Casting bullets for muzzleloader

Oh I see that is a huge pot

 

one of these smaller discs was melted down today, into 24 ingots, all marked as soft lead. the turkey fryer stand just fits the skillet.

 

What happened to your electric melting pot?

 

I still have it, but it is very slow and would require an insulated alcove to be very effective. This was to see if the turkey fryer I just acquired would do as well or better than the burner I built. Also gives me a second melt going on at the same time.

 

Never gonna work for casting bullets in the real world.

By that I am saying to set down and cast a slew of bullets the heater does not have the required heat source to rapidly melt the new lead as you use the pot.

 

Agreed. It is too slow to be very useful for this application. I might use it for a hot glue. However. The burner I built works quite well.

 

Something I did years ago was to take a cooke sheet and pour it full and use it as my back stop for shooting, then all my lead gets recycled right back where it belongs . If most all your targets are lead plates, your not loosing any of your lead in practice .
A shallower pour can be cut into strips with a hammer and chisel for melting into molds rather then trying to melt big ingots and waste all that fuel/energy and time. Dad even would melt lead into angle iron for long rods that can be cut easily .
Dad taught me leading sewer pipe when I was a kid , we played with lead a lot . like putty almost.

 

I like the idea of lead targets. It would be safer than steel targets for ricochets, as well.

 

Years ago dad had some molds for lead soldiers , I haven't found them yet but I've often thought of making some castings for the air gun.
Can you imagine the contraband they would be today in this anti gun PC degraded society ?

 

I'd like to see that if you find the molds

 

@arleigh
Me too, that would be interesting.

 

You would not believe the tons (literally) of stuff I am still filtering through I have inherited its a mess .
I believe there were 4 different figures in WW1 style helmet english uniform .
One free standing with a revolver,
One free standing with a rifle, and
One prone with a rifle . but I can't remember the 4th.