I have been casting bullets since 1976 in a 10 lb Lee pot . I have been casting different leads at larger amounts for many years and you seem to being doing just fine to me . I can cast up to 1,000 lbs in one day if I want to catch up on my stock piles in one day , but that seems to be my limit , old guy like me tires out after one day of work, lol .
@@rogertycholiz2218 I wouldn’t be surprised if they actually meant 1,000 tho, if you do something enough it just becomes second nature and becomes as easy as breathing
I’m a newbie to lead pouring and found this video to be very informative. Thank you for taking the time to put it together. I was particularly interested in all the tools you used, e.g slotted metal spoon, vice grips, etc.
Way to go Country Boy. My thoughts exactly, That's the same way I do it. Throw everything in, everything and skim it all off. It either burns or floats. It's always entertaining watching everybody talk about cleaning range scrap.
A tip for you... instead of using ply under your molds, use cement sheet. It won't scorch or possibly catch fire and as a bonus its cheaper. I also use cement sheet for welding on, excellent for that.
When you discontinue the melt lead in the Dutch oven take a sledgehammer to it and break it up. Or make sure you label your cast iron as non food prep. Once lead is melted in cast iron it is no longer safe for food.
Cool vid. Thanks for that, and the one about your sieve. "reducer" just means to take metal oxides, and reduce them back into metals. I don't think it reduces lead, but it can probably reduce tin oxide back to tin.
Unfortunately Lowes / Home Depot saw dust is crap since they don't just cut pure wood, but particle boards and plywood which contains glue so when you burn it it doesn't smell good, now I tried pine shavings as reloading books recommend and wow, what a nice clean pine smell.
Great video! I stopped using candle wax and saw dust and switched over to borax as fluxing a little over a year ago. It seems to work very well. Both methods work great!
Your main concern should be to protect yourself from the dust and vapors of that lead while sifting and melting it.. That stuff evaporates and dust gets into the air..
Just a tip, if you are not worried about a certain weight or size, I go to flea markets and garage sales and buy old muffin pans ,they work great and don't have to be cast iron, super cheap and you can line up 10 or 15 pans at a time ,and I use mini muffin pans for my lee pot when I pour small jigs or catfish sinkers ,they fit perfectly and smelt down pretty quick ,should work great for bullets as well.
At the aluminum plant we just hosed the freshly poured ingots down with a generous amount of water to cool them halfway down, after that we let them stand there for 45 minutes and then they were cool enough to handle with gloves
I had that idea a week ago until I spent 10 hours shoveling and sifting berms for 800 lbs, now my back aches lol, this lead is mine for the next 50 years
@@jewelsc79 Yeah, sold a few hundred lbs of ingots, sweetened with tin and antimony. I exaggerated, it didnt last 50 yrs, more like 5 months of casting 😂 Bout to harvest again now that its spring
@@JaredHempfield well still lol. I just ordered 65lbs online and i’m waiting for my shipment 😈. That’s 1,040oz at 99.9% pure so hopefully the 40oz will give me a margin of error enough to make 1,000 slugs. Happy casting!
Tin will oxidize readily and quickly when overheated, and since the first color to appear is gold, many people naturally assume that the initial dross coloration is caused by tin, and the later blue and purple colors are lead. This is not the case. The color sequence is due to the molecular thickness of the oxidation layer, and the colors themselves are produced by the interference of light reflecting off the top of the oxide layer and also the top of the molten lead, and interfering. Eventually the oxide layer gets too thick for light to penetrate and reflect off the molten lead underneath, and the dross turns from purple to black. The colors one sees on an overheated pot of lead alloy are caused by the oxidation of the lead itself, and the color is not diagnostic of tin content at all. It's the same thing as the iridescent colors produced by soap bubbles, or gasoline on water. castboolits.gunloads.com/archive/index.php/t-63550.html
If you don't want to scorch your plywood, you could put a couple of pieces of angle steel under your molds like long pup tents. That might help the molds cool off a tiny bit faster too.
reducer is the opposite of an oxidizer in chemistry. an oxidizer adds an oxygen (think adding an oxygen to iron = oxidation = rust). a reducer does the opposite... takes an oxygen. in this case, wax (mostly just a bunch of carbon and hydrogen) melts then burns using the oxygen from the lead oxide layer as Oxygen for the fire triangle (heat + fuel + oxygen). chemically, you could use gasoline... but you'd blow your arse up in a reloading version of "hey y'all watch this!"
Redox reactions don't actually always involve oxygen, they are based on the movement of electrons, reductions add electrons (negative charge, aka reduced chrage) whilst oxidations strip electrons away
Thank you. good demonstration. I learned to use the was and sawdust!!I also wondered about the multicolored surface. I will turn the heat down on my pot before pouring.
I can't stand people that leave rude or just mean comments. What's the point? This Man took the time to make a great video, for all of us! If you want to be a jerk to him, you're just a bully. I hate bullies!! Keep being a bully and some of the lead in this video just might end up in your ass one day!! The Lord works in mysterious ways!! :)
Why don't you use a rocket stove for melting lead. I mean. it would bring your cost down per ingot. I made one with my sons as a project so they would know how to make one. Took about 30 minutes. we made several different kinds. the one out of bricks was the easiest and easiest to utilize.
If you go through a lot of propane the exchange a tank places are a horrible value. At least in my area they do not fill tanks full and it costs at least 50% more than getting your own tank filled somewhere else. If you have a Costco that fills tanks it is a great value. You can get a 30lb tank filled for less than $10 usually and they only charge by weight so you can bring partial tanks and only pay for what you get.
