Zinc Shot

[peter nap]

I'm still coming up with things to do with Zinc Wheel weights. I make swan shot for my ML shotguns.

Why wouldn't Zinc work for that and would it qualify for Migratory Bird shot????

[home in oz]

You will have to ask the Feds about whether zinc would work for Migratory Bird shot...

[shotman]

I dont know how you would make it unless you have a silo or shot tower. I wont work in a shotmaker. It makes a big mess in them

[peter nap]

I dont know how you would make it unless you have a silo or shot tower. I wont work in a shotmaker. It makes a big mess in them

I can't imagine it's much different than lead.

Swan shot isn't round, it's teardrop shaped. I have an iron screen a lot like a frying pan with holes. I just heat it enough to keep the molten lead rolling when I pour it in, and roll it back and forth while the drops fall in a tub of water.

It would have to be hotter for the Zinc which may be uncomfortable. The darn thing gets warm even with gloves.

People have been making it that way since there were shotguns.

[shotman]

that is what you get in a shot maker if you try zinc. If you drop your type of shot from about 20ft or more then yours would be round.
The reason shot towers are about 100ft is they make ALL sizes. and a 00 pellet will get round in that time it takes to drop 100ft.

[Andy Griffith]

Zinc fumes are much more deadly than those of lead!
It's nasty stuff indeed! Not worth it at all!

[turbo1889]

This post deleted by original poster.



I am in process of deleting everything I have ever posted about casting with zinc because I have decided I will not share any of the knowledge I have learned over the years about casting with zinc due to the bloodthirsty prejudiced posts of some members on this forum viciously attacking those who cast with zinc. I will not share my knowledge with the enemy.

[shotman]

I have cast some pure zinc for pistol . They seem to work ok I did tumble lube . will try some not lubed. They run about 10 -15gr light. You need to use only a steel mold as the temp I was using was higher that a bottom pour would get. I didnt make a lot of them didnt know if they worked. Bet it would be a good HP . I have a HP 44 will try some in it

[Johnch]

Not sure how it was made
But last year I saw Zinc shot advertised on the web that was suoposed to be round
It wasn't cheap

At work , they use "Zinc Shot" to debur in the blaster

But it looks to be short chunks of wire , machine cut to length

OH BTW the Zinc shot used for deburing is small like #8 and dosn't pattern real well

John

[Andy Griffith]

Turbo,

Just know that when I said it wasn't worth it...I meant that if you don't have the correct equipment. That goes for anyone that doesn't have the forced air ventilation.

Some, like yourself do, then it's ok. I don't, so I'm not going even think about trying it. I want to live to be an older old man. ;)

[Bob Krack]

Having suffered zinc (fumes) poisoning at work (faulty respirator), ya couldn't pay me enough to try or be around anyone trying to cast with zinc!

Bob

[arclight]

I do foundry work, and had to look into this. Zinc puts out toxic fumes when it's overheated. This usually happens when you either weld it or cast brass (which melts at a higher temperature than the Zinc needs to catch fire!)

For normal casting of pure Zinc, there should not be fumes. Check out:

http://www.periodictable.com/ZincSafety.html

Oddly enough, breathing the fumes from burning Zinc can make you really sick short-term but it does not have the same sort of long-term risks that Lead and other heavy metals do.

Arclight

[sagacious]

I do foundry work, and had to look into this. Zinc puts out toxic fumes when it's overheated. This usually happens when you either weld it or cast brass (which melts at a higher temperature than the Zinc needs to catch fire!)

For normal casting of pure Zinc, there should not be fumes. Check out:

http://www.periodictable.com/ZincSafety.html

Oddly enough, breathing the fumes from burning Zinc can make you really sick short-term but it does not have the same sort of long-term risks that Lead and other heavy metals do.

Arclight
The info above is very informative for the hobbyist zinc pourer. Nice to see some facts and hard info presented.

Illness or risk associated with zinc fumes is one of occupational foundry workers and similar persons. The hobbyist zinc pourer need not fear invisible and ominous zinc "fumes." The same safeguards and safety practices used for lead pouring are more than adequate for zinc (although zinc's higher melting point poses a somewhat greater burn risk).

As one who has set more than one crucible of zinc alight (that'll sure raise one's heart-rate),
I can tell you that it takes dedication to set molten zinc on fire. Flaming zinc is not a risk posed to the casual zinc pourer.

Handling zinc is also safer than lead, as the main vector of lead toxicity is ingestion of lead dust and oxide particles, but you'd have to purposely eat a whole heck of a lot of zinc for it to make you sick.

[peter nap]

Thanks everyone!
As always, good information. I did actually pour some shot the other day and it doe take a lot of heat. But it worked. I haven't shot it yet buy I expect it will be a close range load. The swan shot spreads like crazy anyway, and the lighter zinc should shed velocity quick.

[perotter]

The info above is very informative for the hobbyist zinc pourer. Nice to see some facts and hard info presented.

Illness or risk associated with zinc fumes is one of occupational foundry workers and similar persons. The hobbyist zinc pourer need not fear invisible and ominous zinc "fumes."


I pour zinc alloy commercially. I do think that the hobbyist should think that it maybe a problem & set up accordingly.

Only problem I've had was when some zinc spilled into the gas burner & the ventilation failed at the same time. The resulting metal fever I got that night, resulted in resulted in all new equipment before anymore casting.

[sagacious]

I pour zinc alloy commercially. I do think that the hobbyist should think that it maybe a problem & set up accordingly.

Only problem I've had was when some zinc spilled into the gas burner & the ventilation failed at the same time. The resulting metal fever I got that night, resulted in resulted in all new equipment before anymore casting.

Yes, I agree. As I suggested above, the same commonly-known safeguards recommended for melting lead are suitable for hobbyist melting of zinc-- such as always maintaining adequate ventilation.

The difference being, of course, that if one had spilled lead on a red-hot burner and inhaled much of the resulting vaporized lead, one might likely suffer more grievous and longer-lasting health risks than those posed by zinc.

As always, safety and common-sense first. :drinks:

[shotman]

I know that welding you get zinc fumes but normal casting you wouldnt have much unless you set it on fire .
I would guess that round zinc shot would be made much like steel shot . I make lead shot and zinc dont work the same way as lead