find lead where?

I had planned on wheelweights, I have a bunch of those (make sinkers out of em) but some say that the lead used to make them is too hard. Have you guys got any other ideas on where to procure some soft lead for a low price or better yet, no price at all?

 

[FFFarmer]

WW lead is very hard, it would be ok for a smmoth bore. I use lead flashing from around chimneys. I get it from roof and Chimney contractors. they would rather I pick it up from them rather than having to sell it to a salvage yard for pennies a lb. Or check local salvage yards. FFFarmer

 

[strongarm]

Never use battery lead...it contains cadium and is very poinsonous when the lead is melted.

However, scrap yards with roof lead is very pure. Dental xray lead is very high in tin, like 80% plus.

Don't forget plumber's lead, also very pure.

 

[albert]

If you know anybody that works for your city's maint. dept. you could probably have an endless supply of lead water pipe at no cost,it is dirty,but will clean up just fine.

 

[musketman]

How about lead base paint chips from old houses?

Sorry, just being a smart a**.

I use recovered maxi & round balls from the shooting range, then I remelt, clean and recast into .735 diameter musket balls.

 

Scuba diving in the St. Clair River, near Port Huron, MI, I can usually find 8-10 pounds of lead every dive -- the fishermen use one- and sometimes two-pound triangular sinkers to cast into the ripping current, and they lose a lot of them because of the amount of broken rock on the bottom. I used to give these back to the fishermen when I got out, but now that I'm getting into the sport I may invoke finder's-keepers.

But is fishing-weight lead soft enough to use?

 

[RJR]

Check with your local hospital x-ray department, they usually have to pay to have the lead vials from isotopes hauled away. Last time I went to x-ray and asked they gave me 600 lbs. and told me to come back any time I wanted. Take care, Rick.

 

[Zonie]

I went to my friendly plumbing supply a few years ago to buy some pure lead and ended up paying about $2.50 per pound. Although that wasn't a bad price (you can "run" about 40 .50 cal per pound) I found old (and I mean real old!) Bill Ferguson down in Sierra Vista, Az. who sells about any lead alloy or pure lead for a fair price. His phone number is 520-458-5321 and as I recall he is hard of hearing.
When I ordered mine he cast small ingots for me because he knew I was pouring small amounts but he did make a point of saying he doesn't usually do that.
To check him out go to http://www.theantimonyman.com/price.htm

I think his price for pure lead is 85 cents/pound (depending on how much you order) plus shipping.

 

[Randy]

You can buy 25 lb bags of lead shot for loading shotshells at about 50 to 60 cents a pound. Is the soft shot pure lead or an alloy?

Horse Dr.

 

[Zonie]

I betting it is an alloy but I don't know for sure. Does anyone out there have a lead hardness tester and some "soft shot"?

 

Shot would likely be too hard. Canadian Superior in Edmonton makes and sells shot in 25# bags. They supply most of the stores in western Canada and ship alot back east. The shot is made from wheel weights although they may blend it with more lead?? They used to give you 1# of shot for every 2# of wheel weights you gave them (or something like that)

Cody

 

[musketman]

quote:Originally posted by 'zonie:
Does anyone out there have a lead hardness tester?If you can mark the lead with ease using your fingernail, than it is soft enough.

 

I have a Saco lead hardness tester, cast up a couple of bullets and I will test them for you.
You might also make friends with roofers and people who restore old houses, You would be susprised what a six pack of beer will get you.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Hang around a boatyard. A friend once was in the right place at the right time and got a 400# + chunk of lead for free just for asking. Some sailor was having his keel shortened to reduce the boat's draft. Took him a LONG time to scrape the toxic bottom paint off it, though. (Lead can be cut with a chain saw if you are despirate enough to need to try).

I've got 5,600 lbs of lead under my boat but haven't been despirate enough to mine any out yet.

 

[RJR]

Stumpkiller, don't say that too loud around these guys. You might just have a whole bunch of unwanted visitors and your boat becoming 5600# lighter. 5600# of lead would sure make a whole lot of round ball. Take care, Rick.

 

Hey, I could make 306,252 round balls for my .45 with 5600# of lead. Oh wait a minute.......that would require 2187# of powder @ 50g per. At $8US per pound, .76 exchange is $10.53CAD....that's $23,029cad for powder. Oh well, it sounded good at the beginning.

Cody

 

[No Powder]

My wife tells me to "get the lead out", but I don't think she talking Muzzleloading!!!

 

[Birddog6]

I get lead from the local scrap yard. It is usually sheat lead from flashing or chunk lead from x-ray rooms. It cost ms $.25 a pound which is think is highway robbery since ya have to pay them to come & get it usually, but I guess it beats $.85 a pound.
Someone mentioned shotshell shot & it also has tin & alloy in it as if not it would flatten out & not fly true when shot. Magnum shot is more alloy & harder. Wheel weights have allot of tin & are too hard but do good for cast bullets for cartridges.
The scrap yard is your best bet & if you can easily scratch it with your thumbnail it is fine for a RB. Buy all you can as it don't get any cheaper & in 20 years you wou't be able to buy it at all I would guess.

 

Not many years back I bought 500 lbs. of lead shielding from the rennovtion of an X-ray room. I paid .20 a lb. for it from a local salvage dealer. I cleaned it up and cast it into 1 lb. ingots....that took a while!! Still got plenty for both my BPC rifles and frontstuffers. Also, when alloyed with tin to a Lyman # 2 alloy it makes a fine smokeless handgun and rifle bullet. Hnagun velocities to 100 fps with little or no leading and rifle velocities in the 2200 fps. range if gas-checked.

Shot is usually hardened with some tin and antimony but I've mixed old shot in odd sizes with straight lead and noticed little or no difference.

Vic