Could lead from batteries be used to make bullets?
- Thread starter SDTA
- Start date
I'd be surprised if that isn't exactly where bullet makers get most of their lead. Recycling car batteries is a big business, and a big source of lead. The Lead Shortage ?Conspiracy?
Yes it will work fine, but it's very nasty stuff when done in a "garage" environment. You will have lots of chemicals burning off that would be bad if inhaled. Just get a hold of wheel weights and go at it, or just buy already smelted ingots for about a buck per pound.
Very good advice, and the problem with wheel weights is they contain toxic heavy metals. I quit casting in the basement in 1981 when my kids were very young after reading an article in the National Rifleman about the heavy metals in wheel weights. I would just buy the ingots if you have children and lack proper ventilation. And remember the casting area can become contaminated and you will end up with high levels of heavy metals in your blood from the wheel weights.
About the only lead I would use would be the posts. The other stuff is just not worth the trouble and potential lethality of inhaling something you are not supposed to.
A 5 gallon bucket of wheel weights will only set you back $50 or so. Some tire shops will give them away for free.
A 5 gallon bucket of wheel weights will only set you back $50 or so. Some tire shops will give them away for free.
So are you saying the National Rifle Magazine wrote a false article and didn't test plumbers and bullet casters blood for lead and heavy metals. Are you going to say that bullet casters didn't have higher levels of heavy metals in their blood and these high levels were above normal and a health risk.
Your statement is without foundation and shows your ignorance on the subject. Your setting next to a pot of melted wheel weights that are giving off fumes that contain heavy metals and your saying "Go ahead wheel weights are fine". Did you ask yourself why lead wheel weight are being banned. Did you ask yourself what your taking of the top of the pot when you flux. Did you ask yourself where these wheel weights came from and how much scrap junk metal is in the mix.
NOW ask yourself "WHY" the National Rifleman wrote the article and why plumbers had lower levels of lead and toxic heavy metals in their blood. Because plumbers don't solder water pipes together with wheel weights and plumbers use pure 50/50 solder.
I stopped casting because I didn't want to poison my infant children and contaminate my home and your statement goes beyond reason. Do you understand "deregulation" means tainted foods and consumer products and OSHA regulations are meant to help people.
"Heavy metal toxicity can result in damaged or reduced mental and central nervous function, lower energy levels, and damage to blood composition, lungs, kidneys, liver, and other vital organs. Long-term exposure may result in slowly progressing physical, muscular, and neurological degenerative processes that mimic Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, muscular dystrophy, and multiple sclerosis. Allergies are not uncommon, and repeated long-term contact with some metals (or their compounds) may cause cancer"
Heavy metal (chemistry) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
My failure to take something written in the National Rifleman as the gospel shows my ignorance on the subject? Sounds good to me. Do a little research before you insert your foot even further into your mouth.
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I'm not sure I'd use lead batteries for casting bullets. IIRC the batteries have arsenic (high levels of it) and melting it down releases it, and it can/will kill you. (Same reason you should not melt down hardened lead shot for bullets.)
There are sources for cast lead on the internet with fairly reasonable prices as well as shipping. No sense in taking chances just to save a dollar or two...
JMHO...
There are sources for cast lead on the internet with fairly reasonable prices as well as shipping. No sense in taking chances just to save a dollar or two...
JMHO...
If you are going to use batteries, use the old fashioned kind that you have to add water to. Sealed batteries have a different chemistry that will really kill you. FWIW, a little bit of arsenic is needed to harden lead bullets by water dropping the hot bullets. (That is why the "chilled" shot label.) Wheelweights need about 1 to 2% tin to fill out the moulds completely, depending on the style of bullet. If you want to harden them by heat treating, a half pound of chilled shot to a 25 pound pot of WW and 1% tin will usually do it. To get really hard, antimony is necessary. Mr. Green, the Lead Man sells hardening alloy for that purpose.
bigedp51, I am really curious, what "heavy metals" should I be on the lookout for in wheel weights??
I have been casting bullets for 40 years using wheel weights and don't have any strange levels of anything in my blood, but it is never too early to be safe.
