Range lead into bullets (boolits)!

[Skip]

I was at my local pusher the other day and got a surprise. It was a bucket of range lead! FOR FREE!
That stinkin' thing weighed in at 91# and the handle was broke and............Okay, quite complaining, right?
It did seem to be a bit dirtier than usual though. I had a ton of dust and bullet jackets in this load.
Here is the bucket:

I started @ 2:15 sharp with this:
(Click to watch)

It started to melt. This pot was empty to start with and this would have gone faster if I would have had some lead melted in the pot to start with.
Here:
(Click to watch)

This is a picture of the melt after just a bit:

The first batch of melted lead:
(Click to watch)


That 91# of range lead yielded right at 60# of usable alloy. Here is what the finished lot of ingots looks like.

This is a bit less of a yield than wheel weights usually gives 95% or so.
The math comes out to 65% for this. I will have to flux all of this again when I do my actual casting. I didn't take the time to do it much when I was smelting this. I can sell the scrap as well. I will check it out later.
Next on the list is to cast some boolits from this range scrap and see what kind of bullets (boolits) come from it.

The other part of the math is that those 61# of FREE LEAD will yield:
2625 160gr .358" SWC projectiles
2100 200gr .451" RNHP projectiles
1714 245gr .434" RNHP or SWC projectiles
1500 280gr .452" SWC or SWCHP projectiles
So, in 45 minutes, I got enough lead to cast any one of these bullets (boolits). What does it cost to purchase them? Any one of these amounts and weights?
Now, this lead is not usable projectiles, yet, but it soon will be!

At any rate, this will be an ongoing discussion. Chime in if you want or have something to share!

 

[Kingpin]

I like the ears of lead corn .

 

[HDSilvrStreak]

How do you remove the copper jackets and such? Or do you just let it all melt together?

 

[Twentyfootdaredevil]

I have alot of lead sitting in a bucket waiting for me to get my stuff together.

I can't wait to get started casting. Do you spray anything on the cast iron as a mold release?

 

[jlm223]

That was very cool. Thanks for sharing it with us, I have been in the process of collecting wheel weights for casting, what kind of burner is that a turkey fryer?

 

[Skip]

Wow, lots of questions! That's good!

Let me try to answer them one at a time!

HD, the lead melts and the copper doesn't. When the lead melts, it finds it's way to the bottom of the pot and then the copper floats! Slotted spoon, like we used to have in the mess halls, lets the lead out and keeps the copper.

20foot,
No release on the cast iron. Seems to let go just fine. Same as with the cast aluminum moulds from Lee and such.

Caution though, if you use steel ones from the wifey's oven, if you want to use them more than once, you had better spray them with something, mould release or smoked with a candle. Otherwise, you will have the same thing as wheel weights!


Jlm,
Yes sir, that is a turkey fryer. Just like they sell at Wally World! While I don't use the pot for our fried turkeys, I do use the burner still!

 

[scott delaney]

Wow, lots of questions! That's good!

Let me try to answer them one at a time!

HD, the lead melts and the copper doesn't. When the lead melts, it finds it's way to the bottom of the pot and then the copper floats! Slotted spoon, like we used to have in the mess halls, lets the lead out and keeps the copper.

20foot,
No release on the cast iron. Seems to let go just fine. Same as with the cast aluminum moulds from Lee and such.

Caution though, if you use steel ones from the wifey's oven, if you want to use them more than once, you had better spray them with something, mould release or smoked with a candle. Otherwise, you will have the same thing as wheel weights!


Jlm,
Yes sir, that is a turkey fryer. Just like they sell at Wally World! While I don't use the pot for our fried turkeys, I do use the burner still!

do you seel the copper jack that you skim off?....if you do great ...if not you should

 

[Skip]

do you seel the copper jack that you skim off?....if you do great ...if not you should

Just getting started with this range lead but, yes, that is the plan!

 

[wolfman]

Just keep in mind, that because of the hardness of the jacket, the center is usually pure lead so it will be soft enough for proper expansion. Usually the centers of jacketed bullets will be closer to pure lead in hardness and probably will need to be alloyed with some tin to harden it up to the point where it will make good hard cast bullets

 

[Slow Hand]

Just keep in mind, that because of the hardness of the jacket, the center is usually pure lead so it will be soft enough for proper expansion. Usually the centers of jacketed bullets will be closer to pure lead in hardness and probably will need to be alloyed with some tin to harden it up to the point where it will make good hard cast bullets

Yep, range lead is good, free range lead is even better! But, sonce most ammo is either jacketed or .22lr, you will end up with a lot of soft metal. Not a problemfor .38's, .45's and other low pressure rounds, but you will ant to harden it up for anything hotter.