Wouldn't butane be better for this? Would reach similar temps at lower flow rate. Though i have no idea what that costs per lbs in USA, so may be more expensive
Viscum, you failed to tell jaboney el toro that CountryBoyPrepper approved of your comments and asked us all to thumbs up your comments. Thank you for the great explanations with some science which I understand very well.
i was pretty good at doing working those reaction problems in gen chem and im unsure if those terms have the same meaning when recycling lead but reduction and oxidation have to do with the addition and removal of electrons jus an fyi. i cant remember which does which lol
how do you find out how hard the lead is? what types of bullets do you cast with range scrap? what do you think of melting reclaimed bird shot to make slugs? is it worth it? from your video it looks like you lose some of the total weight of the scrap, how much do you think is lost in scrap bird shot?? i appreciate any info, thanks for your help.
I've been buying wheel weights and processed wheel weight ingots and save all my range scrap in buckets for when times get too tough to afford or I can't find wheel weights or pre-processed ingots. Im sure that day will come....
Since 1972 I have been sure the economy, country, economic system +/or law/order will collapse and those without silver, gold, and lead will be out of luck. Hasn't happened.
The purple color on you mix is due to zinc contamination, this product is commonly used for wheel weights and lead free or frangible range ammunition. As soon as I see it in my melt my first words I will not repeat!
@@twoscoops5197 you wouldn’t shoot a hardcast .223. The velocity would destroy the bullet, probably before it left the muzzle. There’s a reason that high speed rounds are copper jacketed.
Good tips, thank you! The only comment I might share is, possibly, a big fan blowing the fumes away from the melting area. Either a high capacity box fan or one of those high capacity round fans like from Harbor Freight to move the fumes away from the immediate work area so you don't breathe the concentrated toxins that are sometimes just hanging out.
12:40 why? The hotter the better and its good thqt the moulds are hot, and you also know that metals dont like temp differnces.. they dont like going from hot to cold etc..
Rexczi Cex because lead is an odd metal. It doesn't do well with being too hot. Not to mention if you let lead air cool is becomes very soft, flashed lead (dunked in water) allows it to stay hard. Which you want for actual bullets. Unless you're making bullets for a muzzleloaders, that needs to be soft so you want to air cool.
Here are a few tips for you too: When you see this layer of oxidized lead you can put in some more wax (witch btw. is flux witch again is essentially a reducer) to pull the oxygen out. This way you don't waste the lead only because it's oxidized. And I'd advise you to take less wax or saw dust and use more when needed. You can also add a bit of flux before skimming of the slag and dirt because it contains a lot of lead oxide witch can, as I said before, be reduced. When you flux the slag as well you get a lot of the lead out and it's less toxic. And I would really turn down/off the heat as soon everything is molten. It has so much thermal capacity. Then you have less oxidation and you save energy.
Love how you have everything organized and tidy. Get real tired of watching some demo from the top of a 55 gal drum or a cleared spot on the ground in the backyard. BTW: Is lead hardness an issue for you? Thoughts?
The dirt that comes to the top of a pot of melting lead is called " dross" it is the impurities in the lead. Before you start you should scrape the inside of your pot and wipe it out with a rag with a little oil on it , leaving a light film on the pot. Once you clean the top of the molten lead you should pour quickly because the top starts to burn again , especially with excessive heat. Retired 73 year old plumber.
when I process range lead, I first skim off the jackets with a makeshift funnel made out of hardware cloth. Then I skim off the sand, etc. Then I flux with sawdust. The reason I skim off the jackets, is because I take them to a metal recycling yard and get yellow brass price for them. I brought in 87 lbs the other day and got $122. I forgot to mention that I have to go over the jackets with a magnet to pull out steel cores that are in some bullets. It's embarrassing when the guy at the scrap yard takes his magnet and finds a lot of steel! Makes it look like you are trying to cheat.
You are right about water, no way I'm washing my range scrap or wheel weights. I like to combo the sawdust and candle wax, just seams to work better but that is just my opinion. I don't worry about oxidation in my ingots, it is lead and candle wax will take care of quick when I cast.
A suggestion to why washing the lead before melting it down: As in the video: rocks and other dirt is in these buckets. But they do not contain any lead. So putting them in the melting pot reduces the space for potential lead, resulting in more propane to be consumed. Also it consumes heat and therefore, the melting takes longer. Besides that, some bullets may have a full copper jacket. So whenever this jacket is not pierced at any point, the lead cannot float out and will be tossed. This results in a loss of possible lead and therefore more propane consumption. While washing one can look for unpierced full copper jacket bullets and sort out any form of stones or dirt. So washing beforehand is actually quite nice and helps to make the melting process go down more quickly. (I belive that a bit of water and time is less expensive than maybe a whole canister of propane)
Simple question what material can I use and where do I get is. If I need to buy flux and other agents would it be just smarter safer just to buy bullets… I have a pro-melt and I thought could just find some lead and melt it, is this not the case?
I do agree with not worrying so much about the dirt but have you ever had any problems with the stones exploding? I know there is a lot of sandstone around my area and I've heard these types of stones will absorb moisture and it if that is the case a process like this could be catastrophic if one were to end up accidentally dumping these stones into the pot. IDK much about this but getting ready to attempt doing the casting myself. The information provided is much appreciated and seems like it would be fulfilling to end up with the finished product mostly gathered as scrap.
