Attn: LEAD MELTERS

[rebelracer79]

Can you melt these down and use them for bullets? They are lead head screws, the screw is steel but the head is lead. I have thousands of these and would make someone a heck of a deal if they could use them.

 

[Calamity Jake]

If your sure it's lead, yes.

Some are zinc, lead mixed with zinc makes bad boolits.

 

[Old Fart]

They are typically pure lead so you'd still need to add tin/antimony to harden them up for centerfire.
Wouldn't be worth the effort to me. I'd use them or sale them for their intended purpose.

 

[120 Acres]

Are you sure those are lead headed and not just the washer?

I just cant see lead being able to stand up to any kind of torque from drilling into metal (as they are bit-tipped).

 

[rebelracer79]

Are you sure those are lead headed and not just the washer? I just cant see lead being able to stand up to any kind of torque from drilling into metal (as they are bit-tipped).

The washer is rubber, I'm sure they are at least a lead alloy, the whole not standing up to the torque is why we want to get rid of them, extremely easy to strip out and virtually no better than regular steel screws, anyone in NE ok that wants to try some out is free to come get some. If they can be used i would swap them out for some cast bullets, like I said we have thousands

 

[aviator41]

If I were near you, I'd give them a go. I bet they would test as pure lead, toss in a little tin and you'd have good bullets. Problem is there will be more trash than lead since the screws are steel.

is the screw body zinc coated?

 

[rebelracer79]

If I were near you, I'd give them a go. I bet they would test as pure lead, toss in a little tin and you'd have good bullets. Problem is there will be more trash than lead since the screws are steel. is the screw body zinc coated?

Yes the screw is zinc coated, but without too much effort the head can be removed from the screw

 

[rebelracer79]

Would they be better to melt as sinkers?

 

[aviator41]

As long as the pot is kept at about 650, the zinc won't be a problem. If the zinc contaminates the lead, it causes the molten metal to "wrinkle" in the mold. Bullets or sinkers, same result.

The trick is pot temperature control (or mechanical separation of the lead head from the zinc body). Based on the work involved, they may not be worth it either way.

 

[rebelracer79]

I'll mess with a few and see how much trouble they are to separate