Recycling old lead bullets from range ?

[sparky141]

 I want to start casting bullets for my Vaqero in 45 lc and  a 1911 in  45acp . Do they make a good starting point for casting alloy or would I have to add something else ?   Would it be ok to melt down the large amount of 38 swc that are at the local range back stop.  It is like a sand berm , all that I would have to do take a shovel and a screen we use for screening brick sand to get them .   I already cast round balls for muzzleloaders , sinkers and jigs for fishing . I have tried to get wheel weights and don't have the connections  to get them locally .

[John Traveler]

Salvaged lead bullets are fine for casting your own.  Especially if they are .38 wadcutters or SWC from commercially cast bullets.

Be sure to melt and cast them into ingots first, NOT in your bullet lead melting pot.  Flux and stir thoroughly and deeply to get the crud and contaminants to float to the top and skim them off.  This step is necessary to avoid getting grit and crap into your casting pot.

I add tin in the form of bar or wire solder to increase the "flowability" of the melt.  So treated, it makes a good substitute for wheelweights.

[sparky141]

 Looks like I'll have to get a diggin . Yes these are commercial 38 SWC's  and lots of guys down there shootin them . It wouldn't take long to fill up 5 or 6    5 gallon buckets .  Thanks for the heads up about not using my production pot for the initial  melt down .  I have a lyman ingot mold I use with the pure lead for the round ball production .

[Lloyd Smale]

only problem with it is consistancy. YOur best bet is to melt it into big batches and what i do is cut it about 5050 with wws. that makes it again more consistant and will usually give you a good alloy for most handgun work. one more thing. Make sure when your melting it you start with a pot full of cold lead, melt it and make ingots without adding more lead as you go. Alot of moisture can be trapped in those bullets and it will make a mess (out of you). Melit it down one pot at a time and make ingots and then using those ingots make your 5050.

[myronman3]

my only concern would be the same as lloyds; which is moisture in the bullets.   if you do one pot at a time you will be fine.   like lloyd said,  do not add unmelted lead to the melted lead or there is a chance it will explode.   and i dont like taking chances, no matter how small they might be.   

[sparky141]

 Thanks     I have first hand knowledge about adding cold lead to a hot pot of lead . I only did it once . It is amazing how much area can get covered from a 10 lb lead pot . Luckily no one was injured . Had on long sleeves , welding gloves and safety glasses . I always melt my raw lead  down into ingot  , form then I can use them to cast later without the problem of dirty lead .   

[1sourdough]

 I recently used up the last of my range salvaged bullets. They worked fine for me, handgun & M-L bullets. I have a better supply now to move on to.

[blhof]

I have used range lead, separating the jacketed from the cast, jacketed is excellent for b/p as most is very soft lead.  I use the cast as stated above with equal parts ww's for a good alloy for pistol or low to med velocity rifle with gas checks.