I've already dumped the first batch and I hope I'm not dumping a potential return.
Thanks, Steve
Both batches were about 400 lbs. and netted about the same amount of lead, bullet jackets, etc. What I also got was 40 lbs. of a material that I cannot identify (from each batch). As stated, the weight is 40 lbs.(10% loss) and the volume is about 2 gallons--if I remember correctly, the gross volume of the batches was about 25 gallons. The texture of the material is between granulated and powdered sugar-mostly powdered-and the color is a dark grey. This stuff has gone through the pot during smelting and it doesn't melt like lead.
So----, what is this stuff? My favorite guess is graphite--(isn't graphite used as a coating on gunpowder?) What are your thoughts? Is there any value to graphite for recycling? With a 10% loss, it's a considerable dollar amount to be reclaimed. The volume, however, seems a bit excessive when you consider the amount of gunpowder that would be in each cartridge.
Please share your thoughts about this material. I've already dumped the first batch and I hope I'm not dumping a potential return.
Thanks, Steve