Melting range scrap and cleaning the jackets is a lot more work than melting WW

I have about 800lbs of range scrap sitting in buckets and thought I'd get a start on cleaning it up. Melted down about 120 lbs this evening. Fluxed multiple times with sawdust and candle wax. The lead came out of the jackets very well as usual, but it just takes a while to shake all those jackets free of lead in order to sell them later.

I poured 48 ingots using my Castboolits ingot molds for the first time. The ingots average a little over 2.5lbs. Worked pretty well with my bottom pour melter. Marked the ingots with letter stamps "RL". I tape the 2 stamps together and just hit one time to stamp both letters.

Now to store the ingots. They fit perfectly cross ways in a 40mm ammo can. of course the can will hold 110 ingots or 275 lbs, if full . I'll just have to put it in the storage location before I fill it up.

I saw someone post they got $3.10/lb for copper jackets. That would be nice. I have about 40 or 50 lbs saved up. Might be time to make a run by the scrap yard to at least check on prices.

I have a whole bunch of ww to melt too, those will go a whole lot quicker. they are already hand sorted, I think 5 or 6 buckets ¾ full. The melter will hold about 650 lbs. with a usable working capacity 350-400lbs.

Time to get busy before summer gets here. Brad

Brad - you may have this under control already. If so, please ignore my post.

The key item is a home made colander, comprising a fruit juice or jam tin, or in your case something bigger, with multitudinous holes drilled in the bottom. The colander has to be an easy fit in the lead pot.

The key CAUTION is to ensure your jacketed scrap is both dry and warm before you do the next step.

Melt some non-jacketed stuff in the pot. Skim off dirt etc. Load the colander with about the same depth of jacketed scrap as you have melted lead in the pot. Float the colander on top of the mix for some more warming. The contents will be taking heat, so this is not lost time. Then push it down so melted lead comes up through the holes to cover the jacketed scrap. Sinking the colander is the danger point if you have skipped the dry and warm bit. Give the jacketed stuff a good poke and stir with a big screwdriver until everything seems to be melted out. Raise the colander (use pliers for a small one) just clear of the melt. Agitate above the pot and tap colander on the side of the pot.

When all the non-copper stuff has fallen through, tip the colander into the copper storage tin, skim the melt, repeat, and fine tune.

The colander will be much lighter and more manageable coming out of the pot than it was when it went in.

Good luck.

Oh, and check those jackets with a magnet and pull off the steel ones.

I need to pick up a bigger collander. I have a spoon with holes that I welded sides on. Works okay, but larger would be better.

Yes, I use a magnet to remove the steel jackets. I also have to hand sort to remove rocks and jackets that haven't split and are full of lead.

I had reason to melt some stored range scrap yesterday (from the days when I mined my club's berms; now I buy clean isotope containers straight from a radiopharmacy). The bucket probably has over 150 pounds in it, back when every slug was cast or jacketed lead, not "green" sintered whatever.

Man, I forgot how much propane, sawdust and wax it took to melt and clean up. And I'd also forgotten how much dirt and sand from the berms had to be removed, even after sieving out the fines in the initial collection.

I did less than a quarter of the bucket. The rest may sit for quite a while.

Do yourself a favor and go by Harbor Freight and pick up a couple of their small 4 wheel dollies to place the ammo cans on. I have some wooden crates that hold between 400 to 500 pounds of lead and the dollies make life a whole lot easier when I need to move them for some reason.

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Originally Posted by BK7saum

Now to store the ingots. They fit perfectly cross ways in a 40mm ammo can. of course the can will hold 110 ingots or 275 lbs, if full . I'll just have to put it in the storage location before I fill it up.

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Pay very close attention to this step. The last thing you want to experience is a steam explosion. Also, I have had unfired rounds find their way into the pot. I prefer to start with an empty pot and a heavy lid just in case.

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Originally Posted by Wilderness

The key CAUTION is to ensure your jacketed scrap is both dry and warm before you do the next step.

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Another thing to look out for might be called "squirters". Part of what I melted the other day were various pulled bullets, including some plated slugs. I though I had found all of those and had given each a couple good hard whacks with a waffle faced hammer while laying on concrete, but I guess I missed one, or didn't open the plating: a nice little stream of molten lead suddenly leapt out of the melt as I bent over the pot to start pulling out the jackets. I leapt just as suddenly and, fortunately, further than that little fountain.

Yeah, I had a few squirters. Ended up with about 20lbs of plated bullets that didn't/were ruptured. I'll probably list them in s&s later for postage in case someone is desperate for lead. too much trouble for me to cut each one open.

I think the hardest thing I ever melted was reclaimed shot. The oxidation and graphite made very good insulation. We had to stir really aggressively and try and trap a spoon full against the side of the pot and squish it.

We did some pole top and cross arm pins a few times also that were slow to melt. Not enough contact with the sides and bottom of the pot.

Range scrap falls in there someplace too.

No way in hell would I put range scrap into already melted lead. Collander or not.
I melted a drum full of RS, and only used a large steel frying pan. Put the RS in the pan and wait for it to melt, by the time it melts, all the moisture is gone.
I spooned off the jackets & dirt with a gravy spoon (with holes), poured the lead into ingots, and I got top dollar for the copper.
Pretty much fluxed the floating jackets as I went along, putting the clean ones in a good bucket, and fluxing until all that was left was the dirt.

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Originally Posted by BK7saum

Yeah, I had a few squirters. Ended up with about 20lbs of plated bullets that didn't/were ruptured. I'll probably list them in s&s later for postage in case someone is desperate for lead. too much trouble for me to cut each one open.

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I use a 4 lb hammer to smash the plated bullets to bust the plating and the lead melts out.

Look for something like this https://www.webstaurantstore.com/bas.../407FBR11.html

When I have done RL the first flux is done with old motors oil. As soon as it starts to smoke light it off! The oil flux’s and the extra heat helps to.....

Yes it's a pita, wastes a lot of propane. Why I don't buy range scrap but berm mine myself. I just take lead bullets & only 45 cal jacketed. A 230gr fmj has a 200gr core so worth the trouble.