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Shot makers...It is time consuming!

3K views 28 replies 17 participants last post by  maclellan1911 
#1 ·
Just made 400#s of finished product and packaged in one night. For you guys that think this is easy work it is not. It is very time consuming and takes effort from two people to keep up (or more if yah can con em into it). This was a night of just running the shot and did not include melting to ingots. This ingot process is a whole other time consuming process.

FYI, the upgrade for the shot maker from 1250 burners to 1500 was a 10 minute job and it cured our cool burner problems. It actually made it too hot if you dont keep ahead of the game. Time to upgrade to double drippers I guess now..:)
 
#3 ·
yep! it does take a little time but boy is it worth it when you hear the other guys crying about shot prices, I've got a littleton single unit and with a little modifieing making double drop drippers, adding a 20lb lee pot and a little help from a propane torch, pumping the coolant through a old air conditioner keeps the brake fluid 85deg. I can run 300lbs in 3 hrs. last year I made over 6000lbs and at one time I didn't have any shot for myself.(that will not happen again.)I'm having a hard time finding wheel weights.if any one is looking I have a littleton two unit that I picked up at an estate sale it drops 7 1/2 shot its got a tank and stand I would be willing to trade lead,wheel weights cash ect. its worth about 800.00 I'm 10mi. south of Cinn. OH.(in Kentucky) E- mail homeontherange@fuse.net good shooting.
 
#4 ·
I hear you on the time consumption. I've been working on a lead slug 14" diameter by 5' long...guessing over 4000 lbs. Using a weed burner to melt into a dutch oven then pour into muffin tins for ingots. My unit is a single burner Littleton which is just big enough for my limited attention span.
 
#7 ·
" Do the 'math' fairly and honestly, including your time, and homemade shot is the most expensive you will ever load." Not the case for me, it would cost me 3 grand for the shot I made last year if I were to buy it at $50.00 a bag, not to mention I sold my metal clips at the local junk yard, and payed for my propane to make ingots. 10tenner
 
#8 ·
For me, making shot was very expensive. Time spent making shot was time lost from work. My office is in my home. But, it sure was fun. Like reloading, shot making is another aspect of shooting. Shot making is also a way to expand your vocabulary. When a little lead pops up on your finger, you can say words you did not know that you knew.

Pat Ireland
 
#10 ·
Shot making (like reloading) is not for everyone.

There are only two reasons to make shot - you like doing it or you want to save money (and you have time to do so). Unlike reloading, you will be hard pressed to make a "better" product than you can purchase or justify the activity by producing a "tailored" product for your needs.

If I could not afford to buy shot, I would invest in the equipment to produce it so I could continue to enjoy the sport. That is not the solution for everyone, and many people are shooting a lot less as a result.

There seems to be large demand for home made shot at $25 a bag. I suspect that even at $30 a bag there is a sizable market if you can produce a quality product. You can work the numbers and see if that is a "business" you can justify. It doesn't work for me. But then I am rather lazy and I seem to keep busy with other things.

Don
 
#13 ·
With a little creative number manipulating anyone can justify anything and make it pay off in a big way ... I do not know anyone who takes all of the expendatures and time into consideration when making shot, reloading, gambling, and the list goes on and on ... Like the man said making shot is probably the most expensive shot you will ever shoot unless you eliminate most of the cost by eliminating all of the steps that are costing you money in some way ... My truck is cheap to run if I eliminate the cost of gas, oil changes, tires, buying it, paying for it, up keep, and so on, other than that its free ... WPT ... (YAC) ...
 
#16 ·
If you calculate the cost of going to the store and buying your t-bone steak in, time expended,wear and tear on you car,fuel cost round trip,cost depending on how you cook it,clean up cost,it will always be less expensive to eat out somewere,so why not just eat out. At least you can still get most family members to the dinner table and spend at least a brief period of quality time together i think. Maybe some people still enjoy cooking the same reason some people enjoy making their own shot and reloading.

Bill
 
#17 ·
Himark-

All it takes to avoid a "Bill Dawn" situation is to specify that no lead or cash be sent until pre-approved by you via E-mail or a private message via this forum. Bill has shown there is a large demand for this service among the readers of this forum. If you enjoy your time with the shotmaker it would be a win-win situation. Don Miller
 
#18 ·
There is a demand for this big time. If its a payoff for someone its even better. USPS flat rate box holds 70lbs. packaged correctly, taped up nice, I wrap tape around entire package, Shipped with delivery confirmation is 9.60
60.00 for 50lbs of shot delivered to my home is a deal. THERE IS NO LEADSHOT for sale in my area. Basspro has some about 90 min round trip @ 69.00/25lbs. Want To sell your shot, it will get sold. Tip only sell 1st come first serve. do not sell before shot is made. good luck.
 
#19 ·
all i know is last year my shot maker paid for all the componets & targets for my 16 year old son& i.last year i went through 15,000 primers,so that means we shot 15,000 shells & targets togeather for free ,thats alot of time spent with my boy. all for the time it took to make the shot,as ,CAN ANY ONE PUT A PRICE TO THAT MUTCH TIME SPENT WITH MY SHOOTING PARTNER???,,soon(or as we read) he will discover girls,and dad wont be as cool to hang out with.keep on droping ,mark
 
#20 ·
Well said Maclellan1911!

I will not sell shot that isnt made yet. I figure get 1000# ahead and than let guys buy it. The PROBLEM with USPS is I truely believe Bill sent those shipments but in SPITE at the post office I think they not all but some "got lost" This no doubt has happened that is why I wouldnt want to ship any this way. I would entertain some trading for wheel weights for finished product as well but not at 50/50. A bucket of wheel weights say 100# yields 70-75# of finished product if your lucky and after all the junk is removed. Bill was actually giving away more than he was keeping and was doing all the work.
 
#22 ·
Himark - Problem is that with a lesser cut than Bill offerred the economics do not work for the person with lead or wheel weights to trade. Those crazy people over at E-bay will pay us $1.00 or more per lb. for wheel weight ingots, and they also pay the $9 for the USPS priority mail. With a lesser split we are better off to sell the ingots and use that money plus the $9 we would have spent to ship the ingots to buy shot at the store.
 
#26 ·
I bought 103 bags of factory shot for $20 bucks a bag last weekend. I've sold 20 bags to my buddies and am keeping the rest. Never thought I say $20 a bag is a good deal! The old guy I bought it from still has a half ton that I hope to get my hands on when I get healed up from last weekend's purchase.

Kent
 
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