crazy lead prices?

[stubert]

I was just on e-bay, There are a couple of auctions on lead. The going prices average over $1.00 per lb. plus $10 - 15 shipping. One auction was 60 lb of ingots, the bid was $58.50 plus $12.95 shipping. Granted, they are already in ingots but WHO knows what the alloy is. Thats $70.00 for 60 lbs. of unknown alloy.

[bumpo628]

I've bought wheel weights on ebay before, but I wouldn't buy the ingots for that reason.
When you buy the raw WW, it ends up at $1 per lb delivered.

[lwknight]

If you want to buy on flea bay , you should actually engage the seller in a 2 way conversation to find out if they know diddly about what they are selling.
So many folks just trying to make a buck and jumping on the wagon but don't really know what's up.

[stubshaft]

That's why I buy from reputable metal dealers there, and usually only soft lead or 95/5. If I buy type metal then I want to see the individual pieces and will not buy ingots. There are dealers on this site that beat flea bay hands down. But, lead sales seems to come in cycles. When I need some no one here may be selling any.

I am usually the odd man out in the sense that I don't like wheel weights for casting. I prefer hardball or magnum shot/lino mix.

There is nothing wrong with using WW it is just my personal preference not to.

[Frosty Boolit]

I'd check auctions in your area.

[arcticbreeze]

I will only buy raw ww on ebay or anywhere else for that matter because I want to be sure for my self what it is even if I have to pay more that way I have the confidence in my alloy.

Marc

[x101airborne]

I only buy from folks here. Its cheaper, they know what they are talking about, and if you get the raw end, they almost always make it right. (It is usually completely by accident)

[GabbyM]

Spot price for clean scrap lead is $1.1907.
Zinc is 1.1209. So I’d be keeping those zinc wheel weights.

[bowenrd]

Several months ago a seller on Ebay wanted $6 a pound for lead ingots. He claimed it to be a hedge against inflation. Buy all you can because the value will only go up.

[nanuk]

up here, I bought some pure lead from a metal supply house for $3.75/lb, minumum 5lb buy.

it has only gone up in the last 4 years

[XWrench3]

the only "lead" that i have bought off ebay was linotype that was in its original form. i will not purchase ingots becuase of the mystery factor. unless of course, they are cheap, cheap, and i really don't care about the alloy. the problem i see with that though, is that the alloy may contain zinc. and that about makes it worthless for bullet casting. and yes, lead prices on ebay are rediculous. but then, so is everything else on ebay.

[fredj338]

up here, I bought some pure lead from a metal supply house for $3.75/lb, minumum 5lb buy.

it has only gone up in the last 4 years
You'ld be better off buying from the guys @ Rotometals. Free shipping & you know what you get. Buying E-bay is always a **** shoot.

[geargnasher]

Spot price for clean scrap lead is $1.1907.
Zinc is 1.1209. So I’d be keeping those zinc wheel weights.

:shock::holysheep:holysheep:holysheep:eek:

It was under a buck a couple of months ago. I don't feel bad at all paying 75c a pound for raw ww now.

Gear

[lylejb]

You must have missed the "free range organic" ingots.......

[lawboy]

I have sold many thousands of lbs of lead on Ebay without any complaints from buyers. I quite selling on Ebay because I have enough local customers now who pick it up that I don't need to mess with Ebay anymore.
Those who are suspicious of "mystery alloy" are right. When I sold on Ebay I certified the source of all my lead and guaranteed that it was not from wheelweights precisely because Zinc is such an issue these days. If you purchase ingots on Ebay, make sure the lead came from a shooting range and not from WWs. Range scrap lead is generally 9-12bhn -- which is pretty darn soft -- because jacket bullet core material is dead soft or nearly dead soft lead. You will get some cast bullet lead in there from folks like ups shooting cast brings up the hardness a little but percentage is so low that Zinc is a non issue. Do it that way and Ebay is a safe source.