Making me own balls!!!!!!!!!!!

[deebee]

Hi all.
Just going to get into molding my own .44 ball.
I asked about sweeping up the used pellets under the 10m targets at my club & was told to go ahead regularly.
These are on smooth concrete but the wall behind metal back stop is concrete block & so some concrete powder will be swept up.

A couple of guys said they would not use this lead as any concrete dust would bugger up my barrels.

Seems plausible, but would this separate out during melting, floating or sinking? Or would this stay in suspension?
Would there be another way of separating this? Or are they being over cautious?

Your advice please gents

cheers Dave

[tim56]

Hi Dave. Dont worry about any sort of crap in the lead as it will rise to the top when your lead gets hot enough. Using a flux is a good idea even if its a pea size piece of candle wax. I use a proper flux but have used candle wax with good results before. Use flux when lead is hot and ready to use, give it a good stir then Skim the crud off the top and you have clean lead. I use old flashing and old water pipes for my black powder round ball. .44/.45/.577 and old wheel weights for bullets. .357/.44/.45/.303. Any pure lead will be ok for b/p use but remember range lead will be mixed hardness and some new wheel weights have zinc i think it is in them which isnt good for casting.
Ball is far easier to cast than bullets and an hour will see you with enough balls to last 6 months. Have fun. Tim

[john paul]

Beeswax also makes a good flux, as Tim says pea size.

[shootist]

At risk of being pedantic, smelting is getting metal from ore. You are melting lead.

[Smokeless Coal]

The stuff from the range will not cast well for a m/l. I use it from my club for .357 bullets and its very brittle when cast, shatters like glass when it hits the backstop.

Look for some nice lead mate. Lead flashing, old pipes theres plenty out there. I weigh my balls when cast as theres a lot of variation, blow holes, cold shunts and the like I get around 8 grains variation over a batch.

But casting your own adds another dimension to your shooting, its fun and its free.

Air gun pellets would be good though, they are a nice soft lead, and dont worry about the other crud that goes in the pot it all floats to the top so you can scoop it off.

[deebee]

Thanks all for the replies. Looks good then (Except the pedantic reply [ goes to Google pedantic] That's the last time I try to use posh words on here)
I will only be using old air pistol pellets & leaving the CF & RF stuff alone.
Was given a box of old wheel weights from garage & knew that most would be zinc now, but got a few lead ones which were obviously off older wheels.
Got a mate going to ask lead price when he takes his copper scrap in next, but as I can get 250 well made .44 balls for 19€, if I have to pay for the lead & electricity/ gas then it might not be worth while.
Could always use the wood burner
cheers Dave

[Neil-Carter]

I've been using lead from air pistol ranges for years to cast ball for muzzle loading. You just have to skim it propery before you cast.

[tim56]

19 euro for 250. = 76 euro per 1000. = 7.6 euro per 100. = about £6.50 a hundred. Buy em. i cast .44, .45 and .577 ball and if i could get em for that price i really wouldn't bother. Lead is getting silly in price, getting enough of one type is getting harder, buying the gear to cast is not too bad but it still takes time and effort. At that price i couldnt be arsed. Tim