Doug K

 

[Skip]

Having soft material is not a problem. Since all of my moulds and sizing dies are for the size of my firearms, getting them to work right is not a problem either. Proper size is the main problem with getting lead bullets to shoot right, after that hardness. Too hard and too small is the same as being too soft. They both will lead a barrel like crazy.

As for pushing lead bullets too hard, I seem to do just fine with pure wheel weights. Some feel that they are too soft too for serious work but in 44Mag and 45Colt, I can drive them to the 1800fps mark with no leading problems. My Marlin will shoot them into a 1 1/2" group 2 100 yards. Since the Puma isn't scoped, I don't shoot that far with it, but a 280gr RCBS 45-270SAA @ 1750fps will knock splinters off of a 12" piece of 6X6 all day long at 100 yards. Been there done that.

 

[Skip]

Two moulds that I have had challenges with alloy and fill in have been my Miha hollow point ones. The first one is a 200gr .452" with a cavernous hollow point. This thing shoots like a house afire in all of my 45ACP firearms. I am going to try some of these in my new Thompson Center Encore muzzle loaders in sabots. I already tried some of my 45-270SAA in them and they shoot pretty well. Minute of clay pigeon @ 100 yards!
This boolit also runs pretty well in my Thompson semi-auto carbine. 5.5gr of HP-38/W231 and it makes that thing cycle really well. Lots of fun to shoot too!
Here they are:

The culls are still in there and after this picture was taken, I made about another pile like this. About an hour all told.
Here is another boolit that I really like from a Miha mould. It is the 434640 with a huge hollow point in them as well. Flattens a groundhog pretty well out of the Marlin 1894 @ 1800fps! But, this one too has been a challenge to get good fill out. Not so with this alloy either. Everything went pretty well really. This mould is just a two cavity so, I didn't get near so many in the same allotment of time!
Take a peek!

Again, the culls are still in there but this is not trick photography. What you are seeing is just as they were cast.
So, even though there is no venison hanging in the garage, it was still a productive morning! Headed out tonight to see if we can bag one or two with the wifey!
p.s. These boolits are soft but not as soft as some I have cast. I have had some from wheel weight that were as near pure lead as anything I have seen.
FWIW

 

[Twentyfootdaredevil]

Seeing your fresh boolits gets me excited to melt some lead!

 

[Skip]

Yeah, it has a way of doing that to me too!

 

[Dirc]

IThis pot was empty to start with and this would have gone faster if I would have had some lead melted in the pot to start with.

Remember, kids. Never add lead that may possibly have any moisture to hot, molten lead. Serious splatter hazard.


Here are some shotgun slugs I made a while back.

 

[dak109]

Makes me want to cast some boolits tonight.

Skip how do you like the Miha molds? I am considering getting one for my .357 and one for my .44? I am casting reclaimed bulltes and also wheel weights. How is the learning curve for the hollow points?

 

[NinnJinn]

Remember, kids. Never add lead that may possibly have any moisture to hot, molten lead. Serious splatter hazard.

Been there done that. I have been reminded daily about it for over a year now .

FYI, it is definitely an attention getter, thats for sure...

3 put together covers the size of a quarter. They look scabbed but they are actually dimpled in the center where I ever so quickly dug the lead specks out.

 

[Skip]

Makes me want to cast some boolits tonight.

Skip how do you like the Miha molds? I am considering getting one for my .357 and one for my .44? I am casting reclaimed bulltes and also wheel weights. How is the learning curve for the hollow points?

Honestly, they are worth ever single penny I have spent on them. I have several Cramer style and two H&G #503 clones that are solids. I am waiting for delivery for the HP version of them right now.

I am running a group buy right now on castboolits.gunloads.com for a 454640 that has the same nose at the 434640 only in 45 caliber.

They are great moulds.

 

[Slow Hand]

I need to come off the cash and get a mould or two from Miha someday. I've never known anyone whos' regretted buying one! I've got a good selection of good moulds that keep me happy and busy. My pot has been cold too long. I"ve got a good bit of lead alloyed down, it's time to cash up some bullets, for sure!

Much of what I cast is a 50/50 mix of pure lead and wheel weights. They work well in .38's, .45's, and .32/20's. I"m a big believer in soft bullets and soft lube and rarely have leading issues. Most folk want bullets that are rock hard and use crayons for lube. That gets you bullets you can ship across the country in the middle of the summer and still have them show up pretty, but unless you are running max pressure, they rarely give best accuracy.

 

[Dirc]

Been there done that. I have been reminded daily about it for over a year now .

FYI, it is definitely an attention getter, thats for sure...

3 put together covers the size of a quarter. They look scabbed but they are actually dimpled in the center where I ever so quickly dug the lead specks out.

That looks like it sucks. It only took one good burn for me to buy some elbow length kangaroo hide gauntlets.