picking up lead shot at the range

[lord1234]

My range has nets that catch the lead shot. Most of the shot falls in one place. Would there be any negatives to picking up and reusing the lead shot I find?

 

[bobotech]

If you can get lead shot, melt it down into bullets!

 

[lord1234]

but i'm not reloading rifle or handgun, I'm reloading shotgun shells.

 

[bobotech]

Ahh.

Well if you can somehow filter the various shot sizes, then it still should be good to go.

I imagine that you would need some sort set of sieves to sort out the various shot sizes.

 

[kostner]

Give it a try and let us know how it worked out. I would give it a try and just think if it works you will never have to by lead again.

 

[lord1234]

any suggestion for how to filter the shot sizes?

 

[Randy1911]

I have seen companies selling what they call "reclaimed shot". Go for it.

 

[oneounceload]

don't bother to try and filter it - there isn't that much difference in ACTUAL sizes....I use reclaimed shot all the time - works great and is a lot cheaper than new. The folks who reclaim it clean it and regraphite it. If you can get it for free, grab it.......

 

[Chawbaccer]

Just be aware of the different metals being used for shot these days.

 

[lord1234]

chawbaccer, would there be a problem with mixing steel and lead shot in a shell?

 

[ReloaderFred]

Reclaimed shot has been loaded for many, many years without much problem. You just want to make sure there's no dirt mixed in with it, and removing steel shot is easy. All it takes is a magnet.

If you can get this shot, just load it like you would new shot.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[lord1234]

don't have to relube it or anything? Do I have to process it somehow?

 

[ReloaderFred]

Once you make sure it's clean, you can put it in a tumbler with some graphite and let it tumble for a few minutes. It will make a mess of your tumbler, but will coat the shot with graphite in the process.

Most people just load as is, once again making sure there's no dirt in it.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[rcmodel]

Shot really doesn't need to be lubricated.
Used to be, in paper shell days, it rubbed on the bore of the gun all the way out.

Now, plastic shot-cups completely surround it, and none, or at least very little of it contacts the bore.

Back in the day, I even picked up AA plastic wads on the Skeet range at Ft. Carson Colo.
A trip to the Laundromat to wash them, and I was all set with reclaimed shot & recycled wads.

rc

 

[Chawbaccer]

No problem lord1234, as long as your barrel can handle steel shot.

 

[bobotech]

How do places reclaim shot anyway? It just seems so hard to catch all those little balls that you shoot up into the sky.

Am I missing something here?

 

[Steve C]

Many trap ranges wil have companies "mine" the range every 5 to 10 years. They simply go out and shovel in the top soil with the shot in that "gravy" area where 90% of the shot will fall. The soil and shot mix is then ran into a tumbler or cement mixer type with flowing water, the shot being heavier drops to the bottom the soil and rock is washed out. After that the shot is ran through a screen to remove any of the really large shot and now they probably use a magnet to rmeove the steel. The rest to the shot is bottled up. Usually the range takes a share and the recycler takes the rest for their work. The range will sell memebers their recycled shot which is of mixed sizes, usually 9's to 4's with most being 8 and 7-1/2 as they're the most common shot size at a trap range.

The mixed recycle shot can be reloaded and shot again but the patterns open up a bit due to the shot being deformed and of mixed sizes. I used to load recycled shot for the 16 yd line trap or skeet and use new for handicap and other longer range shooting.

 

[Shoney]

If you want perfect shot in the size you desire get the Littleton Shot Maker,
http://littletonshotmaker.com/