Any smelters in CO?

[Birddog1911]

I may consider making my own LRBs, but in the mean time, I'm wondering if there are any members in the Colorado Springs area, or not too far away.

 

[BigAl52]

Im about 100 miles north of you. Just outside of Greeley

 

[Birddog1911]

I've got several pounds of lead in the form of diving weights, that I'd love to turn into round balls. I'd like to learn, but not against bartering, either.

 

[Winchester97]

About as far from CO as you can get, but I have been doing it for years, I enjoy using my molds as much as shooting. All I shoot/hunt with are my own projectiles, modern, or black powder. Happy to help with any ? You might have.

 

[andy52]

I was going to ask if diving weights are pure lead and I did a quick search for the info, from what I gleaned they are not so may not be suitable for round balls.

 

[Birddog1911]

Yeah, I'm wondering that myself. I guess you can remove much of the alloys from the pot? I have a whole lot to learn.

 

[andy52]

Yeah, I'm wondering that myself. I guess you can remove much of the alloys from the pot? I have a whole lot to learn.

No can do, once the alloys are mixed with the lead they can't be removed. The only thing that can be removed is the impurities that will float to the top.

 

[pilot]

Depends on the weights. The ones I learned with in about 1970 were very soft and most likely pure lead. Even if not pure, they may be close enough. See if you can mark them with a finger nail.

 

[user 51067]

Yeah, I'm wondering that myself. I guess you can remove much of the alloys from the pot? I have a whole lot to learn.

Inconsequential "impurities" can be removed by fluxing the melted lead and removing the "scarf' as it floats to the top of the lead. Alloys of lead require a more complex process as the alloy has become part of the mixture (tin, zinc, etc). Generally the best you can hope for is an approximate hardness of 6 or so. Pure "scientific" lead can be considerably softer, but the bullet heads would cost $6.00 apiece! Dive weights are sometimes very soft, but as their only purpose is to be "dead weight," the actual lead content is not critical.

 

[Kansas Jake]

In my experience if you can scratch the lead fairly easily with a finger nail it is soft enough for a patched round ball. You want soft lead for a cap and ball revolver because it isn't that hard to bend or bust the loading lever with hard lead.

As far as casting if you are making round balls, it is pretty easy. You need a mold in the appropriate caliber, a source of heat such as a camp stove or hot plate, a cast iron or steel pan and a table spoon or small gravy ladle to pour your molten lead. Melt the lead in the pan ( I started with a stainless pan from a thrift shop) poured the lead into the mold with an old steel gravy ladle and "Walla" I had round balls. Of course there are safety considerations. I cast outside or in a well ventilated area such as an open garage, wear safety glasses and maybe a face shield too, wear winter leather gloves or welding gloves and long pants and long sleeve shirt. Make sure your clothing and sock are all cotton or wool. Nylon, polyester etc. melt easily and stick to skin and burn like heck. Also, be very careful to not let any water or moisture drop into the hot lead. I also flux my lead with some wax or saw dust work too. This helps impurities float to the top of the molten lead so you can skim it off. I drop my fresh molded balls onto an old wadded up t-shirt. a cotton towel etc. would work fine too.

There are a number of different threads on this forum on casting and reading through a couple will give you most of the information you need to know. I started many years ago without anyone available to coach me along. Just be careful so you don't burn yourself or property.

 

[russellshaffer]

Don't use an aluminum pan on the kitchen stove. The pan will melt and the lead will run down into the stove. One of my many dumb moves in my younger days. Where in the Springs are you? I will be visiting family for a couple weeks in Wolf Ranch at the top of Research.

 

[Birddog1911]

I'm actually in Peyton, above the Bijou Basin.

 

[stewart.leach]

I may consider making my own LRBs, but in the mean time, I'm wondering if there are any members in the Colorado Springs area, or not too far away.

Dog11, get in touch with the Colo Spgs Mzl Ldrs. Contact is [email protected].

 

[smoothshooter]

Inconsequential "impurities" can be removed by fluxing the melted lead and removing the "scarf' as it floats to the top of the lead. Alloys of lead require a more complex process as the alloy has become part of the mixture (tin, zinc, etc). Generally the best you can hope for is an approximate hardness of 6 or so. Pure "scientific" lead can be considerably softer, but the bullet heads would cost $6.00 apiece! Dive weights are sometimes very soft, but as their only purpose is to be "dead weight," the actual lead content is not critical.

What is a “ bullet head “?

 

[Dibbuk]

Stop by "the Mountain Man store in Manitou Springs. They may be able to help.

 

[user 51067]

What is a “ bullet head “?

It would be the actual projectile itself. Some people refer to an entire "cartridge" as a bullet, whereas the tip (or actual bullet) is the head.