Does anyone know a way to make quality lead shot without buying an expensive shotmaker?

I have looked into buying one of the Littleton Shotmakers sold by Burgess Bullets, but if anyone knows of a way to make fairly consistent shot without spending $375 plus an additional $50 for each different shot size I would love to hear about it.

Comments

[temp]

I saw this on tv. Take a pan full of lead and melt the lead on a stove (outside with a mask on) then climb to the top of a really tall structure(about 50ft i would say. Take a strainer and pour the molten lead through it. Have a VERY large bucket of water at the bottom for the lead pellets to fall into. Make the bucket of water have a large area.(it doesn' have to be very deep). That might be confusing. Just reply if you have any questions.

[skunkbait]

Yeah, you really would have to drop the molten lead from quite a distance. I've poured lead into water at a short distance. They end up shaped like a two pointed nail, or a "sharpnosed maggot"- a deadly but grossly innacurate projectile. You might try poking indentions in a piece of clay and pour molten lead in them. They won't be perfectly round like shot, but they'll at least be of uniform size. Let me know if someone gives you a good answer. I'd be especially interested in how to make steel shot.

[sharlston]

what distance did you pour lead at? i tried 3 foot and it hit the water and went flat

[skunkbait]

I poured mine at like 6 inches. But to get a ball shape, it needs to be like 30 feet or something.

[sharlston]

what shape did yours fall as? as i was thinking about starting a buisness where people bring there lead and ill make shot out of it for them by climbing a ladder and dripping the lead

[skunkbait]

They were sorta shapes like rice. They were a little bigger, and real sharp on the ends. They would be deadly @ close range, but horribly inaccurate.

[sharlston]

mmmm i might have to get on a ladder and drip it from the top or i might drip so wax but it will have to be fast setting any ideas?

[skunkbait]

A ladder or a roof, or a 4th story window would be good. But be careful. Spilling molten liquid on yourself at 40 - 50 feet is dangerous!

[scorpman]

If you look up the info on commercial shot makers, they drop their shot from 150 feet to get it round. You also have to have the right coolant at the bottom to provide the correct surface tension and heat dissipation to keep the shot round.

[skunkbait]

Thanks, I couldn't remember what I'd heard about the distance.  I was thinking that 30' would be like a bare minimum.  150' sounds much better.  Do you know what kind of coolant they used?

[sharlston]

ye ladder is the limit for me how long do you think the wax will take to set?

[skunkbait]

It should set as soon as it hits water. You'll probably just have to experiment. Different types of wax may perform differently.

[temp]

oh yeah, i forgot. I'm not really sure how consistent the lead shot is but i'm pretty sure it's pretty fair.

[tom-mot]

my dad said to make a mold in wood the right sizeand pour in molten lead