Does anyone know if .22 rimfire ammo is pure lead? I managed to pick up a 5 gal pail full from the backstop of a .22 only indoor range. I'll turn it into ingots and keep it seperate for later alloying. If it is pure lead, then I can throw a few lead flashings and pipe that I have laying around in with it. Thanks!
My Lead Smelting Setup
- Thread starter Andy
- Start date
I first posted in October 2007, and provided an update in March 2010. Since then I had been accumulating wheelweight and pure lead (flashing), and I finally found an opportunity to "smelt" it (wife away for the weekend).
Here's the result:
~620 lbs of wheelweight alloy
~180 lbs of pure lead.
Now that I have the 20 lb RCBS Pro-Melt Melter, I only use the large ingot molds, which wouldn't fit in my Lee. They come out to about 3.75 lbs each.
Here's the result:
~620 lbs of wheelweight alloy
~180 lbs of pure lead.
Now that I have the 20 lb RCBS Pro-Melt Melter, I only use the large ingot molds, which wouldn't fit in my Lee. They come out to about 3.75 lbs each.
It is so close to pure lead you might as well call it pure. I tested 3 samples of it and it came out on my Lee hardness tester as 5 , 5 , 6 so I would call it pure. I have also read in a NRA book on casting bullets that .22 rimfire is pure lead.
I first posted in October 2007, and provided an update in March 2010. Since then I had been accumulating wheelweight and pure lead (flashing), and I finally found an opportunity to "smelt" it (wife away for the weekend).
Here's the result:
~620 lbs of wheelweight alloy
~180 lbs of pure lead.
Now that I have the 20 lb RCBS Pro-Melt Melter, I only use the large ingot molds, which wouldn't fit in my Lee. They come out to about 3.75 lbs each.
Nice Andy. So, how much is in your stash now ?
From what I see there is a switch to other than lead weights for the most part.
We have a tire shop at work, I can get all the weights I want from there, but, the percentage of lead is going down. I went thru 3 20ltr pails last summer, got just over a pail and 1/2 incl stick-ons.Lot of iron and zinc in the small ones.
I also went out and bought straight lead and tin many years ago as I didn't have time to fiddle with wheelweights, the time saved on that vs the cost was worth it then. Even at 1.00/lb it isn't too terrible a price to pay. when you look at 20-40 bullets per pound. Tin is up there from where I bought it from at that time.
$7.00/lb for tin is a bit much for my tastes. Although 1 lb tin to 20 lbs of lead does go a long way. I guess 669 bullets for 27.00 is still pretty cheap. Even if it goes up to 40.00 for that many, a person doesn't have a lot to complain about I suppose.
We have a tire shop at work, I can get all the weights I want from there, but, the percentage of lead is going down. I went thru 3 20ltr pails last summer, got just over a pail and 1/2 incl stick-ons.Lot of iron and zinc in the small ones.
I also went out and bought straight lead and tin many years ago as I didn't have time to fiddle with wheelweights, the time saved on that vs the cost was worth it then. Even at 1.00/lb it isn't too terrible a price to pay. when you look at 20-40 bullets per pound. Tin is up there from where I bought it from at that time.
$7.00/lb for tin is a bit much for my tastes. Although 1 lb tin to 20 lbs of lead does go a long way. I guess 669 bullets for 27.00 is still pretty cheap. Even if it goes up to 40.00 for that many, a person doesn't have a lot to complain about I suppose.
