Using wheel weights

[runfiverun]

keep on the path it gets easier.
wws got all the gunk mixed in them and the clips too.
it's the trade off for a good useable alloy for a decent price.
if i were starting out and had found this sight at the beginning i'd look at my situation and learn one step at a time. [reading here will speed up the process]
ask questions.
gather weights,lead scrap, tin,lino, anything i can identify the contents of or have a clue at.
get a decent smelting set up. and learn how to flux and why.
form some opinions on mold types. brands & metals used.
go with a lube system.
save for and get a casting pot. a decent one that will last.
then learn how to use the tools by using them.

[leadchucker]

I USED to melt everything together when i first started smelting also. then i found out (at least around here) how hard it is to actually get soft lead. now i save out anything i think might be soft, and check it before i melt it down with clip on w.w.'s. i figured that for handgun applications, a little softer would be better. but after shooting a few thousand of them, i can tell you straight air cooled wheel weights function just fine in handguns. as for what you cast looking like scrap, adding some tin (solder) to the mix will help out a lot. also, if you are NOT getting the mold hot, that will also mess things up! a cool mold will always make ugly boolits!

Will put some tin in and see if looks better, thanks for the tip.

[michiganvet]

The best tool for cleaning WW is a plumbers furnace with a cast iron pot. Remember the symbol for "lead" is Pb which comes from the Latin Plumbum, the root word for plumber.

[hydraulic]

Get a turkey cooker. Discard the pot and get a dutch oven. Smelt the wheel weights and flux all the dirt out of the metal. Get a separate casting pot. Melt the WW's at 600-700 degrees and cast the bullets. They will work fine for anything under 2000 fps. I shoot straight WW's in everything-black powder cartridge, black powder pistol, smokeless rifle and pistol. Use the time saved from fretting over trivial technicalities for getting in as much trigger time as you can.

[BulletFactory]

What's the best way to get the sand and other crud out from under the lead pool?

[bgokk]

What's the best way to get the sand and other crud out from under the lead pool?

The sand and other crud should mostly be floating on the top of the melt. Some may stick to the sides and bottom. Stirring and scraping, vigorously, the sides and bottom with a stick of wood should cause the sand and crud to float. Skim the floating dirt off. The wood stick will also act as a flux to help keep the tin and antimony in the alloy.

I flux with sawdust and stir with wood.

[adrians]

scour second hand shops and yard sales to find crappy bent up pewter pieces ,
cheap source for tin, cut it up throw it in your smelt and fillout and looks will be gooder!!!!.