Buckshot trick

[TintedSnow]

I was told yesterday of a trick to use buckshot to see if your sluice is positioned correctly. Anyone ever heard of this trick? I want to try it! I guess you just throw a hand full of buckshot into your sluice and if it catches, you'll catch gold.

 

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[N-Lionberger]

Buckshot is a little big, birdshot might be better, hammer them flat and paint them a bright color so they are easier to spot

 

[Jason in Enid]

if you can't catch buck/birdshot in your sluice, you have a SERIOUS problem. Like NLB said, take the smallest birdshot and hammer it paper thin, then try it. Even that should be fairly easy to catch. Run it with full scoops of sand/dirt/gravel. Just dumping lead into a clean sluice isn't an honest test.

 

[russau]

Even bird shot might be to big for most of the guys out there getting gold. if you try this way of testing your sluice mix up a variety of different size , shapes of lead ! Because in Nature all this gold is of different size and shapes.

 

[N-Lionberger]

I have seen people using tungsten filings to emulate fine gold.

 

[benny]

Tungsten is about the same weight as gold. One thing to note is that tungsten filings will be very hard to flatten. Round pieces will tend to role along the bottom in the current. Flattened pieces will stay put until the current lifts them. Then they'll blow some distance just like leafs in the wind.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Birdshot testing is nothing new. We also used birdshot to teach greenhorns the basics of gold panning.

 

[Tuolumne]

in my area i get the bird shot after in my bazooka and i know everything is positioned fine, its hard to mess up a bazooka

 

[N-Lionberger]

I can vouch for the quantity of birdshot in the Tuolumne, that and any other kind of lead you can think of. In a spot i was working it was normal to have a furry sluice at shutdown all the bits of fishing line still attached to sinkers poking out all over the box lol.

 

[russau]

Tungsten is about the same weight as gold. One thing to note is that tungsten filings will be very hard to flatten. Round pieces will tend to role along the bottom in the current. Flattened pieces will stay put until the current lifts them. Then they'll blow some distance just like leafs in the wind.

Benny is correct! the tungsten I have for my TIG welder is hard and will break/crack/splinter if you try to cut it with a diagonal pliers

 

[oregonmp03]

I've heard just run a few coins through

 

[russau]

It all works showing you how the gold (of that size / shape )will react to your current setup! I carry with me in my trailer , different riffles ,carpet , ETC. to try out in the different states that I used to go to. This year I want to try it again BUT using my new Gold Hog mats in two of my dredges. I want to hit Ill./ In. / Mo./ Wyoming /Co. IF I can keep my legs working under me!

 

[KevinInColorado]

It all works showing you how the gold (of that size / shape )will react to your current setup! I carry with me in my trailer , different riffles ,carpet , ETC. to try out in the different states that I used to go to. This year I want to try it again BUT using my new Gold Hog mats in two of my dredges. I want to hit Ill./ In. / Mo./ Wyoming /Co. IF I can keep my legs working under me!

I've got a dredging spot for you in CO Russ!

 

[russau]

Kevin I may take you up on that offer. I do plan to goto Wyoming this July for dredge season BUT don't know for sure! We will have to make our plans to work with your "WORK" schedule! When I do go to CO. I try to work my friends claim on the Arkansas. and theres NOT many of them! I believe you know the owners of it!

 

[matt_unique]

Use slugs to ensure you are catching nuggets (ha ha).

 

[Duckshot]

I see what you are getting at, but y'all is all wrong.

While using a disposable material to see if your sluice is catching dense objects is a great idea, lead buckshot is too big, and steel bird shot which can be easily retrieved from your sluice with a magnet while the sluice is placed in the stream and still running ain't dense enough, steel being only slightly denser than black sands.

However, there exists a nickel, iron, tungsten alloy bird shot called Hevi-shot. It is slightly denser than lead, magnetic, and you can pick it up out of your sluice, or out of your tailings if your sluice is too steep, while the sluice is running and before you change it's placement. It is pricey stuff, about $30-$40 a pound but all you need is half an ounce or so. I use it to test drop riffles on my home built wood sluice boxes because it works.

Its also pretty good for shooting ducks.

 

[KevinInColorado]

Kevin I may take you up on that offer. I do plan to goto Wyoming this July for dredge season BUT don't know for sure! We will have to make our plans to work with your "WORK" schedule! When I do go to CO. I try to work my friends claim on the Arkansas. and theres NOT many of them! I believe you know the owners of it!

You DO know I recently retired right? My schedule is travels with my wife (often to see family, sometimes to prospect) and digging for gold! Sometimes to research my book, sometimes just for fun and gold and friends

 

[russau]

NOPE Kev I didn't ! I thought you had some more time on the rock pile! Congrats to your retirement!

 

[agolddigger]

You DO know I recently retired right? My schedule is travels with my wife (often to see family, sometimes to prospect) and digging for gold! Sometimes to research my book, sometimes just for fun and gold and friends

I'm going to need an early release copy of that book ;-)

 

[KevinInColorado]

I'm going to need an early release copy of that book ;-)

For you that can be arranged Jim!