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Getting Pure Lead

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Hello all, first post here as a new user. You can obtain pure lead from a smelter. A group I belong to orders it from a company called NEY in New York. The going rate delivered however is $1.29 a pound, ouch, I know. That is the rate for 1000 lbs, it may be cheaper in larger amounts, 2 years ago it was $.55 a lb delivered. I have also heard that the old telephone cable sheaths are OK as long as you don't include the soldered connections which is a very hard alloy (some type of solder). Just curious to the users of reclaimed radiology wall shields (wall lining). Just how much radiation is saturated in that lead anyway? Is it safe to use? Its always fun to find new sources of lead. Uncrichie...
 
I work in the medical field on the xray and CAT scan machines. The lead from the walls has zero radiation. The only way the lead would be radiocative if it was in contact with a live source, cobalt, uranium etc... If that would to happen you would have a number of people with funny clothes removing and disposing it. That is very rare and I have only seen that situation once in the 15 years that I have been in this field. I got my led from the extra counterbalance weights that I did not need for the machines.
If you can find the lead that they use in the walls get it.
It is amazing how many times hospitals renovate rooms and if you are there at the right time you will have enough lead to last you for years.
 
Elevator contractors use lead for counterweights in the cable mechanism. It's pure and the blocks are 50 lbs so a couple will go a long way if you can get them.
 
A good scource of pure lead is your dentist. Yes I said the dentist. Xray backers have pure lead on them and it costs the dentist to dispose of them, if you ask and inform them, they would probably be glad to give you what you need. A friend of mine did this and I have gotten some myself.
 
I use scrap roof flashing.We had a hail store which damaged hundreds of rooves areound town.The roofers simply throw them away so I ask for them and have not been refused. I two weeks I had scrounged 400 pounds of pure lead at no cost!That is no exaggeration,I have 400 one pound ingots! I'm set for years! I have a website where you can buy pure lead:www.alchemycastings.com
 
Can you melt shot for shotgun shells? I have seen bags of that stuff on sale now and then. Is it pure lead?
Jim

If it says "chilled" it has about 3% antimony in it, if it don't say "chilled" there is only about 1%.

Once your alloy is melted and sits for awhile, a dull flaking occurs on top, that's the tin. If you flux, it goes right back into solution. :results:
 
I'm a diver,and have been picking some up that way. cause with the environ "mental"craze going on they're having to switch to neoprene covered lead. Thats here in can. not sure what US is doing.
 
Not so fast on that lead shot. There is a large amount of arsenic added in the manufacture of shot, to help it form the shape better. We do use up to 10% in an alloy when making bullets for centerfire rifle cartridges, shooting over 2400 fps. When added to an alloy, arsenic makes for maximum hardness in a water quenched bullet. The caveat is the arsenic can become airborne when melted. If you ever detect a garlic like smell when you are melting this, you have too high of a shot/arsenic content, and have reached a hazardous stage of casting. Casting lead is comparitively safe, and a person has to do something really dumb to get poisoned by it. Like heating it over 400 degrees past proper melting temperature. Or licking your fingers everytime you handle a ball.
 
I still git sub-2" groups at 100 yards. rollingb
.
Rollingb,
If that is with a patched-round ball, that's damned good shootin! On a 50m IPSU target that performance would get 100/100! Care to give details of firearm/barrel/powder etc etc etc?
Jim.
:redthumb:
 
Not so fast on that lead shot. There is a large amount of arsenic added in the manufacture of shot, to help it form the shape better. We do use up to 10% in an alloy when making bullets for centerfire rifle cartridges, shooting over 2400 fps. When added to an alloy, arsenic makes for maximum hardness in a water quenched bullet. The caveat is the arsenic can become airborne when melted. If you ever detect a garlic like smell when you are melting this, you have too high of a shot/arsenic content, and have reached a hazardous stage of casting. Casting lead is comparitively safe, and a person has to do something really dumb to get poisoned by it. Like heating it over 400 degrees past proper melting temperature. Or licking your fingers everytime you handle a ball.

stupid question, but wouldn't the arsenic then poison the food I'm shooting?
I actually find this disturbing cause my two boys eat whatever I bring home.
 
pcrum, this is a non-starter for a problem, assuming you and your boys don't eat the bullets. If you keep your intake of bullets under a thousand a day or so, I can't see any problem with the arsenic. Of course the indigestion could get to you pretty fast.
 
I still git sub-2" groups at 100 yards. rollingb
.
Rollingb,
If that is with a patched-round ball, that's damned good shootin! On a 50m IPSU target that performance would get 100/100! Care to give details of firearm/barrel/powder etc etc etc?
Jim.
:redthumb:

Early Hawken fullstock, .58 1"x36" Green Mountain barrel, thin iron front sight TOTW #FS-G-77-I, rear sight TOTW #RS-PA-16 (filed flat on top), .575 cast roundballs, .018 pillow ticking, "spit" fer lube, 110 grs. FFG Goex,.... shoot'n off "cross sticks"!! ::

YMHS
rollingb
 
pcrum, this is a non-starter for a problem, assuming you and your boys don't eat the bullets. If you keep your intake of bullets under a thousand a day or so, I can't see any problem with the arsenic. Of course the indigestion could get to you pretty fast.

Well the thing is, of course we don't eat the shot, but occasionally a few pellets get missed in the cleaning process, and are discovered when we're eating. So my question is whether the arsenic would leech out of the lead and into the meat. As I understand it arsenic can build up in your body until it reaches a point of toxicity.
It's such a rare occurrance though so I'm probably worried about nothing!
cheers,
::
 
I still git sub-2" groups at 100 yards. rollingb
.
Rollingb,
If that is with a patched-round ball, that's damned good shootin! On a 50m IPSU target that performance would get 100/100! Care to give details of firearm/barrel/powder etc etc etc?
Jim.
:redthumb:

Early Hawken fullstock, .58 1"x36" Green Mountain barrel, thin iron front sight TOTW #FS-G-77-I, rear sight TOTW #RS-PA-16 (filed flat on top), .575 cast roundballs, .018 pillow ticking, "spit" fer lube, 110 grs. FFG Goex,.... shoot'n off "cross sticks"!! ::

YMHS
rollingb

What he forgot to mention was that these are ONE shot groups. :crackup:
 
What he forgot to mention was that these are ONE shot groups. :crackup:

"Groups" of 2'er more shots, ain't compatable with "blind" shooters!! :haha: :haha:

YMHS
rollingb
 
Yea, ya gots ta quit lookin' at them inlines or it will get worse. :crackup: Won't even be able to make them one hole groups. ::
 
Yea, ya gots ta quit lookin' at them inlines or it will get worse. :crackup: Won't even be able to make them one hole groups. ::

I "was" gonna ask my doctor, if hear'n the word "inline" uttered, could cause "deafness",.... but I didn't have "pencil and paper" handy at the time!! :crackup: :crackup:

YMHS
rollingb
 
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