Oxidation on lead balls

[Scattershot]

I recently came across some .54 lead balls I had forgotten about. They were covered with a white powdery oxidation, and I’d like to remove it. What is the best way to clean these up?

[wolf]

i would just was them in dawn and water. or shoot them as is, it won't hurt a thing,,,,,,,,,,,

[Stillwater Dan]

I have thrown a batch or two in my brass media tumbler , cleaned them up pretty good .

[Daryl]

Don't handle them with your bare hands, until they are clean. The oxides are quite nasty, I've read.

[Keith Zimmerman]

I just use a rag.

[P.W.Berkuta]

Shoot them that will get rid of the oxidation

[Scattershot]

Thanks for the replies so far. These are thoroughly coated, like a powdered sugar donut. A dry rag doesn’t work.

[Fyrstyk]

Spray them with WD-40, then wipe off with a rag.

[Scota4570]

Put on disposable gloves.  Yes, WD40, put all in a folded rag, roll them back and forth in the rag tube.  Throw the rag away.  Wash your hands thoroughly.  The white powder is lead oxide, it is very toxic and easily absorbed. 

IF I am getting fancy I tumble may cast balls with graphite.  It makes them pretty, removes the sprue and slows oxidation. 

[redheart]

Put on disposable gloves.  Yes, WD40, put all in a folded rag, roll them back and forth in the rag tube.  Throw the rag away.  Wash your hands thoroughly.  The white powder is lead oxide, it is very toxic and easily absorbed. 
IF I am getting fancy I tumble may cast balls with graphite.  It makes them pretty, removes the sprue and slows oxidation.


I'm with Scota. This works great!

[bob in the woods]

For what's worth, I don't seem to have that problem even though I have some cast bullets and round balls which are more than a few years old.  I spray them down with WD40 [ stored in plastic peanut butter jars ]  after casting .    I did have some old Dominion lead bullet ammo which was covered in oxide. Must be the oxygen in the air ?  Damp ?

[Jeff Murray]

Like Bob, I have some boxes that are over 20 years old and still in good shape.   A plastic tub or an old military ammo box make a good storage containers for the boxes.   Gloves are a good idea, and a mask  or a good fan when  you cast hot lead.  The fumes are not friendly either.

[hanshi]

Those things are quite dangerous and will cause death to any deer hit with them!  Send them to me for environmentally safe disposal.

[Scattershot]

Thanks for the help, guys, including the offer to dispose of them for me. I wound up spraying them with WD40 and rolling them in an old towel (twice) and tumbling them. They came out  clean. Not pretty, but clean. FYI, these were in a leather pouch. The older balls stored in a box or plastic bin were fine.

[Percy]

I put the balls in a  plastic soda bottle, add enough water to cover. Add a teaspoon of Dawn plus a tablespoon of CLR. Shake for a few minutes and let sit overnight. Next day shake again and drain the liquid, balls are nice and shiny.

Percy

[Dave Tercek]

At one time, in order to add weight to a shotgun stock, people would drill a hole under the plate, then pour in lead shot. this would balance out a barrel heavy gun.
Over time the lead would oxidize causing the  shot to swell. I've seen more than one stock split because of this .

[moleeyes36]

For what's worth, I don't seem to have that problem even though I have some cast bullets and round balls which are more than a few years old.  I spray them down with WD40 [ stored in plastic peanut butter jars ]  after casting .

I do exactly the same thing and have some balls I cast years ago.  They have no oxidation and are just fine. 

Don Richards

[WadePatton]

Good stuff here.

Some old-timer once said to me: That white is oxidized lead--it won't bother you (as if oxidized lead was not toxic).

He wasn't right, as you fellows know and as I just double checked with modern information.

I'll handle the white lead more carefully now, but I should notify my pal who digs the stuff up in his spare time. 

Here's a cowboy way to vacuum seal your pb against O2.  Put the lead into a canning jar, heat it/balls and the jar (top of wood stove is great), then cap when hot.  When it cools down a seal will form as the air inside the jar (dried from the heat) shrinks as it cools.  No excess oxygen, no moisture, no oxidation.   Also no oily balls.

[Mike from OK]

If you're brave (or crazy) enough you could collect and save the lead oxide for producing the compound to fashion a spotted horn.

But it probably isn't conducive to a long and healthy life.

Mike

[Dennis Glazener]

Earl Lanning gave me an old receipe for making an oil finish. It needed to be "mulled" for a while with several corroded round balls. The lead oxide was to help it dry. I could not get enough lead oxide in it to help drying so I added a drop or two of Japan dryer.
Dennis