If you allow it to thoroughly dry over a couple of days, wouldn't it be more beneficial to scrub the lead, pot, and spoon really good before you begin the melting process? I know you said it could introduce moisture, but if you live in a rainy area, chances are it has already been wet multiple times over already. I figured eliminating all the dirt and extra debris would save you from having to introduce the wax and saw dust. I apologize if you went into this extra detail.....I just figured it was extra work doing those steps. You have a good process down that works well for you, so I am asking for myself....trying to minimize errors. Great videos, keep it up!
To save a lil time and effort could it possibly be cheaper to buy the pre made bullets for reloading opposed to buying ammo out of the store. So what I’m saying is still reloading but not having to harvest lead. Can that still be cheap
So, you say this is range scrap, do ranges just let you take that if you ask or something? I’m looking for lead right now and was trying to find a good source
Country boy prepper. Hello! I think that your videos are great that’s why I am reaching out too you. I have been reloading for a long time now and I want to get into bullet casting. First off I don’t have access to range lead which is a problem so I’m forced to buy lead. When you process your lead do you harden it with anything when your casting bullets? And any ideas on where I might be able to purchase lead would be great. Thank you. Chris.
They act as a "flux" - which has two major purposes. They help prevent lead oxide from forming on the surface of the lead during smelting and pouring, and they help impurities stick together in the slag which you scrape off and discard. Basically, adding a fluxing agent - such as candle wax or sawdust - makes the final result much cleaner and purer, which is important depending what you plan to use it for later.
A good source for "sawdust" flux is buying a bag of shavings from a feed store. You get about 3.5 cubic feet for less then $10. Or if you know someone with horses you could bum some for free lol
I'm in the process of learning this i have no where around to get lead yet do you sale your? also can you tell me where to buy one of those burners you have or can I melt lead on a Coleman stove? also where did you get your 223 mold in your other video. sorry bout the questions, I'm just trying to get to a point where I can shoot a lot more I have around 1000 brass cases for my 223 I just bought tips and the die set but the cheaper I can reload the better. I paid $87 for 1000 55 grain projectiles I would like to get my bullets price down to .10-.12 cents a round
Brian, I dont see any replies to you so here's a stab.... you can find the burners almost anywhere. Amazon , any outdoor store, even Wallyworld has them seasonally for turkey frying. The 223/5.56 bullet mold is made by several mfrs but Lee is typically the easy find. Also, you have a good chance of finding almost everything on Ebay .
Some ranges will let you pick it up. Some get it from wheel weights at a tyre shop, or even xray dental plates. I get pure lead from roofers, off cuts from lead flashing. Not all leads are created equal. Most lead wheel weights are pure lead. Dental plates and roof flashing are pure. Range scrap can be anything, Mostly pure lead inside copper jackets, but not all lead bullets will be pure lead, in fact, rarely. Pure lead can't be shot very fast, so most of them are alloys with tin and antimony added to harden them (known has hard cast). You'll find most people casting are doing so for pistol calibres, though I hard cast for my .45-70 and push them just over 1900FPS. You should match the lead hardness to the velocity you want to achieve. You don't want a bullet to deform or come apart, or cause barrel leading. I could spend a week telling you all the different circumstances in which these things could happen, but there's plenty of forums for this type of information should you seek it out. Lead hardness can be approximated if you know the metals in them. If you don't, a BN tester would be very expensive. I've rarely heard of lead bullets being pushed beyond 2000FPS, but have heard of some pushing extremely hard cast leads just over 2500FPS. Considering the .223 is lazily pushing your 55gn projectiles over 3000FPS (3100-3200 is common, and 3300 easily achieved with good loads), I'm not seeing any benefit for you. You're taking a reasonably flat shooting round and reducing it to be less ca[able than a .22 Hornet and only slightly better than a .22 Magnum. Sure, it would be cheaper, but will take a lot of time. 22 Magnum and a part time job would be a better use of time lol. In summary; If you just want to shoot cheap, there's a better way to launch a .224 calibre bullet. On the other hand, if you love the idea of collecting crap and casting bullets (I love it as much as shooting), then pick up a new rifle/pistol with a calibre that it suits. You don't need super expensive gear to cast good bullets. The cheap shooting will justify the new firearm purchase ;-)
The Art of Casting You don’t even need a metal detector. Depending on what the soil is like where you live, you can sift it out of the backstop. They soil where I live is too thick and cant be sifted so I just pick the lead up by hand. Doing this I get about 20-30 lbs an hour. I’d much rather sift for it if I could.
The Art of Casting Nice, you can also go to an auto shop and ask for scrap wheel weights, they’ll give you a mixture of lead, zinc, and steel wheel weights. Also, you can get scrap lead sheeting from some dentists.
Dudenat or funny. Hope you know what a ridiculous myth that is. you're just making a joke....I.know. Because I've worked in emergency medicine for 30 years. Never even seen lead poisoning. The medical journals dont talk about it. I work in the ER and on the helicopter.
romansten9: What? Lead poisoning is quite real, however you can have a lead poisoning and not know about it. The symptoms wouldn't be that bad if at all noticeable at low levels but none the less it would have bad effects. A tox-report would be able to tell. The simple fact is that when you have a substance in liquid form it will evaporate, that includes melted metals. Melting metals should only be done wearing a carbon filter mask "Iron" poisoning is also a relative new discovery, but it turns out, even with the insane safety requirements we have in Scandinavia, our welders all seem to have it. Symptoms are again basically non-existing, but it turns out they got neurological damages. Iron in "" because it's not limited to iron, but includes a bunch of alloys I believe your reaction is mainly because you misunderstand how long term poisonings work, cause they are just that, a slow long term thing. I would be highly surprised if any ER worker had a story of someone coming in with lead poisoning, though it may have happened, you never know :)
you should get out more. wood is not gasoline. think about it , do you know the temp lead melts at ? but wood is not going to burst in the flame. its just like the wood plate under a fajitas pan
DeminicusSCA and putting hot fajitas on wood and extremely hot metal is a lot different. Think about that one for a sec before you try to act all smart.
