Round Ball Question

[pegro1]

I've made my own round balls from time to time and am actually getting pretty good at making them but I was just thinking can you melt pewter and use that for your round ball, its a soft metal but will it work? I was just wonder'n since my son's got a ton of them old pewter figures (not worth anything and they just sit in box in the garage) and I was wondering if that would work for target practice in my smoothbore flintlock.
Thanks
Jim

 

[Gbro]

Being Pewter is mostly tin, the biggest problem I could see is damage to the mold in the sprue area. I use Lee molds and have gotten my pure lead mixed with some junk and distorted the mold.
As far as shooting, why you could shoot a marble or
ball bearing as long as you have it patched.
The last time I cast RB's an old car battery supplied my lead.
Just my $.02

 

[dlbrow]

The latest issue of Muzzle Blasts has an article from the Bevel Bothers covering this exact topic. They also try bismuth.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Jim: You can shoot other kinds of RBs in that gun, and for cheap, close range target shooting, you won't have too much problems. However, don't expect these different materials to shoot to the same POA as your lead balls. If you have a fixed sight rifle, this can be a problem. If your gun has adjustable sights, you can move the rear sight to bring the new POI to your POA.

Lead prices have been coming back down. China has not been buying lead for almost 2 years now, and the cost of lead is slowly going down. In most places its under $1.00 per pound from commercial dealers. In scrap and junk yards, it can be less. For scroungers( Like me) its FREE! :rotf: :thumbsup:

 

[ohio ramrod]

muzzle blasts just had an article about using other materials than lead for round balls. It seems California has outlawed lead.

 

It seems California has outlawed lead.

Get your facts straight. :shake:

 

[JohnnyO]

Get your facts straight :shake:

yep, only banned in certain areas of the state, "condor habitats", which are actually only a small area of the state...when people think of CA they think of san fran and los angeles and other big cities...they don't think of the millions of acres of farmland, forests, wildlife areas, etc. Plus there's more NRA members and even more gun ranges here than almost any other state :thumbsup:
But if they every DO ban lead statewide, I just might move...Sacramento county is banning lead wheel weights, so I guess I won't be melting those down anytime soon

 

[Dave K]

I got a phone call from a car guy friend yesterday that Calif. has now outlawed lead wheel weights on vehicles. Wheel weight lead may be easy to find as it is no longer to be used.

 

[Gus]

With lead being so cheap and pewter being a useful alloy for casting of other useful items that you can't use lead for, like bowls, spoons, jewelery, etc. I'd save the pewter for another project. JMOP

gus

 

[Toomuch_36]

In general the answer to your question is YES.
There are many records of some colonial settlements making shot from thier pewter as a last ditch defence effort when their lead ran out, and even some reports of the American Indian making balls from GOLD because it was soft and could be beat into shape and of no other value to them at the time.

Toomuch
..........
Shoot Flint

 

[Gbro]

and even some reports of the American Indian making balls from GOLD because it was soft and could be beat into shape and of no other value to them at the time.

That had to be darn near as good as being hung with a new rope. :thumbsup:

 

[Zonie]

If I see a Condor eating the wheel weights off of my car, lead will be the least of his worries.
I'll strangle the SOB on the spot!

 

[kragluver]

Never-never-never use lead reclaimed from a car battery for bullet material. The chemicals in car batteries are retained on the lead and when you smelt the lead, very toxic fumes will be emitted. Only use wheel weights or pure lead purchased from a supplier. Smelting lead from a car battery is extremely hazardous.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Come on: The acids in old batteries can be neutralized with baking soda and water. Yes, you need to do an initial smelting of the lead out in the open with a good breeze, or fan on the pot to dissipate any gases that might come out of the lead, but this is not that difficult a thing to do.

I seriously doubt that anyone is sitting in an apartment in some high-rise building melting lead on their kitchen stove and expecting the stove exhaust system to remove any toxic gases. Using COMMON SENSE PRECAUTIONS will extract the lead and allow the dross to be skimmed and disposed of. After the lead is poured into ingots, the ingots can be remelted safely, to cast balls and bullets. :hatsoff:

 

[bingo1952]

Car batteries used to be good sources of lead 30 or so years ago but the new ones also have not only the lead in them but it is alloyed with cadmium and arsenic. It makes nasty fumes when melted and the dross if exposed to water gives off arsine gas.

 

[J.D.]

Trying to recycle lead from car batteries is an exercise in frustration...not to mention being dangerous.

I tried smelting battery lead once, and there isn't enough usable lead in a battery to make it worth while. It's lots of work with little return.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Isn't that a decision for each shooter to make? I agree, with you, BTW. But that is my decision. I am much more worried about getting that battery apart( they have been sealed for a lot of years now), and disposing of the acid fluids inside once I get them open. As for the cadmium and arsenic, they either evaporate under heat- fumes- or become dross that floats on top of the heavier lead. There ought to be a market for the cadmium, but I haven't found any.

 

[mykeal]

Wow. Paul, normally you make good sense, but on this one you're off base a bit. There's no readily available market for cadmium for a good reason. It's a heavy metal for which there are very expensive penalties for contamination. Clean up is mandatory and financially debilitating. It's a known carcinogen; the most common method of exposure is inhalation in an industrial setting. It's main use is in car batteries, requiring specialized handling processes. Smelting the mineral out of the lead in a car battery exposes the environment to dangerous and toxic fumes.

I note that you specify care in handling batteries, including exhaust fans when smelting. Howver, your assumption that common sense prevails and that simple measures are sufficient is, in my opinion, inadequate. The more reasonable approach is to stay away from smelting car battery lead altogether.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Over the years I have lived, the plates used in batteries have change in content, and cadmium was unheard of back when I was younger, and fooling around with stuff for a cheap source of lead. I am well aware of the toxicity of cadmium. I also have an idea of how little actually is in those batteries. I understand that zinc is now being used in batteries, and that element combines with cadmium very well.

As to whether people exercise common sense, everyone is entitled to their opinion. IMHO, this country has spent much of the last two generations doubting everyone about everything. I don't happen to think that is either healthy, politically, or necessary. It has allowed us all to doubt the wisdom of the founding fathers of our country, the strength of democracy as a political system, and the value of Individual Freedoms, in favor of a steady erosion of those rights( and the responsibilities that go with them). Instead of demanding government to assist in training and education of our citizens to deal with issues that were routinely taught by parents at home, we have meekly allowed our Representatives to tell us we " can't Be Trusted" to use common sense, or even have it, and that laws need to be passed restricting our freedoms to protect us from ourselves. Our government has not won many points for its ability to teach much of anything, but at least some schools teach our young basics skills. There is no better performance level in any other activity that we allow our government to do for us.

I said I don't mess with batteries any more, but I have met people who say they do. They seem to know the dangers, and are willing to accept those risks. That is their right as a Free People, INMO.

As for the Carcinogen scare tactics, my Gosh, fellow, there are carcinogens in the resins in Pine logs you use to burn in your fireplace to provide a nice scent to your home at X-mas. There are carcinogens in the fat that is grilled, or baked in your oven. If you are going to let the existence or absense of carcinogens control your daily existence, you might as well pull the sod over you right now.

 

[Little Wattsy]

Wow. Paul, normally you make good sense, but on this one you're off base a bit. There's no readily available market for cadmium for a good reason. It's a heavy metal for which there are very expensive penalties for contamination. Clean up is mandatory and financially debilitating. It's a known carcinogen; the most common method of exposure is inhalation in an industrial setting. It's main use is in car batteries, requiring specialized handling processes. Smelting the mineral out of the lead in a car battery exposes the environment to dangerous and toxic fumes.

I note that you specify care in handling batteries, including exhaust fans when smelting. Howver, your assumption that common sense prevails and that simple measures are sufficient is, in my opinion, inadequate. The more reasonable approach is to stay away from smelting car battery lead altogether.

I'll admit I dont know Jack about batteries but I must point out here my opinion on these two: As soon as some one states that the environment will be piosioned I MUST say :bull: This world and its environment will keep right on spinning long after we all are worm poop. That is a phrase that gets the tree huggers motivated but it dosnt buy much logically.
The other :bull: phrase is "common sence" will not prevail...THAT is why there is a very fundamental law that the hippies have been trying for years to negate but never will; The LAW of natural selection. Those two stupid to use "common sence" will die and the gene pool will be BETTER OFF!
If every body spent a little more time worrying about them selves and less time interfering with others thos old world would be MUCH BETTER a place to live.
Litmus test: Batteries CAN NOT be bad....All the Libberal, tree-humpin, sandel wearing, pot smokin, dirt worshiping, Democrate Hippies SWARE that thye hybred cars ARE the ONLY way to go. :grin:

Paul is right to each his own decision!