lead
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Yes . . . but. ANYTHING can be, is and was melted for sinkers. It may be lead, may be linotype, tin alloy, wheel weights, etc.
A hardness test (can you scratch it with your fingernail) or more sophisticated Brinell hardness test will tell.
I have re-purposed them as balls with good results. Hundreds of them.
A hardness test (can you scratch it with your fingernail) or more sophisticated Brinell hardness test will tell.
I have re-purposed them as balls with good results. Hundreds of them.
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A word of caution...many new sinkers made today are Non-toxic...meaning they are not lead.. Meaning they don't make good balls....old sinkers are good.. homemade sinkers could be anything.
Plumbers lead is my favorite....water pipes or old roof flashings....
Then there's cable sheathing and X-ray lead....
Lead is everywhere if you know where to look..
Best advice is to recycle your lead ....
One last thing....Any lead is better than no lead.
Plumbers lead is my favorite....water pipes or old roof flashings....
Then there's cable sheathing and X-ray lead....
Lead is everywhere if you know where to look..
Best advice is to recycle your lead ....
One last thing....Any lead is better than no lead.
Some rifles shoot harder lead just fine, like wheel weight alloy. But require a thinner patch sometimes. If the barrel has wide lands and deep grooves this might not work well. And a LOT of new made W-Ws are ZINC and one in a pot of lead makes it all scrap. So if you can find a scrap yard that will sell lead pipe or lead sheet (used in some industrial roofs I guess) or other scrap lead its going to be tough. Thus buying RBs might be the best idea. Or for some the only idea.
If you know enough people you might be able to buy 1000 pounds of lead but likely would have to trailer it a long distance.
This is one source, there are others. https://www.rotometals.com/bullet-casting-alloys/
Dan
If you know enough people you might be able to buy 1000 pounds of lead but likely would have to trailer it a long distance.
This is one source, there are others. https://www.rotometals.com/bullet-casting-alloys/
Dan
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A 1,000 pounds..... :shocked2:
That's over 55,000 .45 caliber balls...Which would require me at least 432 pounds of powder to shoot them all. :haha:
That's over 55,000 .45 caliber balls...Which would require me at least 432 pounds of powder to shoot them all. :haha:
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To help save on the lead I have, I use rows of firewood as my backstop, usually three rows cut into stove lengths with the butt facing me with two rows of long logs horizontally behind that, when the first row get's shot up, I replace it with new wood and split it up and retrieve the lead. Use softer wood like pine in the front,( I bounced a jacketed 45acp back into my shin bone years ago shooting into a frozen oak but, didn't penetrate but still hurt.) I have about 82 lbs. of reclaimed led out of my backstops so far.
Smaller mom and pop tire shops are more likely to give up some or sell you wheel weights if you ask. The big chains have people contracted to p/u their WWs. The stick on WWs are very soft but the regular ones will work too if that's all you get. Lead from Xray rooms is a source as well as a shop that does the old stained glass windows have left over lead. You can also purchase it form Roto Metals for around $2 a lb. If you see someone reroofing an old house or tearing one down see if they have some scrap lead there.
hanshi
Cannon
In some circumstances soft lead may be difficult to acquire. I've had dry periods when I had very little to work with. Now I've got possibly 300 pounds of it and still have 150 to 200 pounds of the old WW from when I use to cast lots of pistol bullets. When we move I will take as much with me as my main squeeze allows; the rest will probably go back to my ML friend who already has a truly obscene amount of the stuff. He supplied me with about half of my supply. Being a contractor, he can get it by the ton, literally.
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Given the 1000+ pounds I already have combined with recycling, reduced shooting and switching to non-lead alternatives....I will never run out of lead.
Better get started right away! :thumbsup:
LD
Tom Compton
54 Cal.
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Contact roofers and remodeling contractors for roof vents. Also metal recycling centers, the lead pipe is really good stuff.
TC
TC
hanshi
Cannon
My hunting partner has it by the ton; he'll never shoot up even a fraction of it. Just one piece of the lead he gave me was a 1/3" thick 150 pound slab; I'm using an ax to cut it. Right now I have more lead & WW than I'll ever shoot up and my squeeze is adamant that I can't take it all when we move.
