Range Lead Where To Start?

[Odawgp]

Hello!

new guy here how you all doing?

My gun club recently gave me permission to pick up lead off the outdoor "bullseye" range

The berm hasn't been touched in almost 30yrs, right now the lead (38 and 45 cal cast or swagged bullets) is coming out by the shovel full, 25-30 pounds each once I sort out all the rocks CJ and FMJ's (still need to figure a way to capture the 22 cal bullets)

My question is now what I have all this material, is it worth more money smelted and cast into ingots?

Do I need to wash it all down before smelting it or will the dirt and remaining lube come out in the process, (note: most of the dirt is now really just dust)

Once smelted what is it exactly that I have? Pure lead?

Where is the best place to sell it?

What is that kind of lead going for?

Right now I don't have any plans to cast my own bullets just looking for ways to offset the cost of shooting IPSC and IDPA.

thanks have a great day

clint

[jcwit]

Years and years ago latter 1970's I salvaged bunches of lead from the range I shoot at. Smelted it all down into Lyman ingots, sold it to a salvage yard for a little over $1000.

To answer your questions

Worth more smelted and cast into ingots--You bet, beyond a doubt

Dirt will float to the top of the melt, lube will burn off.

After smelting, what do you have? A lead alloy, composition? Who knows.

Where to sell it? Preferably to bullet casters, last resort salvage yard.

Whats its selling for? Call a salvage yard.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

The jacketed is mostly pure lead, it will just melt out of the jacked if it has a nick in it, or the back is open, the other cast is anybodys guess, but more than likely not pure . . .

Melted into ingot will probably get the best price . . . about $0.90 - $1 per pound including shipping.

The dirt will float to the top, and you just skim it off . . . the lube will smike a bit and then be gone. If you decide to wash it first make sure it is ALL dry or do not add it to a hot pot of lead . . . you could put it in a cold pot, then turn up the heat, otherwise the moisture will turn to steam to quickly, and you get a hot lead bath!

[mike in co]

yep skip the WASH... go straight to smelt.

20lb or more propane tank, turkey buner, fat 50 ammo can.

a large ladle, some muffin tins or such...gotta be a size that will fit in to regular casting pots.

a note of propane, do not exchange....go get it filled ata truck stop or such...cost less and it will be full...rumor is the exchange places have gone to less than full...as in maybe 15 lbs ??


i have two twenty lb tanks...some days use both.

mike in co

[Odawgp]

i have two twenty lb tanks...some days use both.

mike in co

How many lbs of lead does 2-20lb bottles melt?

I have an old coal fired black smith forge that I was thinking I could utilize

they are getting 15-20 bucks a fill for 5 gallons around here

thanks

clint

[JIMinPHX]

If you do wash it, DO NOT throw the wet or damp material into a pot that already has melted lead in it. If you do, the resulting explosion will teach you the meaning of "a visit from the tinsel fairy".

[RayinNH]

Use the forge, a very good source of heat. That's what I use. Just be mindful of the amount of air the blower is putting out because a hot forge can generate enough heat to boil lead. Avoid it at all costs. Use a cast iron or heavy steel pot, don't use aluminum. Aluminum has been known to just melt and give away with no notice.

Welcome to heaven...Ray

[blackthorn]

The copper jackets (once the lead is out) should be saleable as scrap also.

[HeavyMetal]

And they'll float to the top making it very easy to get out!

If it looks like this is gonna be a bunch of lead invest in a simple hardness tester like the lee.

If you can tell a prospective buyer things like the BHN of an alloy batch he's more inclined to pay for what he's getting.

Everything else is just guess work and most, such as myself, won't pay for something that can't be proven.

So for the best price you need to supply the best info!

[max it]

Hey Heavy Metal,

I have some lbs of linotype to trade 1 for 3 lbs of your wheel weight stuff. PM me if interested.

FTF in OC

Much obliged,

Max

[Muddy Creek Sam]

I have smelted well over 1000 pounds with a 6qt DO and a single 30# cylinder before changing cylinders. I do reload with lead melted in the pot, CAREFULLY! Take much less gas to get the 2nd and 3rd pots melted.

Sam :D

[max it]

Hey Oda, Take Heed to what everyone has said about safety.
I have been at it for a year now, and have seen some of the potential problems
and these guys really address it well.
P.S. I love this hobby; I recently found sport shooting, and they picked up two hobbies, one is reloading, the other casting/smelting.

Good luck,
Max

[Down South]

Find a heavy lid for your smelting pot and keep it covered as much as possible while the mix is melting. Sometimes live rounds find their way into brems, sometimes jacketed bullets pop when they are still completely sealed.
Don’t worry about the dirt, it will float to the top and can be skimmed off. Use a good metal or cast iron pot for smelting. A high BTU burner will make quick work. I know, I just upgraded to a large banjo burner that has a 30 psi regulator on it and it melts lead quick.
If you are getting that much lead per shovel full, then you found a gold mine.
Some sell the copper jackets. I never tried it but with that much range scrap, I’d check into it.

The lead will be worth much more in ingots. The suggestion of a lead hardness tester is a good one. Casters like to know the BHN of the lead they are buying. It probably will be close to pure lead.

Since you are only salvaging range scrap, you don’t have to worry about the dreaded Zinc.

[1Shirt]

You can wash it by dumping it out on a slope driveway and hitting it with a hose for awhile, or by putting it in a 5 gal pale with holes punched in the bottom and a screen and running a hose into it. Neither will get all the crud out, but it will get a fair amount out, and then what the others say.

For what it is worth, I have hardness tested batches of range scrap that I have harvested over the years, and found BH's at low as 9, and as high as between 14 and 15. All useable and capable of being alloyed to whatever hardness you desire.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[jsizemore]

Clint,

Why not work a deal with somebody in your area that has some experience smelting so you can learn the ins and outs.

If your objective is to sell off all your ingotized lead, then your product needs to be right. If the word gets out it's junk, then it will be hard to move.

Good Luck with your endeavor.

[RP]

When i smelted range lead I made more money off the jackets then the lead they call it red brass not copper at the scrape yard. You also need to cover the melt with something heavy jacketed bullets hold water and will pop I also fluxed with transmission fluid lighting it to heat the jackets up that will make them turn the lead lose.