Just filled a 5 gallon bucket with lead... question

[nitrohuck]

I just went and emptied the bullet traps at my local range... I didn't know what I was in for.

I brought a five gallon bucket thinking I might be able to fill it a quarter to MAYBE a half way full... Long story short, I had to finally stop when I reached the brim of the bucket

The lead pieces and lead dust have filled the entire bucket in, there are no air gaps...

So now some math...

A five gallon bucket contains 1,155 Cubic Inches,

1,155 cubic inches of pure lead weighs 473lbs


This is not pure lead however, it is range scrap and wheel weight alloy, so I am imagining the weight will be slightly less...

Any idea how much weight I might be working with here?? The damn thing literally took me four tries to lift into my trunk, and I'm not exactly a weak person...

Tomorrow I'm heading back to grab about another 100lbs!

[338RemUltraMag]

easiest way is to use a bathroom scale

[dragon813gt]

Seems you learned a valuable lesson today. Never fill a bucket to the top. Always take more buckets then you think you will need. I never fill them more than halfway if I have to lift them.

[Sgtonory]

My buckets of range scrap 80% full weigh around 120 lbs

[imashooter2]

I predict it will be under 200 pounds. There is a lot of air in there.

[nitrohuck]

I predict it will be under 200 pounds. There is a lot of air in there.

There definitely is SOME air in there.... but I kid you not when I say a lot of this lead was pulverized into dust... that lead dust took up most of the empty air inbetween the bigger pieces...


My range has a metal backstop, bullets hit, pulverize, then the dust/pieces roll down into troughs at the bottom, so it's not like these are all large jagged pieces pulled from a dirt berm. I pick up the troughs and simply dump the whole thing into the bucket, I'd say each trough is divided 50/50 between "chunks" of lead and dust.

[rondog]

Drop a 5gal bucket full of lead on your foot when the handle rips out, and you'll quickly determine the value of many buckets! One eats an elephant one bite at a time.

[btroj]

A 5 gallon bucket level to the top with outdoors range scrap is right at 200 pounds. I fill a half dozen a year and they are consistent. You might have 225 to 250 depending.

No matter what it is a good hunk of lead.

[imashooter2]

There definitely is SOME air in there.... but I kid you not when I say a lot of this lead was pulverized into dust... that lead dust took up most of the empty air inbetween the bigger pieces...


My range has a metal backstop, bullets hit, pulverize, then the dust/pieces roll down into troughs at the bottom, so it's not like these are all large jagged pieces pulled from a dirt berm. I pick up the troughs and simply dump the whole thing into the bucket, I'd say each trough is divided 50/50 between "chunks" of lead and dust.

Exactly the same as the scrap I get. There is a lot of air in there as well as dust and dirt that aren't lead. I'll stick with my prediction.

[nitrohuck]

This is sort of like "guess how many jelly beans are in the jar"....

except it's way better


I don't have a scale at my house but when I get this thing hauled up to my buddies to smelt it I think we'll have to see if he's got a scale to try!

[krallstar]

How much do you think a 5 gal bucket filled to the top with nothing but flattened cast boolits. No dust no jackets just cast

[btroj]

About 200 to 225 pounds. It is hard to say as I haven't picked up many flattened bullets with no jackets.

[bangerjim]

Never fill a 5 gallon plastic bucket over 1/2 full of lead anything!!!!!!


banger

[Jack Stanley]

I once recovered a five gallon bucket of lead that some thought full soul long ago had long ago poured molten lead into . The bucket had long since rusted away , I don't remember what it weighed but it was about like wrestling with an eight cylinder engine . I don't mean a short block either !!!


I "fixed" the problem by building a pot around it and melting it down , I believe it was near four hundred pounds but I wouldn't swear to it .

Jack

[imashooter2]

Probably more hand holds on an engine too.

[Whitespider]

Drop a 5gal bucket full of lead on your foot when the handle rips out, and you'll quickly determine the value of many buckets! One eats an elephant one bite at a time.

A bucket?? Heck... I dropped a 5# ingot on my foot the other night... brought tears to both eyes.

[Joe504]

A half pound ingot will hurt too, if you drop it in your lap! Who wears ppe fie that while casting?

[dragon813gt]

A bucket?? Heck... I dropped a 5# ingot on my foot the other night... brought tears to both eyes.

This is why I started wearing my steel toe boots when smelting and moving lead. I had to move 680#s from my carport to the attic garage over Memorial Day weekend. I only put 42#s in each bucket, used to two to balance the load, and it still kicked my butt. I would rather make ten trips at really reduced weights then one trip w/ a heavy load.

[snuffy]

A bucket?? Heck... I dropped a 5# ingot on my foot the other night... brought tears to both eyes.

Was that after drinking all those beers?

[dragon813gt]

Was that after drinking all those beers?

And the circle is now complete :beer: