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bookkie · April 7, 1999, 03:48 PM

OK here's the story… I work for a winery in CA. Back in 94 the feds banned the use of lead foils on wine bottles. At the time we got stuck with a considerable amount of inventory that we could no longer use. Since we can't use them any longer we have to dispose of them. They are now classified as a hazardous waste. To expensive to pay someone to take them so I came up with the idea of giving them away to sportsmen to make bullets out of. Since I roll my own, I thought I would try the idea out first. First I had to smash the foils down to get them to fit into my lead pot. When I put them in they smoked considerably since they are covered on the outside with paint. I would suggest only melting them out of doors. Don't know if the fumes are toxious or not. Once melted the paint is burnt off leaving an ash on top of the melt. It is an easy matter to skim this off. What is left is a real nice mixture of lead/tin. Don't know what the exact mix is but I estimate it at 10-20% tin and the balance of lead. I put in my normal pea size bit of beeswax to purify the mixture, but it did not bring anything else out. It appears that the lead is a high quality. Must be to be used in foils. I made up a couple dozen rounds and took them down by the creek and shot them. I got absolutely no lead fowling from these. The bore was almost as clean after as before, except for a little from the powder. I rate the accuracy as very good.

The foils come boxed 50 lbs to the box, 15 boxes to the pallet. We currently have about 3 pallet's left (after I took one). If anyone wants some, pay for the shipping and their yours. E-mail me & I'll make arrangements. These foils work far better for casting than do wheel weights.

Thanks,

Richard
[email protected]

April 7, 1999, 03:48 PM	#1
bookkie Senior Member Join Date: March 5, 1999 Location: Arbuckle, CA, usa Posts: 1,269	OK here's the story… I work for a winery in CA. Back in 94 the feds banned the use of lead foils on wine bottles. At the time we got stuck with a considerable amount of inventory that we could no longer use. Since we can't use them any longer we have to dispose of them. They are now classified as a hazardous waste. To expensive to pay someone to take them so I came up with the idea of giving them away to sportsmen to make bullets out of. Since I roll my own, I thought I would try the idea out first. First I had to smash the foils down to get them to fit into my lead pot. When I put them in they smoked considerably since they are covered on the outside with paint. I would suggest only melting them out of doors. Don't know if the fumes are toxious or not. Once melted the paint is burnt off leaving an ash on top of the melt. It is an easy matter to skim this off. What is left is a real nice mixture of lead/tin. Don't know what the exact mix is but I estimate it at 10-20% tin and the balance of lead. I put in my normal pea size bit of beeswax to purify the mixture, but it did not bring anything else out. It appears that the lead is a high quality. Must be to be used in foils. I made up a couple dozen rounds and took them down by the creek and shot them. I got absolutely no lead fowling from these. The bore was almost as clean after as before, except for a little from the powder. I rate the accuracy as very good. The foils come boxed 50 lbs to the box, 15 boxes to the pallet. We currently have about 3 pallet's left (after I took one). If anyone wants some, pay for the shipping and their yours. E-mail me & I'll make arrangements. These foils work far better for casting than do wheel weights. Thanks, Richard [email protected]