Bermining Lead: 20-min of work = 20+ pounds of good lead. Here's how~~

[nitesite]

I got a sand flea rake for Christmas from my wife.  How many of you would even have a  clue what a sand flea rake is let alone have a wife that surprises you with one?   
 
Here's what they generally look like.  Used in the shallow surf line you can scoop up delectible sand fleas for surf fishing bait for FREE w/o a license.  Just pull thru the sand, and let the waves wash out the sand so you are left with decent bait.
 

 
So my bride remembered that I mentioned wanting one way back in the summer (when it was too  HOT), so that I could strip exposed lead bullets from the hillside berm and get free lead, and she was a wonderful wife and when temps were much cooler she hooked me up!   
 
I went to an outdoor range, spend maybe 5-10 minutes making a few (4-5) quick uphill pulls, each time letting the dried dirt sift out, and then pouring the wonderful soft pure lead bullets to drop into a box.  This was just a test run, mind you.
 
Went home, poured it all on the driveway and hosed it down under pressure so that the remaining dirt and gravel washed away.  Five minutes, maybe ten minutes TOPS.
 
There will be at least 20-lbs of pure soft lead after smelting this pile in a pot and pouring the molten galena into some ingots for later bullet/slug pouring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Twenty minutes, twenty pounds, all free!  This pic doesn't show it but the spread out layer of bullets is almost an inch think!
 
Just think what I might do in an hour. 
 

 
I'm nitesite, and I approved this message.

[52bagman]

Good idea. Wish I had sand here, just good old hard clay. I would have to set up a hydro gold mining operation to retrieve any. You do have me thinking tho.

[nitesite]

Oh, the berms around here aren't sand.  They're hard clay just like yours!
 
After a torrential rain, and following several sunny days to dry things up, the berms I see are literally coated with bullets on the exterior surface, with most of them on the lower third like they got washed downhill by the rain.
 
This sand flea rake cuts about half an inch of powdered clay and all those nice spent bullets in one uphill drag.  This trial run worked great on clay berms.  Give it a try!

[kbstenberg]

besides the lead you can bring the copper jackets to the recycler for more lead.

[Greg B.]

That is a good idea. Only thing you want to be carefull with is getting any water in the lead pot from hoseing down the old bullets when you do your melt. This of course can be nasty.
 
Greg B.

[jhalcott]

 Another thing to consider is IF it is allowable to mine the berms! I belong to several Maryland clubs that will escort you OFF the range for "berm damage" if you get caught doing this. They do NOT mine the berms, just "push" the dirt back up when it gets worn too much.

[Lloyd Smale]

where did your wife buy it?

[huntswithdogs]

I was wondering the same thing. Do tell!

HWD

[nitesite]

where did your wife buy it?

  I think there are some retail mail order businesses in the Carolinas who will ship them without much trouble. The box mine came in was from CPI Designs.
 
Here you go.  Found it.
 
http://cpidesigns.com/accessories/sandflea_lg.html  for the large one.  There is a medium and an economy one as well.