scrap lead??

[Schnitzer21]

Joined this forum to see if anyone out there knew where I could get my hands on some scrap lead for the right price of FREE or at least as close to free as I can get, I am not currently casting my own bullets but I am saving up the $$ to buy the equipment and figured I could start looking for lead ahead of time! Thanks fellas!

 

[Skip]

Where are you located?

 

[Skip]

p.s. Welcome to the forum!

 

[parson]

I have the most success anymore going to small, independent garages and tire shops. Usually don't get much (wheel weights) at one time, but it adds up.

Also, ask whoever services your car.

 

[meyer4589]

You might want to check an art studio or a stained glass studio for scrap lead. I took a stained glass class in college because I needed the extra credits, but at the end of the semester I walked out out of there with a 5 gallon bucket full of lead.
And some of the older houses and garages were built with lead vents, so if you know a roofer they might have some.

 

[scott delaney]

joined for the lead.....you will stay to learn!

 

[redpitbull44]

car and truck batteries. Put an add in the paper saying "I will come get your old batteries". You will get plenty of lead that way... all you need is an ax and catch pan.

 

[longhuntr]

Not to be dishonest or misleading,but I always tell people that I want it for fishing sinkers.I often get a better response, and sometimes some good fishing info.I got tired of explaining to the sheeple that no, I wasn't "one of them survivalist crazies."

 

[shibumiseeker]

car and truck batteries. Put an add in the paper saying "I will come get your old batteries". You will get plenty of lead that way... all you need is an ax and catch pan.

The only part of automotive batteries that is safe for the hobbyist lead caster is the terminals. When melted down stibine and arsine gases can be released and these are extremely toxic even in small doses.

Why Car Batteries Are Dangerous - Cast Boolits

 

[EvilBlackGun]

Lead, I can melt.

But how do I separate-out the Antimony?? EBG

 

[woowoo2]

car and truck batteries.

Bad idea......

 

[jlm223]

Wheel weights makes good casting lead, check local junk yard, see if they will let you take them off the old cars, Note some of them may be steel or zinc.

 

[ray d]

In big/old towns lots of lead pipe.

 

[WLW]

The only part of automotive batteries that is safe for the hobbyist lead caster is the terminals. When melted down stibine and arsine gases can be released and these are extremely toxic even in small doses.

Why Car Batteries Are Dangerous - Cast Boolits

+1 for that... very dangerous!

 

[Skip]

Go to every tire store in your area. Small "back yardish" repair shops too. Ones that only do tires part of the time. They have several buckets sitting around that they don't know what to do with most of the time!

Case in point: I went to where my service truck gets repaired. I asked abou their wheel weights. He said that he didn't have but a bucket or two. When I asked what he wanted for them, he said: Can you load me up some rounds to shoot? I said: SURE! Not sure how many he will want but, hey, I can load a box of 50 158gr LSWC in 38spl cases, using free lead for the bullets, for $1.50! Yeah, I'll make you some cartridges up for a couple hundred pounds of material! ANYDAY!

One time, I went to the local Sam's Club. Seems that they were between contracts with their wheel weight guys. The new supplier wouldn't take the left overs from the other supplier nor the used wheel weights pulled during their "reign". I happened to hit them right then and told them I would take them off of their hands for $30! Now, the first supplier hadn't been there in months and months, and those boys looked like they could eat $30 in pizza in one sitting, so we made us a deal and I loaded up that #480lbs of lead into my truck and headed to the house!

I said; oh yeah!

Can I do the math for ya? #480lbs @ $30 = $.0625 per pound. A pound is 7000gr. If there were no scrap, and I am doing this so I can get to bed, that would mean that I could get 30+, 230gr .452" bullets for that 6 1/4 cents! If you take and increase that by 20%, to try to figure in the scrap factor, what does that come out to? Right, less than 10 cents a pound! IMAGINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Schnitzer21]

Where are you located?

I live in the Fort Wayne area.

 

[SmileDocHill]

check with the dentists in your area. If they use traditional x-ray film (as opposed to digital radiographs) then they have a steady stream of pure lead that they would love for you to take. The little film that gets placed in your mouth has a piece of pure lead foil sealed in it so after the radiation hits the film it is somewhat blocked from continuing on past the film. When the film is processed it is torn apart in a dark room and the film is put in the processor, the paper and plastic outer shell is thrown away and the little lead foil sheet is kept separate. (Or at least they are supposed to not throw the lead away) The cost of transporting it and recycling it is usually not worth the hassle so it is more of a nuisance to the office than anything.
I'm sure if you asked them to keep it aside (they are doing that anyway) so you could stop in every so often and pick it up for them they would love to do that.

I'm not a caster but I'm told you would want to alloy this with something so it isn't so soft since it is pretty much pure lead.

 

[Hazwhopper]

I have tried alot of what people suggested here. The tire shops are now charging 1.00 each pound. They were giving it away, but EPA has or going to force them into a substitute of lead. They have to return 75% of the lead they take off and if they don't they have to pay a penalty to get replacement weights. The government is trying to keep the lead out of small ones hands or so they say. I went to the junk yard and they are doing the same. Occasionally you come across someone who has a chunk of lead that they are willing to give away but very little.
Ebay has some Linotype lead and that is suppose to be the hardest lead out there. It can be shot from rifles or anything under 2000 fps. Plus you don't get any leading in the barrel. If you use just plain lead without a gas check the barrel will lead up quickly. Also be aware that Glock warns people "DO NOT USE LEAD IN THEIR WEAPONS" That is stated in their manuals. They state that if a person were to fire plain soft lead and it were to build up in the groves of the barrel it would eventually cause a round to tear up the barrel or worse. The other manfacturers say the same thing. That is why wheel weights are good because it has a brinnel hardness of about 18.
There are 2 places (besides the ones I have mentioned) were I buy lead. I buy the plain old shot shell lead. Lawrence sells 25lbs for 35.00 The cold magnum shot shell lead pellets are great and you can add by a little spoon or so to minimize splashing. It does to that and it hurts should it come in contact with skin. So I use the lead I bought from the junk yard/tire shop and mix some of the shot shell pellets in to make harder. The last thing I do is use sodder. I get the 50/50 stuff. The 50% is lead and 50% is tin. That helps with making the bullets shinner and harder. If you turn up the heat too hot the tin will float to the top along with the impurities. So I turn down the heat some and take a very small piece of wax and flux the lead. It will smoke some and may have a little fire on top. Just stir up the mix and dip off the residue off the top. It should have a nice shiney look. Then you are ready to pour.
There is alot to casting your own bullets. I don't have all the answers but have learned some hard lessons. You should check out more on youtube about casting. There is a guy, ammosmith and he has alot of how to stuff.
Please be careful, use mask for protection and good to great ventilation. It is very hard on the human body.
Take care.

 

[Skip]

I live in the Fort Wayne area.

I would take a trip through the surrounding little towns and check their tire shops. It might be that the larger towns and stores already have a contract for someone to haul away their lead. The smaller towns, not so much.

Again, if you have your car serviced somewhere, check their first. If you find a place that will give you a good deal, make sure you ALWAYS stop at a Mr. Donut and get a dozen premium donuts before your next stop. It is remarkable how mechanics respond to a good donut!

Don't pay $1/lb for any lead unless it is smelted into ingots first. Personally, I ain't ta gonna pay that much for lead from wheel weights, ever. Then again, unless I start shooting competition again, I am set for a long, long time!