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As a lifetime lead scrounger, I learned a lesson today. At the range I picked up some "powder coated" pistol bullets and some FMJ and plated bullets. I decided to melt them down to see if they were soft enough to use. As usual, the FMJs had their cores melt and run out the hole in the bottom. The powder coated bullets melted off the coating, which then caught fire and became dust. The jackets and dust was skimmed off.

The real surprise was the plated bullets. With no hole to run out of, their melted cores came out wherever the plating was weakest, as a thin stream of molten lead. In some cases, that was right straight at me.

Be careful if you melt plated bullets, as there is no knowing where that stream of lead will shoot. As they are lighter and float to the surface, that stream may be coming right at you.

ADK Bigfoot
That is something that many learn the hard way. I take the jacketed ones and smack them with a hammer to crack them open.
The coated ones are coated with a high temp poly. Basically you are melting and burning plastic. Just don't breathe the fumes.
 
Is lead addicting? I'm about ready to give up or slow down on lead casting for health reasons and use mainly store bought balls. But I still find myself wanting and looking for more.
 
Why would you give up or slow down on casting lead for health reasons?

The only thing about it that is unhealthy is breathing the fumes from whatever your using to flux the molten lead with or splashing molten lead on your body.

The molten lead by itself doesn't give off any fumes if it hasn't been fluxed. Of course, if you are melting any lead that has plastic in or on it, the plastic will give off fumes that aren't healthy to breath, but if you do your casting outside or in a very well ventilated room with the windows and door open there shouldn't be any real health concern.
 
I agree with Zonie. Don't give up or slow down on casting. The biggest health concerns are breathing the fumes from fluxing or plastic included into the melt and ensuring that after handling the lead, that you wash your hands. Most lead contamination will come from not washing your hands and sticking fingers into the mouth. Of course I do my casting outdoors which is well ventilated. I only handle the lead after the casting is done; after weighing my lead balls or (bullets). I have to keep in mind that I am handling lead and ensure that I wash my hands afterwards and never put my fingers into my mouth. I used to smoke and was always leery about smoking while handling lead. But that no longer applies.
 
I seriously doubt I will give it up completley. I'm thinking "just slow things down a bit" (like alot of other things) But I do stand by that statement about it being unhealthy to do something that the wife said not to.
 
Is lead addicting? I'm about ready to give up or slow down on lead casting for health reasons and use mainly store bought balls. But I still find myself wanting and looking for more.
If you are concerned, just have the doc add a lead test when you go for that yearly checkup. I cast a lot, and every year I have my levels checked. In more than 20 years of yearly blood testing, not a single time have I been above the normal level. Just don't eat the stuff or get it too hot.
 
Because its "unhealthy" to do something the wife said not to.
Now, that is something I can identify with.

Isn't it odd? When I tell her not to do something she just totally ignores my comment and does whatever she is wanting to do.
I on the other hand always seem to give in to her even though the thing she is wanting makes no sense at all. o_O
 
Eutycus and Zonie, It is amazing how that all works out isn't it?!? Thankfully my wife and her family have been involved with historical living and reenactment for 30+ years and are the ones that drug me into the whole reenactment thing to begin with, so I sort of get a free pass on any projects that I tackle as it is largely "her doing anyhow".
 
When I tell her not to do something she just totally ignores my comment and does whatever she is wanting to do.
I on the other hand always seem to give in to her even though the thing she is wanting makes no sense at all. o_O

Oh yeah. Grounds for a long happy marriage.

The real test comes on road trips, though. The only thing scarier than my wife with a steering wheel in her hand is my wife with a map in her hand. Left and right are fluid concepts. North, east, west and south are beyond comprehension. Thank the stars for GPS, the ultimate marriage rescue device.:confused:
 
I can relate to the above comments! LOL

Try living in a 33’ travel trailer over a 1000 miles from the Kids & Grandkids for 22 months straight , that’ll really test things in your marriage ...

We did make a trip or two home too visit, and the Kids & GK’s came too visit once during that time...

When put in a situation like that, Working 7 - 12’s is your Friend! LOL
 
Casting has no danger but how we lived is a mystery since we rubbed mercury on coins and if dropped the little beads went into the floor cracks. I think I was 4 when I started to fool with lead for sinkers as I was a fishing nut case. At 6 I made my own mold. I am 81 now.
Plastic is dangerous as said but even wax flux can carry fumes you don't want so just have ventilation. Lead in the pot by itself will not fume.
 
Eutycus and Zonie, It is amazing how that all works out isn't it?!? Thankfully my wife and her family have been involved with historical living and reenactment for 30+ years and are the ones that drug me into the whole reenactment thing to begin with, so I sort of get a free pass on any projects that I tackle as it is largely "her doing anyhow".
I hope we're not comming across as a couple of hen-pecked guys. That is not the situation at all.Please don't read anything into this. If I gave that impression ,I'm sorry. I was merely saying its not worth the trouble to have a wife who is mad or upset with something you've done. Or get upset over anything small that you didnt do. That old saying about "If Momma aint happy, Aint Nobody Happy". Lots of truth in that old saying! So for the sake of peace and harmony Its a whole lot easier to follow her "suggestions".
 
Not at all Eutycus! I was commenting more in jest than anything, as I understand all too well exactly the type of situation you both mentioned. I usually use the "Go along, to get along" saying myself. A happy marriage doesn't require a whole bunch of compromise or caving in, it just requires a little understanding between two people. Sometimes that means understanding when she doesn't want you doing something, she likely has her owns reasons for that which I don't need to question or second guess... And honestly it is usually for our own good anyway.
 
Apparantely we have some married men here. They tend to get it. Thanks for being understandable guys !
Now back to lead weights.There's a store that I know of that has tons of fishing weights on display. I am imagining that the owner would be happy to move some merchandise and sell fairly cheap.The weights have been there for years. Cant hurt to ask.
 
I’m not henpecked , but I do have hen house ways! LOL

Getting along with my Wife is easy just move your head up & down not side to side !
 
Apparantely we have some married men here. They tend to get it. Thanks for being understandable guys !
Now back to lead weights.There's a store that I know of that has tons of fishing weights on display. I am imagining that the owner would be happy to move some merchandise and sell fairly cheap.The weights have been there for years. Cant hurt to ask.
If your luck is anything like mine, the owner of the shop will think his lead weights are true, antiques and worth at least $10 apiece.

"Yes sir". These are the kind of pure lead weights your granddaddy used to use when he was fishing on the Wabash! They don't make them like this anymore! Only $10 apiece or I can let you have 'em for maybe $49 for five of them if you buy all 5." :)
 
Well if he wants to tie up his operating capital with old inventory that just sits there. Fine go for it.
 
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