Luck was with me today!

[Wolfgang]

Got called to fill in for a few hours today at my old department. Retired a few months ago and just went back on the Auxiliary/Part time roster. Didn't really want to go in as we finally got some nice weather and I had planned on working in the yard a little and then continuing with some load developement with my new to me Ruger 44 special flattop which has been frustrating me no end by shooting high. At any rate I went in and I'm glad I did. Stopped at the LGS while I was out and about and scored a few pounds of Unique. I have not seen any on the shelves anywhere for quite some time. The icing on the cake however was I talked with an old friend who is a retired Sheriffs Deputy and he's got several hundred pounds of lead cast into ingots that he wants me to come and pick up. He laughed when asked how much he wanted for it and told me whatever it costs me in gas to come over to his place and pick it up. :shock: He has pretty much quit casting so he wants the lead out of his way. I asked him if that would leave him any to use should he want to cast again for some reason and he told me that he only has around four tons...yes, I said tons, out in his shop so he figures he should be ok! He told me that when my shop is finished and I had a little spare time that we would need to talk about storage of the ingots out at his shop. Had to gloat a little, it was a good day!

[zuke]

Wish we all had day's like that once in awhile.

[lightman]

Yup, I would say you had a good day! Now you have a good reason to finish your shop.

[waco]

Ummm.....green with envy!..........

[Shuz]

That sure tops my story!............A few months ago, a former caster, and good friend, asked me if I wanted some wheel weights. He was moving away and didn't want to take them with him. Turns out he gave me 6/ea 5 gallon buckets 3/4 full of the old style wheel weights before zinc and steel were "invented". It took both of us to lift each bucket into my Subaru Outback. As I drove down the highway, my headlights were pointing to the sky!
I offered to pay him the going rate, but he wouldn't hear of it. He said, "My son used to work in a tire shop and they didn't cost me anything!"
Let the smelting begin!

[RED333]

Congrats on the good friend and cool find.
O and I hate you:kidding:

[pjames32]

Great score!
PJ

[MtGun44]

Lets see ---- 4 tons is 8000 lbs, which is 56 million grains. . . . . . . gee,
that will only make 224,000 250 gr .44 boolits. Should hold you for a
while. If you use the classic "10 gr of Unique" load, you will need another
80 4 lb jugs of Unique. And a "shipload" of primers.

What a DEAL! Congratulations. I think this is called "set for life", unless you
do a whole lot of shooting.

Like they said in "Jaws" --- 'You're going to need a bigger boat' (well, truck).

[Cherokee]

Where are you in Ohio...I could help you out with that burden...just saying...

[whisler]

I'm in Northern KY but I think I could help with that burden too.

[pworley1]

That sounds like a very good day.

[Wolfgang]

Well...I really do appreciate all of the kind offers to help me out with my burden but at this point none of the grey gold belongs to me. If the time comes that he does wish to part with the whole stash of metal, I will certainly be willing to help some folks out as there is surely no way I will ever live long enough to use up that amount of lead. Even being retired I wouldn't be alive long enough to cast it into bullets let alone size, lube, load and finally shoot it all! But at this point the only lead I have for sure is about 400 lbs that is currently in his road and I hope I can have the time to use that up. Should the rest of it find a new home then we can talk. It's not like the folks here haven't helped me out on numerous occasions. ;-)

[WV Mountaineer]

OP, I live in WV. I haven't helped you a bit. Not because I wouldn't but, because I couldn't. Real new to this and am having a hard time acquiring lead. So, my experience is lacking. But, I chop wood, cut grass, rake leaves, etc.... real good. :^)

God Bless

[Sea Bear]

Pinch yourself... it is only a dream. Nobody gives away ingots and Unique doesn't exist in shops anywhere. Better hurry and wake up before something bad happens and spoils everything! :-)

[quilbilly]

Got lucky yesterday at a gun show myself. It was poorly attended but one of the tables had four Saeco molds for sale at $35 each (negotiated) including handles. I got the 25 cal 107 gr gas check 3-holer and a 30 cal 183 gr. spire point plain base 2-holer. Just got the 30 cal out of curiosity to see if it will shoot in my 308 and 30/30 at 1300 fps without leading and if it doesn't, will take it to NCBS in case someone needs it for a 30/40 Krag. Already cast a couple dozen from each mold and they sure make nice looking boolits.

[quilbilly]

Tried out a dozen of the 183 gr PB's today at 40 yards with Unique and 5744 powders at the calculated 1300 fps (will chrono later). No leading and the 308 shot a 5/8" group with the 5744 but the Unique grouped (if you can call it that) 5". I can take a hint.

[Rally]

I have a friend who buys used traps and often advertises for them in local "Trader" papers. He called me one morning and said he had just purchased a couple hundred traps from a lady who just lost her husband. She had some lead the family didn't want to deal with because they thought it was too toxic. He mentioned I was a caster and gave her my number. She called later in the day and I went to get the lead. Turned out to be 340 pounds of COWW and 84 lbs of mono, half of which was new and still in little boxes wrapped in wax paper. I offered to pay her and she said the family would just be glad if I removed it from the garage. I felt so guilty I took her a little fruit basket the next day.
Every time I hear stories like these, I wonder how much lead there really is out there.

[dondiego]

I don't know how much lead is out there but I just came into several hundred traps that I would love to trade for lead!

[captaint]

I was gonna say - I would have been real happy with the Unique - or BE, or 2400. However, if you're shooting high, you might try lighter boolits, so you'll get even more of those 44 cal SWC's !!!!!

[Rally]

DonDiego,
Sent you a PM.