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Reclaimed Shot for reloading
- Thread starter hgmeyer
- Start date
Where do you get it? How much is shipping?
bb
From my local club when they had the fields mined by a reclaimer. Ask around to see if any clubs in your area are planning on doing that.
@KEYBEAR:
It only sounds dumb if you're too stupid to understand it.
@FrankenMauser:
My guns aren't overpriced. They're simply quality skeet guns. No need to become an insulting horse's ass about the issue.
@Snyper:
It's going to scrub it's way down the bore riding alongside the expanding shotcup. That's not rocket science.
I'm personally convinced that it's no such thing as totally safe .....
For starters, much like babbitt which used in crankshafts, and connecting rod bearings for engines, lead has an impeccable attribute of dirt embedability (thus why it is used for bearings). To start with, it will embed tiny bits of the pitch/resin/clay/coal that the targets are made of when the pellets strikes the targets on it's initial use.
As it lays on/in the ground, it embeds further material as heavy machinery rides over top of it during processing, and even just being in contact with, and mixed in, and shoveled around with the dirt.
Once the reclaimed is tumbled, polished, and/or re-graphited, it's near impossible to detect the amount of foreign material that has been embedded into it with the naked eye, or even moderate magnification.
This doesn't even touch on the "loose" foreign material that either never gets filtered out, or particles that were embedded close to the pellet surface which comes loose and mobile during final processing/bagging (before, during, or after re-graphite).
The result is that you get re-graphited "loose" foreign material in the mix along with re-graphited pellets which may also have embedded foreign material both of which are invisible to the naked eye. You'd need to first sift the entire 25-lb bag thru 1/10th inch bronze screen, and inspect pellets under magnification, and/or melt down some samples to truly evaluate the quality of reclaim shot.
At first I was all gung-hoe on reclaim thinking that I was really getting away with something (re: rising prices of lead). But then I made a bad calculation in using the stuff in a brand new Citori XT Trap (and other mid-grade guns in the $2,000 range).
Then I was all negative about reclaim and trying to warn off the masses.
Now my position is that if you just HAVE to have the stuff, then make SURE to carefully (1-layer at a time) sift the stuff thru 1/10th inch stiff bronze screen (that you can get on E-bay), make SURE to carefully (1-layer at a time) run a magnet thru it to pull out the #9-#10 steel shot, and make SURE to limit it's use to less-expensive guns in the $200 range.
Personally I won't ever use the stuff again, not so much because of the risk to barrels (as I too have a bunch of $200 guns that I like to shoot from time to time), but mainly because once you factor in the time involved in "user post-processing" (1/10th inch screening, and magnet work), it defeats the cost savings.
But the above I believe is a fair/middle ground assessment/suggestion for those here in the forum asking about reclaim. Make your own decision.
Almost all wads leave open space between the slits when loaded. And since most people box their shells, the shells lay sideways, it's possible that loose crumblies can settle to the bottom of a side-ways stored shell such that the debris will settle in the open slit. The area in the open slits is bigger than the biggest bit of gravel/sand.
Moreover, the shock/vibration of the "setback" event during ignition (compression of the shot column) can further work the debris nearer, and into the slits making matters even worse.
Anyone who knows anything about machines and "metals" already knows that one of the main attributes of "lead", is it's excellent "embeddability" property, and you can find this in any bearing design discussions and writings.
Take it for what it's worth ...........
It only sounds dumb if you're too stupid to understand it.
@FrankenMauser:
My guns aren't overpriced. They're simply quality skeet guns. No need to become an insulting horse's ass about the issue.
@Snyper:
It's going to scrub it's way down the bore riding alongside the expanding shotcup. That's not rocket science.
I'm personally convinced that it's no such thing as totally safe .....
For starters, much like babbitt which used in crankshafts, and connecting rod bearings for engines, lead has an impeccable attribute of dirt embedability (thus why it is used for bearings). To start with, it will embed tiny bits of the pitch/resin/clay/coal that the targets are made of when the pellets strikes the targets on it's initial use.
As it lays on/in the ground, it embeds further material as heavy machinery rides over top of it during processing, and even just being in contact with, and mixed in, and shoveled around with the dirt.
Once the reclaimed is tumbled, polished, and/or re-graphited, it's near impossible to detect the amount of foreign material that has been embedded into it with the naked eye, or even moderate magnification.