DeminicusSCA Dude I asked a question. I have experience but never in my life have I used plywood to deal with hot metals. Does a little kid own a built wrx?
Odd discussion... The minimum temperature for wood to combust is only around half the temp of molten lead. The type of wood and what form it's in matters a lot though. A wooden board will ignite when you dump a hot ingot on it, if left. I've done it. It burns directly beneath the ingot and does not spread, with flames going out when you remove the ingot. It's much the same as trying to ignite it from the middle with a blow torch. There's insufficient surface area to keep it alight. Spilling molten lead on wood would instantly ignite it, but it's still an isolated burn. I built my own table and covered it with a sheet of aluminium from the side of an old washing machine. I don't use any water when casting ingots. I let the mould sit for around 30 seconds only, then dump it out on the tin and it's fine. I then use a set of tongs to stack them to the side of the table. I also use aluminium moulds, which heat up quicker, but also cool quicker. Never had an issue with their temperature. I don't ever bother getting them warm before casting, or concern myself with cooling them between casts.
CBP. I need your help. I want to get into casting my own bullets. I have watched a lot of videos but it seems that everyone does it a little bit different than the other. I know that you need a casting pot and some hand tools and PPE. Just not sure what kind of bullet molds to get. I also don’t have access to any lead. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Love your videos and have been a long time subscriber. Thanks. Chris
To me, you fluxed with wax, then you fluxed with sawdust. I alternate with either depending on what I have on hand, makes no difference to clean the lead, so I would not consider them separate operations. My range has a ton of scrap lead in the berms, wish they’d let me get it.
I have been casting bullets since 1976 in a 10 lb Lee pot . I have been casting different leads at larger amounts for many years and you seem to being doing just fine to me . I can cast up to 1,000 lbs in one day if I want to catch up on my stock piles in one day , but that seems to be my limit , old guy like me tires out after one day of work, lol .
I read 1776 haha
Ok boomer
darrell phipps - How can you possibly cast a half ton in one day? That's a hundred Lee pots! Do you mean 100 lbs?
@@rogertycholiz2218 I wouldn’t be surprised if they actually meant 1,000 tho, if you do something enough it just becomes second nature and becomes as easy as breathing
I’m a newbie to lead pouring and found this video to be very informative. Thank you for taking the time to put it together. I was particularly interested in all the tools you used, e.g slotted metal spoon, vice grips, etc.
Way to go Country Boy. My thoughts exactly, That's the same way I do it. Throw everything in, everything and skim it all off. It either burns or floats. It's always entertaining watching everybody talk about cleaning range scrap.
A tip for you... instead of using ply under your molds, use cement sheet. It won't scorch or possibly catch fire and as a bonus its cheaper. I also use cement sheet for welding on, excellent for that.
When you discontinue the melt lead in the Dutch oven take a sledgehammer to it and break it up. Or make sure you label your cast iron as non food prep. Once lead is melted in cast iron it is no longer safe for food.
Cool vid. Thanks for that, and the one about your sieve. "reducer" just means to take metal oxides, and reduce them back into metals. I don't think it reduces lead, but it can probably reduce tin oxide back to tin.
I didn’t need the tips but I just love watching melting casting vids regardless of what metal although brass is my fav on my channel 👍🏻
I watch your vids all the time and then randomly I scroll on to the comments section and see you lol
@@hiddenterror4948 too
Ha theirs a TH-cam I know bidstackd love your vids
Shite man i watch you all the time
Any friend of BigstackD is a friend of mine lol 😁👍
"Dont forget to bring a towel."
-Towelie
@@Playboysmurf1 oh no 🤦♂️
I have taped a note to the inside of my front door. That way whenever I leave the house, I always remember to bring a towel..........LOL
Unfortunately Lowes / Home Depot saw dust is crap since they don't just cut pure wood, but particle boards and plywood which contains glue so when you burn it it doesn't smell good, now I tried pine shavings as reloading books recommend and wow, what a nice clean pine smell.
I just make a few passes on a 2x4 with a circ saw over a tarp. Plenty of saw dust for a pot or two.
Great video! I stopped using candle wax and saw dust and switched over to borax as fluxing a little over a year ago. It seems to work very well. Both methods work great!
LeadFarmer Just pay a few dollars and use the proper stuff called Marvelux. That's what it's made for!
"Probably gonna light up" "Yep there it is". Expected some flames not the portal to hell
"Hula abrchalu lead da ingots"
"its probably going to flame up *woosh* yep there it is" xD good shit
Your main concern should be to protect yourself from the dust and vapors of that lead while sifting and melting it.. That stuff evaporates and dust gets into the air..
Just a tip, if you are not worried about a certain weight or size, I go to flea markets and garage sales and buy old muffin pans ,they work great and don't have to be cast iron, super cheap and you can line up 10 or 15 pans at a time ,and I use mini muffin pans for my lee pot when I pour small jigs or catfish sinkers ,they fit perfectly and smelt down pretty quick ,should work great for bullets as well.
