Just bought 40 pounds of shot that got left out in the rain. How do I dry it out?

[Bark-eater]

I just picked up 3 partial bags of shot that had been in a bucket for a couple days with 2 inches of water in the bottom. Is there anything in particular I can do to prevent it all from oxidizing?

 

[Phil Coffins]

Leave it out in the sun, it won’t rot.

 

[SDSmlf]

Hang up off the ground and it will quickly dry.

 

[Bark-eater]

Thanks. There's still full bags of #2 and 7 1/2. It 60 cents a pound, and I'd be stocking up for a 20 gauge Fowler with the money to buy the Fowler....

 

[Bark-eater]

Wasn't brave enough to use the kitchen stove.

 

[PathfinderNC]

And here I thought this had to be a joke thread

 

[TDM]

And here I thought this had to be a joke thread

Me too.

 

[Bark-eater]

Nope... Just trying to avoid too much lead oxide in my life.

 

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Might consider spreading out on a cloth and hitting it with WD 40.
Or, after it's dry, tumble it.

 

[oldwood]

Pour the shot out on a tray or old baking pan , spray it w/ WD 40 , and stir it around w/ a stick now and then. I'm more worried about the bags rotting than the shot. Hang bags up to dry.

 

[Bark-eater]

I wasn't sure about using wd40, because concerns that it might effect a powder charge, but once the Napta evaporated, not much is leftover. The shot bags where in a larger bin with other lead and a certain amount of water. The shot that I inspected is black, that might be a chemical reaction or maybe graphite? I'll have to look up "chilled shot". The bags themselves selves have a white salt on them that is shaking off. I assume that's lead nitrate. There's a bunch of buckets of different lead things. Including cast bullets with a copper gas check. I'm assuming they would be a safe bet for casting balls from.

 

[Whiteoak15]

Lead shot is usually tumbled in graphite before bagging. If you dry it and do the same for a short time, you won't hardly see the difference between that and new. Copper plated shot is a different story. Congrats on the find!

 

[Bark-eater]

I went back this morning and the full bag a 7 1/2 was still there. I hemmed and hawed and its going to to get rained on again before I get back. Some one else got a huge sheet of 1/4 inch soft lead, and then someone told me that was the stuff to grab. But I'll keep checking back.