I have been casting bullets for 40 years using wheel weights and don't have any strange levels of anything in my blood, but it is never too early to be safe.
Mostly lead.
Used wheel weights since the '70s. Blood test last summer had me a 4 (as I recall under 10 is good). I don't use any type of mask, I pick my nose while smelting/casting and even have an occasional drink close by.
Oh freakin no!!!! not LEAD!!! SHHH!
Any one ever notice that the more the enviromentalists try to clean things up the wierder/crazier people seem to get...
I was serious though, what else and what quantity of what else should I be careful of?
I never worried about having a soda or smoking my pipe while I was casting either...
Yeah,,I know about those Eddie, I really have been casting for as long as you have and I mix my alloys, as I'm sure you do also, I just was asking bigedp51 if there was some kind of super toxic super contaminating elements in wheel weights.
Lead doesn't fume off much until 1100 deg and I don't know any one casting at that temp.
I have been using lead wheel weights to make bullets since the mid-70s.
A few years ago I had my blood tested for lead a day after casting bullets.
The results were on the high side.
The doc, after some research, said because of my age(71 now) there was no need to do anything.
A few months ago I had another blood test but not the day after casting bullets.
No trace of lead.
A few years ago I had my blood tested for lead a day after casting bullets.
The results were on the high side.
The doc, after some research, said because of my age(71 now) there was no need to do anything.
A few months ago I had another blood test but not the day after casting bullets.
No trace of lead.
I would shy away from using battery lead because of the possible health issues. There is lots of info on battery lead that a quick search will find. A little common sense and attention to personal hygiene makes casting pretty safe. Most casters smelt their lead into ingots in an outdoor location. This helps to keep the trash out of the melting pot, and the smoke out of the shop or garage. Buckets of wheelweights often have oil, grease, valve stems, and lots of other trash that will burn and smoke. Lightman
Lead is very dangerous. Research has shown that as little as 40 grains between the eyes can render you lifeless in a remarkably short time...
Modern batteries have a lot more than lead in the plates. Calcium, arsenic, etc. NOT suitable for casting. Yes, they do recycle batteries, but they have the equipment to safely separate the various materials, or they smelt it into a mixture that has less of everything, then they can add to make the desired mix.
Wheel weights contain the same toxic metals as Lyman #2 and other bullet casting mixes. It is just the concentrations are different. Lead, antimony, and tin.
Unless you over heat you metal when casting, most exposures are ingestion. Handling lead materials and wiping your mouth, eating or smoking (smoking with lead contaminated hands is VERY bad), etc, without washing your hands thoroughly are the source of such exposures.
And your body can deal with lead, just as long as you don't expose yourself to too much over too short of a period. As one poster mentioned, the day of casting or the day after, he showed some blood lead level. After a week or so without casting, no blood lead. He body dealt with the lead.
I have found very few magazine articles that get exposures and toxicity correct. But what do I know, I have only been a professional in occupational health and safety for some 30 years.
Wheel weights contain the same toxic metals as Lyman #2 and other bullet casting mixes. It is just the concentrations are different. Lead, antimony, and tin.
Unless you over heat you metal when casting, most exposures are ingestion. Handling lead materials and wiping your mouth, eating or smoking (smoking with lead contaminated hands is VERY bad), etc, without washing your hands thoroughly are the source of such exposures.
And your body can deal with lead, just as long as you don't expose yourself to too much over too short of a period. As one poster mentioned, the day of casting or the day after, he showed some blood lead level. After a week or so without casting, no blood lead. He body dealt with the lead.
I have found very few magazine articles that get exposures and toxicity correct. But what do I know, I have only been a professional in occupational health and safety for some 30 years.
I agree to NOT fool with battery lead. Too many SAFER forms of scrap lead for casting out there.
If You would like to know all there is to know about casting, what forms of scrap lead to smelt, How to safely smelt, etc...go to the CastBoolits.com site. An absolute wealth of learned posters.
FN in MT
Only been casting for 59 years. Now I need to know how to get more lead in my pencil. Not in my blood. I think.
