Melting mixed pulled bullets

[TomSp8]

Okay, another question from the new guy...I spent this rainy afternoon performing a chore I had put off long enough. I had about 300 or so cartridges, some live, some dummies, some rejects, etc that I've been avoiding for about 2 or 3 years or more to pull the bullets (hammer style puller.....) and reuse the cases and primers where I can and the rest of the cases will go to the recycle bucket. I want to melt all of the bullets of course. It is a mix of jacketed, plated, hytec coated, powder coated, hard cast with wax lube, hard cast with Alox, and moly coated from Bear Creek. The vast majority are wax lubed and coated.. And there are a few specks of powder imbedded in each of the wax lubed bullets. I plan to label and consider these ingots as range scrap. Any precautions or advise before throwing all this together into the big pot and melting it all down?

 

[Dusty Bannister]

Melt it all outside in a pot specifically used for cleaning scrap lead. Add saw dust at the beginning to give the sludge something to attach to besides the sides of the pot and the tools. The flakes of powder should ignite before the lead becomes fluid but expect the lube mix to ignite.

 

[fiver]

yep.
watch the wax lube.
if you got a bunch in the pot it will climb up the sides and make all sorts of havoc in there.
just add in a hand full at a time and light it off before adding in the next hand full.

 

[richhodg66]

The lube makes good flux.

 

[Rick]

The lube makes good flux.

No, wax is not a flux, cannot flux. It is a good reducer but clean the alloy? Nope. A very common misconception.

Definition of a flux is to clean the alloy, remove contaminants.
Definition of reducer is to return oxidized metal to the melt.

Sawdust is both a flux and a reducer as it chars to form carbon.

 

[Ian]

FLUX: noun

\ ˈfləks \
Definition of flux (Entry 1 of 2)
1: a flowing of fluid from the body: such as
a: DIARRHEA
b: DYSENTERY
2: a continuous moving on or passing by (as of a stream)
3: a continued flow : FLOOD
a flux of words
4a: INFLUX
b: CHANGE, FLUCTUATION
in a state of flux
the flux following the death of the emperor
5: a substance used to promote fusion (as of metals or minerals)
especially : one (such as rosin) applied to surfaces to be joined by soldering, brazing, or welding to clean and free them from oxide and promote their union
6: the rate of transfer of fluid, particles, or energy across a given surface
flux verb
fluxed; fluxing; fluxes
Definition of flux (Entry 2 of 2)
transitive verb

1: to cause to become fluid
2: to treat with a flux
intransitive verb

: to become fluid : FUSE

Synonyms & Antonyms
More Example Sentences
Phrases Containing flux
Learn More About flux

Synonyms & Antonyms for flux
Synonyms: Noun

change, fluctuation, inconstancy, oscillation
Synonyms: Verb

deliquesce, fuse, liquefy (also liquify), melt, run, thaw
Antonyms: Verb

harden, set, solidify
Visit the Thesaurus for More
Examples of flux in a Sentence
Noun
the English language is always in a state of flux
January typically brings a great flux of returns to department stores.
Verb
a solid will flux more quickly under pressure
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Now some companies are expecting people back but have lost the leverage to enforce that because of the constant flux in deadlines.
— New York Times, 9 June 2022
The figures quoted varied widely, much like the flux of crypto market itself.
— Kamayani Sharma, Quartz, 12 Apr. 2022
Amid the flux, everyone has their preoccupations and secrets.
— Judy Berman, Time, 28 Feb. 2022

Phrases Containing flux
luminous flux
magnetic flux
radiant flux

First Known Use of flux
Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

History and Etymology for flux
Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin fluxus, from Latin, flow, from fluere to flow — more at FLUID

The first known use of flux was in the 14th century

 

[JonB]

FIRST, Do it outside.

Below is my setup to ingotizing scrap lead alloy.
If I only had about 300 bullets to melt, I'd just mix them all together and
start heating it up. I wouldn't worry about a few grains of powder or
the wax creeping the pot side wall and flaming up.

In fact, Fire is your friend, less smoke for the neighbors
to notice what you are doing. During initial heatup, I'd be trying to get
it lit ASAP. The fire you lite, also gets the alloy melted faster.

So, I'm thinking many of you might chastise me for running fast and loose
with safety, and that's fair enough.
...So I will add this disclaimer:
This technique is not for the "Wary" hearted.


