So where is anyone buying lead these days ?

[Pete G.]

With the recent jump in prices I decided that it might be time to wash the grease off of the old molds that had been stored for so long. Called the local plumbing supply for price and availability on pure lead. Got a quote of $5.25/ lb.... Holy Shite muslem!!!!!!!!!  Called the metal salvage dealer. They don't sell to the public. Any place online that sells at a price to make paying for delivery worthwhile?

[straightshooter1]

I've tried these people before and have been happy.

http://www.rotometals.com/Bullet-Casting-Alloys-s/5.htm


Have also bought lead from Buffalo Arms

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/2,117.html

[bryanbrown]

I too use http://www.rotometals.com/Lead-Ingots-s/32.htm  but I use pure lead for round ball.  versus more modern bullet casting alloy.  Your mileage may vary.  $99 orders get free shipping which make the prices much more palatable.  Annoys the cr*p out of the mail man though.

[Burgess_rudy]

Try ebay. I got 60lbs of pure soft lead delivered for about 65 dollars.

[northmn]

I just bought 50 pounds for $40.  try an person going under the name Fishhawk on the Cast Boolits site.

DP

[TPH]

Fifty cents a pound at the local scrap yards here in the Central Shenandoah Valley and has been since at least late last summer, the price on scrap metals is going down. You get to choose from what they have - it is already separated into what they cal "soft" and "hard" lead, you have the final say in what you take by sorting through. In December, a friend who is an N/SSA shooter, picked up over 200 pounds of excellent soft lead, composed of cable sheathing, plumbing lead (some still in 5 pound ingots!), roof flashing and stained glass window flashing. He had picked up nearly 100 pounds of lead pipe last summer but, of course, what they have in stock changes from time to time.

[ironsights1]

Pete...I've got a plumber friend and a couple of roofers as well as a stained glass place that keeps me supplied with lead. I had to do a little calling around but did find those who were willing to help me out at no cost to me. I just picked up 60# from the plumber last week that took him several months to accumulate. Tom

[hanshi]

TPH, I'm on the other side of the mountains in Albemarle.  Can you email me with more info.  I'm dry on soft lead & my modest ball supply won't last forever.   

[coutios]

I second the Ebay thing... 100 pounds delivered for $120.00.. Take a look under "soft lead"... The guy is out of Northern Ohio...

Thanks
Dave

[TPH]

TPH, I'm on the other side of the mountains in Albemarle.  Can you email me with more info.  I'm dry on soft lead & my modest ball supply won't last forever.  

Flintr, I'll get back to you later today with the information.

[slowtrack50cal]

Well, I have enough recovered lead to do me for a while.  I also have about 40 lbs of sheet lead from a radiology remodel that I do not need.......hint...hint.......

[Leatherbelly]

   Should be cheap to buy seeing the bottom has fallen out of metals.

[camogun]

I called a scrap yard near me and they said lead is .41 cent per pound. I didn't specify what type of lead I need. I've been melting down old fishing weights. I can get free wheel weights from a tire shop I worked at. Do I need to only use soft lead and do I need to add tin to the melted lead?

[bryanbrown]

What are you shooting?  In my smoothbores I often shoot my mixed source scrap lead, wheel weights recovered bullets, counter weight babbit etc and the harder lead doesn't seem to matter much accuracy wise for plinking.

In my rifles I use my pure lead from places like Roto metal, I also use the pure lead for hunting  to get better expansion/deformation. Pure lead hits bone and it deforms making a bigger wound channel.  Mixed lead sometimes stays too round for me.  But that depends on the mix.

For my "target" loads I tend to use pure lead.  Probably not a gnats diff if I work up   best load with both types of ball, though mass of pure lead will stay more consistent then alloy scrap.  And I feel "better" using my "good lead ball" shooting for score so the mental aspect may be more then the mass issue.