I have a question for you guys that cast their own ball and mini ball for hunting. I have always cast my .577 mini's from fresh pure lead. I have lately been thinking about digging out the shot mini's from the sand bank I use as a backstop. Does this (sand and other grit) pose a problem when remelting and recasting mini's for use in a PH Enfield? Thanks for any advise you may have.
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Recasting spent mini's
- Thread starter dgold
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The sand and dirt is much lighter than lead so it will float to the top.
As was mentioned, a through skimming will get rid of it.
IMO, if your using one of the furnaces with a bottom pour on it, the sand etc will never get down to the bottom even if you don't skim the top (but it's a good idea to skim it anyway).
Zonie
As was mentioned, a through skimming will get rid of it.
IMO, if your using one of the furnaces with a bottom pour on it, the sand etc will never get down to the bottom even if you don't skim the top (but it's a good idea to skim it anyway).
Zonie
flashpanner
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Lead is much denser than the sand and grit tha might get lodged into the projectile. I have collected/reclaimed the lead from my earthen backstop and reused it. I aggre that a bottom pour gives you one more step to assure the cleanest lead for your next round. I have also used a really heavy plate 3/4" steel plate that has been angled like a lean-to tent. I then put a tray of soggy sawdust soggy wood shaving in a tray on the underside of the plate to catch the balls. works great. No grit this way.
Smokey in Oz
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Another point I got from this site re skimming the top was to leave an amount of scum on the surface. Yes, the impurities are lighter than lead and float to the top but some of it is oxidation of the lead. Apparently if you leave a bit on top it reduces the amount of lead exposed to air and in turn that reduces the amount of 'dross' produced.
Smokey.
Smokey.
The Confederates payed a bounty for recovered lead and in 1864, many men including officers use to scavenge for lead. I believe E. Alexander Porter mentions it in his memoirs. I think the Union Army did the same and recall reading about some boys in Gettysburg picking up lead to sell to a scarp dealer.
I try to recover and recast all my lead (mainly from a PH also, coincidentally). To make it easier I got a large cardboard box from the local whisky store and packed it full of old newspapers... tightly... and taped it closed. Shooting longways through the box, the minies generally don't make it through until about 50 or so have been put into it (I staple the bullseye at slightly different locations each change of targets). Nearly 100% lead recovery, solid mount for targets, and no dirt, and no moisture, on the lead to deal with. (Do make sure you don't have some damp dirt trapped in a smashed minie... goes bang in the molten lead! :shocked2: )
No, this size box won't stop the rounds from my .45 or .54 rbs all of the time... especially after a few shots... but they don't have nearly as much reusable lead as the 585 gr. minies!
marmot
No, this size box won't stop the rounds from my .45 or .54 rbs all of the time... especially after a few shots... but they don't have nearly as much reusable lead as the 585 gr. minies!
marmot
Target loads of 3f, usually 43 grains... chrono about 900 fps, but I've never been able to recover one out of a deer. I think the big difference, and the reason the newspaper works well, is that the soft lead really flattens out on the more solid paper, as most of the recoveries look like half dollars. 65 gr 2f loads tear the box apart much quicker. Perhaps I should have been more clear on the box: I use a standard size packing box (like the ones that 6 bottles of Scotch come in), and packed very tightly, and shoot end-on at 50 and 100 yards; longer would certainly be better for heavier loads - my catcher setup is built around what I shoot, and may not work for others - it's just one option for recovering lead. Now, if I could figure out some way to capture and recycle that powder smoke... :youcrazy: :grin:
marmot
marmot
C'mon over - my range is always open to fellow BP shooters and scotch drinkers, though I try to make sure the scotch doesn't come out 'till the shooting is over! :thumbsup:
marmot
ps. you were leaving all of the lead for ME, weren't you? :haha:
marmot
ps. you were leaving all of the lead for ME, weren't you? :haha:
