I don't easy have access to reclaimed .........BUT,......I pour my own #6's-7 1/2's-8's and 9's.........My shot kills doves/quail and clays as good as bought shot/shotgun shells........Iffen it performs well for you continue to run with it.

 

Did you make your own shot dropper or build your own?? have tried multiple times and cannot get round BBs just tear drop shapes.

 

Do you run a high power magnet thru each bag before using it? If you don't I would suggest finding an old hard drive to scavenge the magnets from and start doing this. A shooter at my club who was a dedicated reclaimed shot user totally trashed the tubes on his Briley tube sets because a lot of reclaimed lead has a fair bit of steel shot in it and much of it is rusted steel shot. As I remember it Iron Oxide is technically a ceramic like Aluminum Oxide and while it's not a sand paper grade ceramic it's still pretty abrasive.

PS; he only had to replace the tubes because the chambers were still in decent shape but having new tubes installed on his chambers pretty much blew up any savings from the reclaimed shot.

 

If the shot was in a shot cup. How did it touch/scrub the barrel/insert tube?

 

I have been shooting reclaimed lead almost exclusively for my practices (12,20,28g) and even shot them at the World's last year for two events. I don't see the difference in my scores from when I was using factory(hardly shoot them) or "clean" lead shot reloads.

I have gotten very comfortable with shooting reclaimed. With the price of lead and everything else going haywire. I'm glad I have this option. Keeps me shooting.

The only exception is that I'm still insecure using it for .410. I still bite the bullet on the almost $70 bag of 9 shot for that. Yikes.

You have noted that you never shot a shotgun before the Spring of 2019.....how many of the 5 years shooting have you shot reclaimed?..all 5?

 

The last 2 years probably 90/10 split. Ran more hundreds now with reclaimed on the 28g than in my first 3 years with factory and regular shot. I probably shoot the 28g maybe 80% of the time in the last 3 years as well for practice.

I have ran a magnet on the reclaimed. Some have more metal bits than others but not enough to really worry me. I’ve gotten really good quality reclaimed lately from an outfit that mined a couple of local clubs in our area. Really clean and you can just see the quality of the reclaim is a lot better than most of the reclaimed i’ve used in the past.

i’ve used them for sporting clays as well. Which i only shoot during lulls in the skeet season.

 

For skeet

I have been shooting reclaimed lead almost exclusively for my practices (12,20,28g) and even shot them at the World's last year for two events. I don't see the difference in my scores from when I was using factory(hardly shoot them) or "clean" lead shot reloads.

I have gotten very comfortable with shooting reclaimed. With the price of lead and everything else going haywire. I'm glad I have this option. Keeps me shooting.

The only exception is that I'm still insecure using it for .410. I still bite the bullet on the almost $70 bag of 9 shot for that. Yikes.

Well, I think we have to be realistic about it. Skeet is a 21 yard or less game. At those distances there isn't going to be any real difference between the very best lead shot and reclaimed. Depending on the target and where you take those targets it might even be a bit of an advantage.

 

For skeet


Well, I think we have to be realistic about it. Skeet is a 21 yard or less game. At those distances there isn't going to be any real difference between the very best lead shot and reclaimed. Depending on the target and where you take those targets it might even be a bit of an advantage.

I think you’re right about this.

 

All reclaimed isn't created the same. If it's graphited and clean it's fine out to 30 yards. My experience is some reclaim is full of debris and can foul the loader and barrel if it isn't chrome lined.

 

Reclaimed is usually a mix for several shot sizes, typically mostly 8s and 7 1/2s. Probably okay for laughs and giggles, but not the best when every target counts. And there is the risk of damage if you use skeet tubes.

 

For me the issue was cleaning reclaimed shot. My only experience was buying two bags at a particular range I was visiting. That stuff was covered in the dreaded white powder (lead carbonate). It was dusty (got on everything) and bridged in the drop tube. I researched how to clean it (acid wash) and did one bag. Never again. So the statement above I agree 100%. Not all reclaimed shot is the same. If it is cleaned and graphited then maybe. If I have to clean it, then it is a hard no.

 

Well, you can use white vinegar to wash it in place of acid, W-V is mostly 8 to 10 percent acid. But the amount of time I spent cleaning the shot, drying, tumbling, graphite, tumbling again. And it still hung up on my 28 and 20-ga tubes, then going back refilling the empty hulls. And then I was so fed up I sold it for what it cost me in bucks.
I work enough, don't want to think, just have time to enjoy shooting.
Mike

 

Jmack -

Skeet Tubes?

 

Jmack -

Skeet Tubes?

i have KOLAR tubes with skeet chokes

 

I have been shooting reclaimed lead almost exclusively for my practices (12,20,28g) and even shot them at the World's last year for two events. I don't see the difference in my scores from when I was using factory(hardly shoot them) or "clean" lead shot reloads.

I have gotten very comfortable with shooting reclaimed. With the price of lead and everything else going haywire. I'm glad I have this option. Keeps me shooting.

The only exception is that I'm still insecure using it for .410. I still bite the bullet on the almost $70 bag of 9 shot for that. Yikes.

Did you just say you used reloaded shells, [home-grown], for a world registered event?
Something doesn't smell right on this one.
Mike

 

What doesn’t smell right? I used all reloads for the world shoot last year except for the 20g main and mini events. I used reclaimed shot for 12 and 28 gauges in my reloads except .410.

I’m not saying people should use reclaimed. The premise of my thread is that i am a reclaimed shot believer for skeet. That’s all.

shoot what you want. Shoot what makes you feel good. I’m just trying to save a buck here and there and sharing my experience. Not knocking anyone’s choices.

 

I have been shooting reclaimed lead almost exclusively for my practices (12,20,28g) and even shot them at the World's last year for two events. I don't see the difference in my scores from when I was using factory(hardly shoot them) or "clean" lead shot reloads.

I have gotten very comfortable with shooting reclaimed. With the price of lead and everything else going haywire. I'm glad I have this option. Keeps me shooting.

The only exception is that I'm still insecure using it for .410. I still bite the bullet on the almost $70 bag of 9 shot for that. Yikes.

People also believe in Mediums, soothsayers, and crystal balls.
Mike

 

Lead Miner has retired. No longer in business.

 

Did anyone step forward and buy his business?

 

I shot a ton of reclaimed shot at one point; I paid $6 a bag for it. I used it only in the 12 gauge and believe it might be an advantage over other shot at skeet. Some skeet targets are shot at very close range and reclaimed shot spreads quickly, flyers break targets at skeet. You should go on using what works for you. Most of the people who have made negative comments on this thread do the same thing on most every thread they participate in. Do not spend a moment worrying about what they say.

 

I shot a ton of reclaimed shot at one point; I used it only in the 12 gauge

Why not in the other gauges?

 

The last few times I saw reclaimed shot, the price was within $10 of what I can get new shot for, not worth it to me.

 

$70 for a bag of shot? Last shot I bought a few years ago was $43 for 25 lb. I remember it at $16.95!

 

This has been an interesting post and the various sides of the issue. However, I have never seen reclaimed shot anywhere.
There was a company that "mined" the fields at Vandalia, Ohio after the various trap shoots during the previous year. Supposed to have "mined" several tons of shot.

 

Most of it gets sold for car batteries.

 

Reclaimed is my go to for skeet when my club has it in stock. The reclaimed they have been purchasing is properly graphited and fairly clean. I run it past a strong Harbor Frieght fishing magnet in a plastic funnel and load 1oz. It does contain some small steel shot which the magnet catches. I think I pay around $35 a bag as compared to $60 for new. I can’t tell the difference in performance. When I can’t get reclaimed I load 3/4oz #9

 

Hi get the reclaiming part ,dose any one make there own shot from scratch ....??

 

flashman, I recall seeing a shot tower for about $300 years ago. It came with grids to make different sizes of shot. Now it would be difficult to find large quantities of lead to make shot.

 

Mate the price of lead going through the roof even scrap ,wheel weights ,house flashing is starting to get hard to find

 

When I was shooting 870 & 1100 in the 80’s I used reclaimed in 12,&20 . It was fine for me then. Now I have Perazzi tube set and I’d be reluctant to use it in that gun.

 

Club down south reclaimed their fields and sold it for $30 a bag. Works fine. They cleaned it well, magnet, and graphite. I pour it into a large flat pan run the magnet over it again and pick out any large shot. Works great. Wish I had bought more. I can usually attribute the misses to operator error not the shot.

 

Club down south reclaimed their fields and sold it for $30 a bag. Works fine.

What shotgun game?

 

Used it for skeet ,crazy quail, and a little sporting clays.

 

This thread comes along just when I'm wanting to switch to high end hardened shot no 9s for all of my 410 loads.

 

Spend 5 gazillion dollars on "the love of your life", 30 K gun and gear etc., and now we want to save a half a penny on reclaimed. Just playing devils advocate guys don't take it personal.

 

I don't own a 30K gun so $30 a bag vs $60 is a good savings. Doubt I'll be shooting on a Olympic Team so it works for me.