[John Farrell, Charter Member #33]

For what it's worth. Lead will melt at 621 degrees F. The smoke that comes off the heated lead is usually the crap and dross on/in the lead you are using. For what you want to make, the plain lead is sufficient meaning you do not want hard slugs such as you get from wheel weights. Further, several of us shotmakers have been to the medics for blood tests to see if we are walking around in anti magnetic mode. Shucks, we all cleared the lead test. We were hoping for a class action lawsuit. The dangerous point of fooling with lead in any form is when it is heated to 1100 degrees F and begins to give off the deadly fumes. You can tell the high temp point has been reached when the surface of the melted lead begins to turn purple and gold.