At the aluminum plant we just hosed the freshly poured ingots down with a generous amount of water to cool them halfway down, after that we let them stand there for 45 minutes and then they were cool enough to handle with gloves
I like your set up, you could do this on a massive scale and sell these lead bars and make a tidy penny.
Cheers from London.
I had that idea a week ago until I spent 10 hours shoveling and sifting berms for 800 lbs, now my back aches lol, this lead is mine for the next 50 years
@@JaredHempfield 800??!!
@@jewelsc79 Yeah, sold a few hundred lbs of ingots, sweetened with tin and antimony. I exaggerated, it didnt last 50 yrs, more like 5 months of casting 😂 Bout to harvest again now that its spring
@@JaredHempfield well still lol. I just ordered 65lbs online and i’m waiting for my shipment 😈. That’s 1,040oz at 99.9% pure so hopefully the 40oz will give me a margin of error enough to make 1,000 slugs. Happy casting!
Tin will oxidize readily and quickly when overheated, and since the first color to appear is gold, many people naturally assume that the initial dross coloration is caused by tin, and the later blue and purple colors are lead. This is not the case.
The color sequence is due to the molecular thickness of the oxidation layer, and the colors themselves are produced by the interference of light reflecting off the top of the oxide layer and also the top of the molten lead, and interfering. Eventually the oxide layer gets too thick for light to penetrate and reflect off the molten lead underneath, and the dross turns from purple to black.
The colors one sees on an overheated pot of lead alloy are caused by the oxidation of the lead itself, and the color is not diagnostic of tin content at all. It's the same thing as the iridescent colors produced by soap bubbles, or gasoline on water.
castboolits.gunloads.com/archive/index.php/t-63550.html
If you don't want to scorch your plywood, you could put a couple of pieces of angle steel under your molds like long pup tents. That might help the molds cool off a tiny bit faster too.
reducer is the opposite of an oxidizer in chemistry. an oxidizer adds an oxygen (think adding an oxygen to iron = oxidation = rust). a reducer does the opposite... takes an oxygen. in this case, wax (mostly just a bunch of carbon and hydrogen) melts then burns using the oxygen from the lead oxide layer as Oxygen for the fire triangle (heat + fuel + oxygen). chemically, you could use gasoline... but you'd blow your arse up in a reloading version of "hey y'all watch this!"
Redox reactions don't actually always involve oxygen, they are based on the movement of electrons, reductions add electrons (negative charge, aka reduced chrage) whilst oxidations strip electrons away
Thank you. good demonstration. I learned to use the was and sawdust!!I also wondered about the multicolored surface. I will turn the heat down on my pot before pouring.
one thing you might want try is using some expanded metal for a cooling rack! but the wet towel I guess works too!
This is the cleanest working station I’ve ever seen in one of these videos 👌
I can't stand people that leave rude or just mean comments. What's the point? This Man took the time to make a great video, for all of us! If you want to be a jerk to him, you're just a bully. I hate bullies!! Keep being a bully and some of the lead in this video just might end up in your ass one day!! The Lord works in mysterious ways!! :)
Watching, learning & liking from New Zealand. - You are showing and talking good sense. - thank you.
Why don't you use a rocket stove for melting lead. I mean. it would bring your cost down per ingot. I made one with my sons as a project so they would know how to make one. Took about 30 minutes. we made several different kinds. the one out of bricks was the easiest and easiest to utilize.
If you go through a lot of propane the exchange a tank places are a horrible value. At least in my area they do not fill tanks full and it costs at least 50% more than getting your own tank filled somewhere else. If you have a Costco that fills tanks it is a great value. You can get a 30lb tank filled for less than $10 usually and they only charge by weight so you can bring partial tanks and only pay for what you get.
I get the bottle the first time, fill at a gas station then exchange again when it expires
...bought a NEW 20 lb tank at Lowes for 30 bucks last month...as others state those exchane bottles are a rip off...convenient, BUT a rip off...
Wouldn't butane be better for this? Would reach similar temps at lower flow rate. Though i have no idea what that costs per lbs in USA, so may be more expensive
why exchange tanks when ya can find a propane place that can fill the tanks its by far cheaper in the long run
If you're processing this much scrap at once, get a 100lb tank. Well worth the investment.
Viscum, you failed to tell jaboney el toro that CountryBoyPrepper approved of your comments and asked us all to thumbs up your comments. Thank you for the great explanations with some science which I understand very well.
Nice video on getting ingots out of range scrap..!! Like those ingots...
Came out nice :)
Sorry my ingilish speak not good dis iz copper?
"Reduction" is opposite reaction of oxidation.. Im assuming that it helps remove oygen..
i was pretty good at doing working those reaction problems in gen chem and im unsure if those terms have the same meaning when recycling lead but reduction and oxidation have to do with the addition and removal of electrons jus an fyi. i cant remember which does which lol
how do you find out how hard the lead is? what types of bullets do you cast with range scrap? what do you think of melting reclaimed bird shot to make slugs? is it worth it? from your video it looks like you lose some of the total weight of the scrap, how much do you think is lost in scrap bird shot?? i appreciate any info, thanks for your help.
This made me want to try it out myself.
I've been buying wheel weights and processed wheel weight ingots and save all my range scrap in buckets for when times get too tough to afford or I can't find wheel weights or pre-processed ingots. Im sure that day will come....
Since 1972 I have been sure the economy, country, economic system +/or law/order will collapse and those without silver, gold, and lead will be out of luck. Hasn't happened.
Def put a lid on that! Took over 12 min to show a lid. Propane cost is a real factor, def use a lid...
I don't care about shooting or bullets at all this was just that interesting to watch lol
The purple color on you mix is due to zinc contamination, this product is commonly used for wheel weights and lead free or
frangible range ammunition. As soon as I see it in my melt my first words I will not repeat!
205 lbs of lead is like 26,000 55 grain bullets.
Alex Who makes 55 grain bullets? That's a .22 cal bullet.
@@rogertycholiz2218 for .223 remington
@@twoscoops5197 you wouldn’t shoot a hardcast .223. The velocity would destroy the bullet, probably before it left the muzzle. There’s a reason that high speed rounds are copper jacketed.
how many lbs of lead do you think you can melt with 1 tank of propane ?
Good tips, thank you!
The only comment I might share is, possibly, a big fan blowing the fumes away from the melting area. Either a high capacity box fan or one of those high capacity round fans like from Harbor Freight to move the fumes away from the immediate work area so you don't breathe the concentrated toxins that are sometimes just hanging out.
That's some good tips for doing lead
Sometimes i wish i could live in the USA. You can do literally everything you want in your backjard
where do you live?
not literally but still better than anywhere else
I can’t even burn leaves without a $5 permit. The government overreach is ridiculous in the US.
Theirs a dude named bidstackd casting on TH-cam he live in Aussie and does it in his front yard in suburbian cage
Yesterday I was drinking beer shooting my gun and burning garbage in my backyard.
12:40 why? The hotter the better and its good thqt the moulds are hot, and you also know that metals dont like temp differnces.. they dont like going from hot to cold etc..
Rexczi Cex because lead is an odd metal. It doesn't do well with being too hot. Not to mention if you let lead air cool is becomes very soft, flashed lead (dunked in water) allows it to stay hard. Which you want for actual bullets. Unless you're making bullets for a muzzleloaders, that needs to be soft so you want to air cool.
very good video and good information, a question sir, how can I harden the lead to make a fishing jig, thank you
Here are a few tips for you too:
When you see this layer of oxidized lead you can put in some more wax (witch btw. is flux witch again is essentially a reducer) to pull the oxygen out. This way you don't waste the lead only because it's oxidized. And I'd advise you to take less wax or saw dust and use more when needed. You can also add a bit of flux before skimming of the slag and dirt because it contains a lot of lead oxide witch can, as I said before, be reduced. When you flux the slag as well you get a lot of the lead out and it's less toxic.
And I would really turn down/off the heat as soon everything is molten. It has so much thermal capacity. Then you have less oxidation and you save energy.
which not witch. Btw
How do you make thin lead sheets? I want to make lead white oil paint.
Love how you have everything organized and tidy. Get real tired of watching some demo from the top of a 55 gal drum or a cleared spot on the ground in the backyard. BTW: Is lead hardness an issue for you? Thoughts?
The dirt that comes to the top of a pot of melting lead is called " dross" it is the impurities in the lead. Before you start you should scrape the inside of your pot and wipe it out with a rag with a little oil on it , leaving a light film on the pot. Once you clean the top of the molten lead you should pour quickly because the top starts to burn again , especially with excessive heat. Retired 73 year old plumber.
John Krim ...thank you! Mom's side ALL plumbers.
wow what u are doing is excellent! I appreciate the knowledge out of your videos.
THANKS from Colorado!
when I process range lead, I first skim off the jackets with a makeshift funnel made out of hardware cloth. Then I skim off the sand, etc. Then I flux with sawdust. The reason I skim off the jackets, is because I take them to a metal recycling yard and get yellow brass price for them. I brought in 87 lbs the other day and got $122. I forgot to mention that I have to go over the jackets with a magnet to pull out steel cores that are in some bullets. It's embarrassing when the guy at the scrap yard takes his magnet and finds a lot of steel! Makes it look like you are trying to cheat.
I have been using bucks beaver flux. must say works really good!
lance henthorn ...I do like me some beaver...
You are right about water, no way I'm washing my range scrap or wheel weights. I like to combo the sawdust and candle wax, just seams to work better but that is just my opinion. I don't worry about oxidation in my ingots, it is lead and candle wax will take care of quick when I cast.
I'm 62chevy on castboolits.
nice video but how do you sell this ingots lead
fluxing bonds and removes impurities. reducing helps reduce wanted metals (tin, antimony) back into alloy.
FC45LC is one of my good friends!
Have you thought about buying a crucible that would allow you to use a handle for better support?
A suggestion to why washing the lead before melting it down:
As in the video: rocks and other dirt is in these buckets. But they do not contain any lead. So putting them in the melting pot reduces the space for potential lead, resulting in more propane to be consumed. Also it consumes heat and therefore, the melting takes longer.
Besides that, some bullets may have a full copper jacket. So whenever this jacket is not pierced at any point, the lead cannot float out and will be tossed. This results in a loss of possible lead and therefore more propane consumption.
While washing one can look for unpierced full copper jacket bullets and sort out any form of stones or dirt.
So washing beforehand is actually quite nice and helps to make the melting process go down more quickly.
(I belive that a bit of water and time is less expensive than maybe a whole canister of propane)
Thanks for the help. He video was very educational
Borax will fix oxidation. If you have a tractor supply buy a huge propane tank. Wouldn't it make sense to have a larger ingot mold?
Simple question what material can I use and where do I get is. If I need to buy flux and other agents would it be just smarter safer just to buy bullets… I have a pro-melt and I thought could just find some lead and melt it, is this not the case?