This doesn't even touch on the "loose" foreign material that either never gets filtered out, or particles that were embedded close to the pellet surface which comes loose and mobile during final processing/bagging (before, during, or after re-graphite).
The result is that you get re-graphited "loose" foreign material in the mix along with re-graphited pellets which may also have embedded foreign material both of which are invisible to the naked eye. You'd need to first sift the entire 25-lb bag thru 1/10th inch bronze screen, and inspect pellets under magnification, and/or melt down some samples to truly evaluate the quality of reclaim shot.
At first I was all gung-hoe on reclaim thinking that I was really getting away with something (re: rising prices of lead). But then I made a bad calculation in using the stuff in a brand new Citori XT Trap (and other mid-grade guns in the $2,000 range).
Then I was all negative about reclaim and trying to warn off the masses.
Now my position is that if you just HAVE to have the stuff, then make SURE to carefully (1-layer at a time) sift the stuff thru 1/10th inch stiff bronze screen (that you can get on E-bay), make SURE to carefully (1-layer at a time) run a magnet thru it to pull out the #9-#10 steel shot, and make SURE to limit it's use to less-expensive guns in the $200 range.
Personally I won't ever use the stuff again, not so much because of the risk to barrels (as I too have a bunch of $200 guns that I like to shoot from time to time), but mainly because once you factor in the time involved in "user post-processing" (1/10th inch screening, and magnet work), it defeats the cost savings.
But the above I believe is a fair/middle ground assessment/suggestion for those here in the forum asking about reclaim. Make your own decision.
Almost all wads leave open space between the slits when loaded. And since most people box their shells, the shells lay sideways, it's possible that loose crumblies can settle to the bottom of a side-ways stored shell such that the debris will settle in the open slit. The area in the open slits is bigger than the biggest bit of gravel/sand.
Moreover, the shock/vibration of the "setback" event during ignition (compression of the shot column) can further work the debris nearer, and into the slits making matters even worse.
Anyone who knows anything about machines and "metals" already knows that one of the main attributes of "lead", is it's excellent "embeddability" property, and you can find this in any bearing design discussions and writings.
Take it for what it's worth ...........
Last edited:
Sure Shot Mc Gee
New member
I know of only one guy who used Reclaimed. He shot mostly 16 yard Trap with it. I looked into a jug of his Reclaimed once. The jug had #4 and as little as #9 and everything else in-between all mixed together. But that was a time when only chilled or magnum shot was used. (Even steel wasn't around yet.)
I suppose if one were to use Reclaimed shot today. No doubt Mylar wraps would be a good investment to keep ones barrel from being scored. I myself wouldn't use it. Even with Mylar padding. All my shotguns are not equipped to shoot steel nor will I chance its shooting. Than again one who shoots on a League team may want to check before hand as I don't think Reclaimed is allowed in League shooting events.
There are two kinds of lead shot. Simple chilled lead shot and high antimony harden shot. Commonly referred to as Magnum Shot.
And so many steel shot substitute's I see no benefit in their listing.
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Mylar-Wraps/products/120/
I suppose if one were to use Reclaimed shot today. No doubt Mylar wraps would be a good investment to keep ones barrel from being scored. I myself wouldn't use it. Even with Mylar padding. All my shotguns are not equipped to shoot steel nor will I chance its shooting. Than again one who shoots on a League team may want to check before hand as I don't think Reclaimed is allowed in League shooting events.
There are two kinds of lead shot. Simple chilled lead shot and high antimony harden shot. Commonly referred to as Magnum Shot.
And so many steel shot substitute's I see no benefit in their listing.
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Mylar-Wraps/products/120/
"chilled lead shot" is made from a lead alloy that has Arsenic added to allow hardening when quenched. "Chilled" referrs to quenching, usually in water, thus the word "chilled". Chilled lead shot is hard shot.There are two kinds of lead shot. Simple chilled lead shot and high antimony harden shot.
Negative Investment
New member
I have used quite a bit of reclaimed shot for trap and cannot tell the difference to new shot. Most of the "Rocks" you find are the chunks of graphite they add to it, which is soft and will not damage a barrel. If you are worried about the pattern spreading wide, just use a full choke for trap.