Getting all the alloy away from the jackets can be challenging.
Fluxing with sawdust is your friend.
The scrapyard pays better for perfectly clean jackets...any spec of lead alloy
still stuck to the jacket, and you get the rock bottom price per lb.


Any of you that have read my comments over the years, might be amused to see
the ladle. When I'm doing a batch of ingots from unknown scrap, I will always
pour a few bullets, for future hardness testing. That's the only time I will cast
bullets with a ladle.


====================

 

[Jeff H]

Those are some cool ingots, @JonB .

I like the term "ingotizing" too. I remember someone once pointing out that what we colloquially call "smelting" as being inaccurate.

I had that identical Coleman stove and gave it away to some younger folks in need. Wish I'd kept it, as the pathetic propane burner I'm using is,...well, pathetic.

 

[JonB]

I have dang near a dozen coleman gasoline stoves, if you were close by, I'd give you one. I see them all the time for $5 or $10, sometimes they still look like new. I figure that's cuz most people who camp in MN, only get out 1 or 2 times a year.
I hear these old stoves go for lots higher prices in other parts of the country.

They don't last long when using them to cook Lead and make lube. Maybe it's part of my lack of fear of fire, LOL
Anyway, I'm on my third one for ingotizing/lube making.

 

[Rick]

Well Ian, that's mighty fascinating but . . . We (at least me) are talking bullet casting. Not the National Lab re-managing the periodic tables.

 

[TomSp8]

So......im assuming the hytek and powder coat will melt or soften enough to allow the encased lead to flow out at normal casting temps? I have quite a few reject bullets, unfired, from my initial learning curve that I want to include. When I did my first ever batch of wheel weights, I skimmed off all the majority of the crap and then fluxed several times with sawdust and kept stirring and scraping until it remained clean.

 

[TomSp8]

Raining all weekend here, so just planning ahead.....

 

[richhodg66]

When I render down range scrap, wheel weights etc., I use a wood fire. I live on 18 acres, can't see the nearest neighbors and have essentially an unlimited supply of fuel.

Takes a lot to keep a fire going hot enough to keep it liquid enough to pour ingots, but the fuel is free. Nice to live in the sticks sometimes.

 

[JonB]

So......im assuming the hytek and powder coat will melt or soften enough to allow the encased lead to flow out at normal casting temps? I have quite a few reject bullets, unfired, from my initial learning curve that I want to include. When I did my first ever batch of wheel weights, I skimmed off all the majority of the crap and then fluxed several times with sawdust and kept stirring and scraping until it remained clean.

It should burn to a crisp.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Yes will burn off but I like to be there watching as it smokes and stinks ta high and Ill guaranty it aint good so I scope it off quick like.

 

[malar]

Just a hint when melting lead from jacketed put a lid on it until melted.
I've been visited by the tinsel fairy doing this. Still have lead splashed on the under side of the patio covering. Wife not happy when she asks how did you burn the top of your bald head?

 

[TomSp8]

Prob a good idea. The big old pot I recently acquired came with a lid. If nothing else, I can hold it like a shield! lol. And thank you, everyone, for the tips and advise. Will post my experience when I get it done. Supposed to be rainy here for the next week so I might put it off a bit, as I def plan to do it outside.

 

[fiver]

yeah those pointy jacketed ones will squirt.
i also have the obligatory burn on the top of my head, that stuff will go 10' up no problem.

 

[Foo]

So......im assuming the hytek and powder coat will melt or soften enough to allow the encased lead to flow out at normal casting temps? I have quite a few reject bullets, unfired, from my initial learning curve that I want to include. When I did my first ever batch of wheel weights, I skimmed off all the majority of the crap and then fluxed several times with sawdust and kept stirring and scraping until it remained clean.

Powder coat will just lay deflated on top of molten lead like your sock laying on the floor without your foot in it. Looks like a perfect shaped bullet laying there until you skim it off with the other junk.

 

[D Crockett]

when melting lead bullets with lube on them when the lube starts to smoke I light it on fire and stops the smoke but still does the job I wanted it to do and as far as jaketted bullets go I always put a bit of heat from a weed burner so all the mosture that is traped inside of the jacket can steam off and I will not get a visit from the tinsel fairy and it is always a good idea to have a cover on your melting pot D Crockett