Been trying for months to sell 50lbs of lead shot; or trade for pure lead. No takers so thought i would try to melt the shot down for casting. Was told that the graphite would mix with the lead to complicate casting. No problem! melted in small amounts and the graphite just comes too the top with the contaminants. Be aware of contained arsenic. Vent properly.
The more I shoot! the luckier I get! Rich22
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Graphite in not soluble. Its going to float. Unless you get that melt up to the heat level of the sun. By then your lead has killed you in plasma form.
Shot is great. Antimonial lead and has arsenic. Preserve it for use to create heat treated bullets as wheel weights are just about off the table in this country! A little dab will do you. A couple pounds to a load of scrap mixed lead and voila, you should have something heat treatable.
The arsenic is your friend.
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The graphite on shot is actually a good flux, it will draw impurities to it and is easily skimmed.
Gary
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Works great, melt down the the shot and cast it as-is unless you just want pure, soft lead.
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The only time I tried to melt salvaged lead shot I had the Devil's own job to get it to coalesce rather than stay in little balls - regardless of fluxing. In the end I had to mash it down with the ladle!:(
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The symptom you describe as the shot staying in little balls and not “coalescing” or melting together has a simple solution. You don't need a flux when melting graphited shot. the graphite acts as a flux. Your heat is insufficient if it does not melt the shot to a fluid fluxed potful that can be skimmed shiny. You didn't get the metal in the pot hot enough to melt and likely were 100 degrees or more too cold to get the metal fully fluid.
This is not new news and happens every time shot is melted with insufficient heat for complete fluidity and fluxing. You made a basic error with heat. Try hotter next time. Graphited Shot is not magical in any way. Get it hot enough and it melts and fluxes itself. Just skim and pour ingots.
Bring graphited shot up to 725-750 degrees F. with a thermometer ( not just a dial setting) and it easily melts, and fluxes itself when you stir. Then, just skim and pour ingots or bullets. You cannot convince shot to melt and flux itself shiny and clean with insufficient heat to stir and skim the melt easily. When you ” had to mash it down with the ladle “, the metal in the pot is definitely not heated to fluidity. You need more heat regardless of what the temperature dial on the pot says.
Gary
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So how much shot should be added to a 10 pound pot of soft lead to get close to Lyman #2?
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Hi,
Lyman #2 Alloy is 90% lead, 5% Antimony and 5% Tin. It is a hunting bullet alloy known for malleability and non fragmentation on game due to it's content. No amount of shot plus soft lead mixes even close to the BHN 15 of #2 or the malleability of #2. Both shot and soft lead are too soft and weak to be near #2 physical characteristics on impact with game.
I mix a recreational alloy that is BHN 15 and has the same POI on targets as my #2 alloy bullets but it fragments on game because of the tin content being too low for game bullet malleability without fragmentation. My recreational alloy is equal parts soft lead and Linotype scrap. It shoots great but I would never hunt Deer or Bear with it. Small game......sure.
Shot scrap alloy is generally Lead plus 2-3% Antimony and zero % Tin. Very precise heat treatment and quenching of shot scrap alloy can get you close to BHN 15 but it will be too brittle to use on dangerous game for pass through double caliber hole making or game for the meal table.
Certified #2 alloy with it's specific characteristics of strength and malleability is worth the money for hunting bullets if you eat game or hunt dangerous game. I get it from
Lyman #2 has been the first choice of cast bullet hunters over 100 years for those very reasons I mentioned, strength for hunting load ballistic pressure levels and pass through double caliber hole results on game.
Gary
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One never stops learning with this game does one! Thanks for that - I have been offered a LOT of shot (over a ton) and so far turned it down - so a phone call to my friend is overdue - knowing my luck it has gone by now! Cheers.
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Thanks Gary, as always your input is greatly appreciated. Duane
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