Learned a lot from this video, thx!
I understood why you places sawdust on the pot, but what was the reason why you put a piece of wax? What does it do to it the lead?
Nice setup. Good info.
I do agree with not worrying so much about the dirt but have you ever had any problems with the stones exploding? I know there is a lot of sandstone around my area and I've heard these types of stones will absorb moisture and it if that is the case a process like this could be catastrophic if one were to end up accidentally dumping these stones into the pot. IDK much about this but getting ready to attempt doing the casting myself. The information provided is much appreciated and seems like it would be fulfilling to end up with the finished product mostly gathered as scrap.
If you allow it to thoroughly dry over a couple of days, wouldn't it be more beneficial to scrub the lead, pot, and spoon really good before you begin the melting process? I know you said it could introduce moisture, but if you live in a rainy area, chances are it has already been wet multiple times over already. I figured eliminating all the dirt and extra debris would save you from having to introduce the wax and saw dust. I apologize if you went into this extra detail.....I just figured it was extra work doing those steps. You have a good process down that works well for you, so I am asking for myself....trying to minimize errors. Great videos, keep it up!
To save a lil time and effort could it possibly be cheaper to buy the pre made bullets for reloading opposed to buying ammo out of the store. So what I’m saying is still reloading but not having to harvest lead. Can that still be cheap
Question: why melt lead into ingots? Are they that valuable? What use could they have? Liked the vid btw- this is a pretty cool thing to do
Do you re melt the debris you scrape off the top again to try to “harvest” (I don’t know the correct terminology) more lead from it?
wow I want to do this-- nice yield of lead
Charcoal is reducer - it means that carbon content reduces metalic oxides into pure metalic state thats why lead is so nice after adding sawdust
5061rounds for Keith 429421 SWC for .44 MAG.
So, you say this is range scrap, do ranges just let you take that if you ask or something? I’m looking for lead right now and was trying to find a good source
Country boy prepper. Hello! I think that your videos are great that’s why I am reaching out too you. I have been reloading for a long time now and I want to get into bullet casting. First off I don’t have access to range lead which is a problem so I’m forced to buy lead. When you process your lead do you harden it with anything when your casting bullets? And any ideas on where I might be able to purchase lead would be great. Thank you. Chris.
How do you find the ranges to get the scrap from and also how do you get permission to collect the scrap?
so just why do you have to add saw dust and candle wax into the melting lead?
They act as a "flux" - which has two major purposes. They help prevent lead oxide from forming on the surface of the lead during smelting and pouring, and they help impurities stick together in the slag which you scrape off and discard. Basically, adding a fluxing agent - such as candle wax or sawdust - makes the final result much cleaner and purer, which is important depending what you plan to use it for later.
Do you cut the full metal jacket bullets before melting? I cut mine, but it's a long process. Thanks!
A good source for "sawdust" flux is buying a bag of shavings from a feed store. You get about 3.5 cubic feet for less then $10. Or if you know someone with horses you could bum some for free lol
Hardwood is better than the pine shavings.
In the future are you planning on making a video on how to cast bullets??
How do you get access to the range scrap? Do you gave any tips for new users on obtaing material?
Why can't you just get a smaller ladle and pour straight into the bullet caster? Why do you have to form ingots first?
Its preference. You could do that
I love country boy preppers videos. But I don’t think that he makes them anymore. Does anyone know why or what he’s been up too?
I'm in the process of learning this i have no where around to get lead yet do you sale your? also can you tell me where to buy one of those burners you have or can I melt lead on a Coleman stove? also where did you get your 223 mold in your other video. sorry bout the questions, I'm just trying to get to a point where I can shoot a lot more I have around 1000 brass cases for my 223 I just bought tips and the die set but the cheaper I can reload the better. I paid $87 for 1000 55 grain projectiles I would like to get my bullets price down to .10-.12 cents a round
Brian, I dont see any replies to you so here's a stab.... you can find the burners almost anywhere. Amazon , any outdoor store, even Wallyworld has them seasonally for turkey frying. The 223/5.56 bullet mold is made by several mfrs but Lee is typically the easy find. Also, you have a good chance of finding almost everything on Ebay .
Some ranges will let you pick it up. Some get it from wheel weights at a tyre shop, or even xray dental plates. I get pure lead from roofers, off cuts from lead flashing. Not all leads are created equal. Most lead wheel weights are pure lead. Dental plates and roof flashing are pure. Range scrap can be anything, Mostly pure lead inside copper jackets, but not all lead bullets will be pure lead, in fact, rarely. Pure lead can't be shot very fast, so most of them are alloys with tin and antimony added to harden them (known has hard cast). You'll find most people casting are doing so for pistol calibres, though I hard cast for my .45-70 and push them just over 1900FPS.
You should match the lead hardness to the velocity you want to achieve. You don't want a bullet to deform or come apart, or cause barrel leading. I could spend a week telling you all the different circumstances in which these things could happen, but there's plenty of forums for this type of information should you seek it out. Lead hardness can be approximated if you know the metals in them. If you don't, a BN tester would be very expensive.
I've rarely heard of lead bullets being pushed beyond 2000FPS, but have heard of some pushing extremely hard cast leads just over 2500FPS. Considering the .223 is lazily pushing your 55gn projectiles over 3000FPS (3100-3200 is common, and 3300 easily achieved with good loads), I'm not seeing any benefit for you. You're taking a reasonably flat shooting round and reducing it to be less ca[able than a .22 Hornet and only slightly better than a .22 Magnum. Sure, it would be cheaper, but will take a lot of time. 22 Magnum and a part time job would be a better use of time lol.
