Reloader question. Cheap source for lead.

[TN Volunteer]

What has worked well for you?

 

 

[10-Ring]

Try tire shops, I used to work at one before I had any interest in reloading. We had buckets of used wheel weights sitting around, we would eventually scrap them but I'm sure that we would have sold them to anyone who asked for scrap value or less.

[bersaguy]

Most tire weights today are not made of lead but another metal and aluminum product with only about  15% lead in them. I had a buddy get some and he couldn't do anything with them but throw them out.

[rmiddle]

Talk to a scrap yard.  Most of them buy small amounts of metal put it all together and sell it to yards to melt it back down for a profit.  Most will sell to you if you are willing to buy above the price they are selling it else where.

 

Thanks

Robert

[Omega]

Depends on what you consider cheap.  Try tire shops, though many are made of zinc and steel I still get a few pounds out of tire weights.  Check around for sail boats that are being salvaged, the keel is usually made of decent lead or lead alloy.  Go on cast boolits and check around many are selling at $1 a lb if you want to buy it. 

[Ron Padilla]

there is a big scrap yard here in Clarksville that will sell lead, ar brass, a well as other brass.  It's name is Queen City Metals, if your in the area you will have to look up the contact info for them I don't have it, but they are located off of exit 1 on hiway 24.

[Jonnin]

maybe try a boating area -- a lot of ballast was lead, might find an old boat weight. 

Old plumbing can still be found as well, the boot or whatever they called it would net you 20+ pounds at one go.

 

I would look for a big score like that, something old that you can get all at one big chunk.   Tire weights are about pointless now...  you get like 1 weight per 20+ unusable ones.  

 

maybe try something like http://www.nuclead.com/leadballast.html 

if you can't find a free/cheap local scrap pile.  

Edited May 26, 2015 by Jonnin

[xsubsailor]

  Go on cast boolits and check around many are selling at $1 a lb if you want to buy it. 

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This is probably the most reliable source you will find. There's usually someone selling WW lead, pure lead, linotype and tin. Lots of good info for casters.You can spend days just reading the stickies.

[Caster]

The days of free/cheap lead are about a 1/4" tall in the rearview mirror.  Sometimes one might get lucky, but for the most part....no.

 

Experience is the ONLY teacher as far as wheel weights.  There's a lot of weird garbage out there.  Not yet, but it's almost to the point where buying known alloys from places like Rotometals is actually worth it.  If you're casting for rifle, it IS worth it to KNOW exactly what you're using.  

[TN Volunteer]

I had read somewhere to be cautious on wheel weights as the newer material contained lots of Zinc.

 

My only interest is to find usable material for pistol rounds.

 

Thanks everyone, for your comments! :)

[TN Volunteer]

Hey.

 

Something else.

 

How does one distinguish the better wheel weights of old, to the newer Zinc weights?

 

Is it possible?

[Caster]

Get a pair hand sized pruning shears like you trim bushes with. If you can cut it, it ain't zinc or steel. That only leaves rubber and plastic weights. If you can't tell rubber and plastic from lead.........

[BrasilNuts]

Lead melts at 621.5°, zinc melts at 787.2°.

I got four 5 gallon buckets of wheel weights that a friend had in his barn for 15 years. I started to sort them, but tired of that quickly, I decided to just throw them in the pot and do a slow melt while keeping an eye on the temp with my lead thermometer. I would never let the pot temp get over 700°. Out of the four buckets I only found one WW that was zinc.

I'm not suggesting anyone do this, but it worked for me. Edited May 27, 2015 by BrasilNuts

[Pete123]

It's easy to forget about how toxic lead is - would be a good idea do a little research on how to properly ventilate a space where you are melting lead.

[TN Volunteer]

Get a pair hand sized pruning shears like you trim bushes with. If you can cut it, it ain't zinc or steel. That only leaves rubber and plastic weights. If you can't tell rubber and plastic from lead.........

Short of buying a Brinnel Hardness gage..................that doesn`t sound like a bad idea.

 

Rubber and plastic weights?

 

Can you elaborate?

[TN Volunteer]

Lead melts at 621.5°, zinc melts at 787.2°.

I got four 5 gallon buckets of wheel weights that a friend had in his barn for 15 years. I started to sort them, but tired of that quickly, I decided to just throw them in the pot and do a slow melt while keeping an eye on the temp with my lead thermometer. I would never let the pot temp get over 700°. Out of the four buckets I only found one WW that was zinc.

I'm not suggesting anyone do this, but it worked for me.

That is interesting!

 

I think that you might be on to something. :stir: :)

[TN Volunteer]

It's easy to forget about how toxic lead is - would be a good idea do a little research on how to properly ventilate a space where you are melting lead.

Being outside, is the only way I would do it.

 

;)

[TN Volunteer]

  Go on cast boolits and check around many are selling at $1 a lb if you want to buy it. 

______________________________________________________________________________

 

This is probably the most reliable source you will find. There's usually someone selling WW lead, pure lead, linotype and tin. Lots of good info for casters.You can spend days just reading the stickies.

Thank you! :)

[Caster]

There are plastic clip on weights nowadays. Easily identifiable. If you miss one, it'll turn to black goo in your smelting pot, no biggie, flux and skim. I'd hate to know I got that crap in my casting pot though.

There's also a heavy rubber stick on weight. I don't know what heavier material the rubber is i pregnated with but it's useless. Toss them.

If you cannot cut it, trash it. Separate stick on from clip on.

[TN Volunteer]

Thanks Caster!

 

:)

[TN Volunteer]

Thanks everyone for all of the suggestions and help! :)

 

I am a newbie at this subject so trying to pick up as much real life info as I can get.

 

Something else,

 

Who can recommend a good melting pot that won`t break the bank?

[Patton]

I have only been casting for about the last year, but I have been gathering lead for a few years now. The majority of tires shops either say they have a list of people wanting them. I do occasionally run across lead without looking too hard through various sources. I have bought some off of eBay and been in it for about $2/lbs shipped. At that price I can manufacture loaded 9mm or .38 for $5 a box, and this is assuming i cant reclaim any shot lead. That makes it $100/1000 and worth it.

[10-Ring]

Anyone try to harvest lead from old batteries? My gut tells me that it's a bad idea for several reasons but there would be a good amount of lead there for cheap.

[Omega]

Anyone try to harvest lead from old batteries? My gut tells me that it's a bad idea for several reasons but there would be a good amount of lead there for cheap.

Don't do it, they are so contaminated that it takes special equipment to get it clean.  The posts and cable lead is ok, but definitely stay away from the interior plates. 

[owejia]

I use a Lee 20# for ladle pouring, works for me. Also have a propane fish fryer with large ss pot to melt large pieces and wheel weights in so as not to get a lot of junk in my 20# pot. Clean lead = good boolits.Have also used my electric cook stove to melt and cast back in the early 70's.Use good hygene pratices and not likely to get lead posioning. If you are serious about making your own boolits, suggest you go to Cast Boolits site and read for a couple of days before you try it yourself.