How did they make lead shot in the old days?

[pichou]

try putting "littleton shotmaker" into your favourite search engine, and you should get something interesting...

Thanks! I was trying to remember the brand name.

 

[mckutzy]

if u can find out what it looks like u can always make one that is the same, i cant remember where i had seen it , but there was this guy that had made one it had two burners one for the lead pot and one for the shotmaker, the ports were a small bolt drilled with a small hole and the shot dripped into a bucket filled with oil or water coolant. buddy made all of the parts and it worked good for him apearently.

also on this forum http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...post/487069/hl/shotmaker/fromsearch/1/#487069
this post.

 

[Many Klatch]

I intend to use the method that the Bevel Brothers wrote about in Muzzleblasts. In a nutshell here is what I am going to try.

1) Get a piece of 16 ounce copper sheet big enough to cover the top of a standard bucket.
2) Use a ball peen hammer to form a pocket in the middle of the sheet.
3) Use a nail or other sharp object to dent but not cut through the copper, so I have a number of small "funnels".
4) Use sand paper to actually open the funnels to the smallest size that I can. So I'll turn the copper over and sand the sharp topped dents until I can see daylight through them
5) Heat the copper over the brazier before using
6) Place the heated copper over bucket full of water.
7) Pour the molten lead into the heated copper and hope for the best.
8) If I get 30% to 40% usable shot I think I will be pleased. The unusable lead will be remelted and I'll try again.

I hope this works. If you try it let me know how it works.

I will be using pure lead, I don't know if wheel weights would work better or not because of their alloys.

I think it all comes down to the size of the holes. Remember with copper you can peen the holes closed if you got them too big.

Many Klatch

 

[bingo1952]

Here is a link to one. Looks like the holes may be a little large according to what the Bevel Brothers wrote. They also didn't use lead containing arsenic which they noted may have been the real secret to getting it ot work well. http://www.goosebay-workshops.com/THE-SHIP-S-STORE

 

[dukewellington]

How did they used to melt the lead back then. I've tried using an old spoon over a flame but it dosen't work.

 

[Joel/Calgary]

I intend to use the method that the Bevel Brothers wrote about in Muzzleblasts.

If you have not already done so, it would be worthwhile for you to do searches on this forum and on the web for "Rupert shot". It sounds like the Bevel Brothers neglected a couple of important points.

5) Heat the copper over the brazier before using
6) Place the heated copper over bucket full of water.
7) Pour the molten lead into the heated copper and hope for the best.

Put some burning coals or charcoal in the "pocket" to keep the "sieve" and the lead hot, and pour the lead through the coals.

I will be using pure lead, I don't know if wheel weights would work better or not because of their alloys.

The original process called for alloying the lead with some arsenic to increase the surface tension of the molten lead, or one would tend to get blobs and/or strings. The antimony in wheel weights will do the same thing, and there's often a very small percentage of arsenic also. You'd effectively be making magnum shot with wheel weight lead. I don't know how much antimony is needed, so one might be able to mix wheel weights and purer lead and still get good shot.

I think it all comes down to the size of the holes. Remember with copper you can peen the holes closed if you got them too big.

Apparently, lead temperature also has some effect on shot size, and both lead temperature and coolant temperature affect the shot roundness, as will the chemistry of the coolant.

For those that are interested in making shot in quantity, a web search for "shot making" or "making shot" will turn up numerous websites and discussion threads for doing this, both with the Littleton and with home-made alternatives (including plans for them). This is where one can find out lots about coolant temperature and chemistry, which might also be applied to making Rupert shot

I hope this helps. Since I've never gotten around to trying shot-making myself, I'm also interested in what you try and what your results are.

Joel

 

[Robert Egler]

There are TWO kinds of BBs made in this country. The one for air rifles are made of a harder steel, NOT LEAD, and are specifically .177" in diameter. The Non-toxic steel BBs are .180" in diameter, and should not be used in air rifles.

Actually, you can also buy 0.177" lead BBs made specifically for Gamo air guns. They are the 0.177” size like air gun BBs, but they are lead. They’re a little hard to find, though.

 

[Claude Mathis]

There are TWO kinds of BBs made in this country. The one for air rifles are made of a harder steel, NOT LEAD, and are specifically .177" in diameter. The Non-toxic steel BBs are .180" in diameter, and should not be used in air rifles.

Actually, you can also buy 0.177" lead BBs made specifically for Gamo air guns. They are the 0.177” size like air gun BBs, but they are lead. They’re a little hard to find, though.

The bottom of this page has both .177 and .22 lead BBs.

Gamo Ammo

 

[Zonie]

Those GAMO .177 cal round lead balls would work for dukewellington but he would have to buy 4 tins of them to have over a pound of shot.

At $3.95/tin of 250 it would cost $15.80 plus shipping.

4 tins would give him 8,200 grains worth of loads.
If he loaded about 3/8 ounce (20 pellets per load) (his gun is a .50 cal smoothbore) that would give him 50 shots.

 

[bingo1952]

That's some expensive lead there.

 

[Zonie]

Yes it is but, if I were in England and I coulnd't find any real shotgun shot for sale I might consider it fairly cheap.

Now, I'm totally guessing on the shipping charges but lets say it was $10 for 4 tins.
That would make the total charge $25.80.

If those 4 tins of lead balls did cost that much the order would gave me 50 shots with each shot costing $0.52.

The last time I was at a gunshop I noticed they were selling those plastic sabots with some sort of InstantDeathZapper bullet in them and the cost was well over $0.52. In fact, as I recall it was around $17.00 for 15 of them. Using those bullets makes the cost $1.13 each. Now THAT'S some expensive lead (and copper and plastic). :grin:

 

[dukewellington]

I take it plastic BB'S are out of the question. I hvae plenty of those.
I can only shoot shot at the moment as my membership for my range has run out.

 

[Jblk]

You could probably make your own shot if you could find an old silo or some other structure that would allow you height.From what I remember about an article on the subject that I read several years ago, shot was made by pouring melted lead through a sized sieve from a height into water.The shot became round while falling through the space befor hitting the water.

 

[Sully]

Look up shot towers. You can find the drop needed to get shot nice and round.

 

[JasonUK]

Duke, I live in England too. Loose lead shot is remarkably easy to buy. Most shooting shops sell it in containers. Black powder shotgun shooting is popular here - one might wonder if you upset your local friendly gun shop owner! :wink: - you are going through a lot of of odd measures to load your gun (old airgun pellets?!). Do it the easy way, buy some lead shot from your local gunshop and keep the industry going! :grin:

 

[TANSTAAFL]

As said before, shot towers are not required to make good round shot, think a couple inches of drop. Guys over at the cast boolit forum have been doing so for a long time

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en...ult&cd=1&q=,making+homemade+lead+shot&spell=1