In summary; If you just want to shoot cheap, there's a better way to launch a .224 calibre bullet. On the other hand, if you love the idea of collecting crap and casting bullets (I love it as much as shooting), then pick up a new rifle/pistol with a calibre that it suits. You don't need super expensive gear to cast good bullets. The cheap shooting will justify the new firearm purchase ;-)
the fu#k you channel thank you for the info
AusiKifaru27 thank you very much for info
brianj123458 You're welcome, mate.
dropped a like as soon as I saw the flag
WHAT LEVEL SMITHING ARE YOU???
I’m just wondering where he gets the lead, I only melt brass aluminum and copper
METAL DETECTOR AT SHOOTING RANGE
THANKS BRO!!
The Art of Casting You don’t even need a metal detector. Depending on what the soil is like where you live, you can sift it out of the backstop. They soil where I live is too thick and cant be sifted so I just pick the lead up by hand. Doing this I get about 20-30 lbs an hour. I’d much rather sift for it if I could.
I can’t go to a shooting range so I cut open a car battery 😀
The Art of Casting Nice, you can also go to an auto shop and ask for scrap wheel weights, they’ll give you a mixture of lead, zinc, and steel wheel weights. Also, you can get scrap lead sheeting from some dentists.
Have ever used wheel waits and if so what would happen if you accidentally had a few zinc ones in the mix
Great video! Very informative, thanks!
Thanks for watching!
i find it fun how u can shoot all the bullets u want at the range, turn the brass and lead into ingots for money to buy more bullets
Where do you return the jackets after you get the lead out? Return it back to the range?
How many ingots, could you get off 1 tank of propane?
how much is one lead ingot worth? I might have missed that part
Depends on the area but if you are buying clean lead, probably $1.50-$2.00 a lb. If you get lucky $1/lb is under the base metal price.
Dudenat or funny. Hope you know what a ridiculous myth that is. you're just making a joke....I.know. Because I've worked in emergency medicine for 30 years. Never even seen lead poisoning. The medical journals dont talk about it. I work in the ER and on the helicopter.
I've seen it in animals.... and it aint pretty
romansten9: What? Lead poisoning is quite real, however you can have a lead poisoning and not know about it. The symptoms wouldn't be that bad if at all noticeable at low levels but none the less it would have bad effects. A tox-report would be able to tell. The simple fact is that when you have a substance in liquid form it will evaporate, that includes melted metals. Melting metals should only be done wearing a carbon filter mask
"Iron" poisoning is also a relative new discovery, but it turns out, even with the insane safety requirements we have in Scandinavia, our welders all seem to have it. Symptoms are again basically non-existing, but it turns out they got neurological damages. Iron in "" because it's not limited to iron, but includes a bunch of alloys
I believe your reaction is mainly because you misunderstand how long term poisonings work, cause they are just that, a slow long term thing. I would be highly surprised if any ER worker had a story of someone coming in with lead poisoning, though it may have happened, you never know :)
@@romansten9 what do you call what is goin on in flint michigan? much of the city for a while couldnt drink tap water because of lead poisoning
Is the plywood a bad idea? Would some type of fire brick be more reliable? Just curious thanks
you should get out more. wood is not gasoline. think about it , do you know the temp lead melts at ? but wood is not going to burst in the flame. its just like the wood plate under a fajitas pan
DeminicusSCA and putting hot fajitas on wood and extremely hot metal is a lot different. Think about that one for a sec before you try to act all smart.
DeminicusSCA Dude I asked a question. I have experience but never in my life have I used plywood to deal with hot metals. Does a little kid own a built wrx?
Odd discussion... The minimum temperature for wood to combust is only around half the temp of molten lead. The type of wood and what form it's in matters a lot though. A wooden board will ignite when you dump a hot ingot on it, if left. I've done it. It burns directly beneath the ingot and does not spread, with flames going out when you remove the ingot. It's much the same as trying to ignite it from the middle with a blow torch. There's insufficient surface area to keep it alight. Spilling molten lead on wood would instantly ignite it, but it's still an isolated burn.
I built my own table and covered it with a sheet of aluminium from the side of an old washing machine. I don't use any water when casting ingots. I let the mould sit for around 30 seconds only, then dump it out on the tin and it's fine. I then use a set of tongs to stack them to the side of the table. I also use aluminium moulds, which heat up quicker, but also cool quicker. Never had an issue with their temperature. I don't ever bother getting them warm before casting, or concern myself with cooling them between casts.
is that a javelin case on the background???
CBP. I need your help. I want to get into casting my own bullets. I have watched a lot of videos but it seems that everyone does it a little bit different than the other. I know that you need a casting pot and some hand tools and PPE. Just not sure what kind of bullet molds to get. I also don’t have access to any lead. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Love your videos and have been a long time subscriber. Thanks. Chris
Where did you get that style skillet
Out of curiosity do you know if other metals would be able to be melted in a dutch oven like the one you're using
Very nice bud. Please tell me your selling the bars.
To me, you fluxed with wax, then you fluxed with sawdust. I alternate with either depending on what I have on hand, makes no difference to clean the lead, so I would not consider them separate operations. My range has a ton of scrap lead in the berms, wish they’d let me get it.
What did you end up selling them for?
If you would quench the ingots would your BHN increase?
make sure to do in a well ventilated area and do not breath in the lead fumes, as they are toxic.
Yep, that's probably why he stated he wears ppe including a respirator.