What kind of lead do I buy?

[taymag]

I know I can probably get lead form the industrial/tire shops around town but to start I want to make it.... "easier"

I found this on eBay but was wondering how you go about deciding the hardness and testing it and what not

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lyman-50-Lb-Lot-Lead-Ingots-for-Casting-Bullets-Sinkers-/131817969825?hash=item1eb0f698a1:g:57wAAOSwQTVV-uML

[osteodoc08]

Its advertised as sheet/plumbing lead which is used as pure lead. If shooting modern loadings (smokeless), you will need to add to it to make it suitable.

The "easiest" and more advisable from me is to buy lead here from the S&S

[C. Latch]

Don't buy that.

Buy here:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?63886-Lead-Ingots-For-Sale-Buyer-s-Choice

COWW for handgun bullets, SOWW for muzzleloader projectiles, a mix of the two if you want expansion. Add just a bit of tin if you want to make mold fillout a little easier.

[GRUMPA]

Well.....for 1 thing they give you the hardness of 5-7 BHN. That in itself is real soft, the kind of lead you use for swaging. If your using lead for boolits I would just get wheel weights (WW or COWW) and go that route.

[Dusty Bannister]

If you insist on going the "easiest" route, buy known alloys from Rotometals. They are one of the site sponsors. And from time to time they run special prices. That would be easier than buying an unknown alloy. Go visit their site and get familiar with the materials available for the bullet caster. Good luck.

[taymag]

Thanks for the link. All I load for is 9mm and 300blackout, mainly subs for both (if that makes a difference). What kind is best for that?

I do plan on getting wheel weight (I have a massive industrial town 10 miles away), etc but for my first few batches I want to just have bars to keep it simple and enjoyable

[C. Latch]

Thanks for the link. All I load for is 9mm and 300blackout, mainly subs for both (if that makes a difference). What kind is best for that?

I do plan on getting wheel weight (I have a massive industrial town 10 miles away), etc but for my first few batches I want to just have bars to keep it simple and enjoyable


COWW will work fine for 9mm and .300BO.

The link that I posted is to a seller who smelts range lead, SOWW (stick on wheelweights) and COWW (clip on wheelweights) and sells them in 50lb batches. Just like the seller on Ebay, but cheaper. I've bought from her several times and you can buy from her with absolute confidence. If you later decide to scrounge and smelt your own COWW you'll be used to using that alloy. It works fine for what you want to do. You might want to add a tiny bit of tin, if you have it available, but you do not have to.

[WFO2]

I ordered Lyman #2 from Roto Metals just so I would have a known alloy for first cast and it worked like a charm . I loading 38 spcl subsonic with a plain base bullet .

[6622729]

Thanks for the link. All I load for is 9mm and 300blackout, mainly subs for both (if that makes a difference). What kind is best for that?

I do plan on getting wheel weight (I have a massive industrial town 10 miles away), etc but for my first few batches I want to just have bars to keep it simple and enjoyable

Exactly what I reload for except I shoot 300AAC supersonic. COWW is great for both. I'm shooting 1850fps in 300AAC with no leading at all. I use the Recluse 45/45/10 tumble lube formula. In my 9mm Glock 19 (KKM barrel) I shoot hundreds of rounds between cleanings with no leading. Same lube, and a target load of about 900fps. Plenty accurate for me at 25 yds. I'm staying on an 8.5' x 11" piece of paper at that distance. Molds are Lee C312-155-2R (copper gas check, .309 sizing) for 300AAC and the Lee 125gr TC or 125gr RN both as cast (no sizing).

I'm playing with a bunch of different components from my lead stash now to create Lyman #2 (5% tin, 5% antimony and 90% lead) for 300AAC. It's totally unnecessary. I'm doing it just to do it as part of the hobby to experience Lyman #2.

If you're going to buy bars of commercial alloy, Rotometals is a sponsor here and highly recommended!!!

In regards to which alloy to purchase to avoid mixing anything on your own, probably Lyman #2. It gives you a hardness of 15 with the option of water quenching for a harder boolit if needed. That's the antimony in it. If you're scrounging, go for clip on wheel weights straight or with maybe a bit of added tin.

[kmw1954]

Once again I'm finding this site absolutely fascinating and the experience/Knowledge base is incredible. Finding good questions being asked with great follow-up replies.

Even though I am not quite ready to start on this venture I certainly am learning a ton which should make me at least better prepared when I do get started.

[Tom W.]

Watcha mean " not ready"? Get the COWWs while they are still usable, before they are all zinc or steel or who knows what..........

[kmw1954]

"Not ready" meaning still collecting tools and sources of WW. Working with-in a constrained budget. (Fixed income.)

[6622729]

C. Latch put you on to the least expensive and consistent source of COWW there is. What sort of source are you still looking for and what sort of tools? You need almost nothing to get started.

[bangerjim]

If your "big city" has a source of COWW's that are not mostly Zn/Fe, get them NOW!!!! Don't wait. You will find even in a "big city" most tire places have deals with recyclers and will not give or even sell you COWW's any longer. Just because the city is there and it is big does not guarantee you a good source. I live in a big metro area and there are virtually ZERO tire stores that will supply COWW's any longer. That is why I now buy all my alloys and mix what I want, not relying on "beer & donuts" to get dirty old WW's.

Get 'em while you can! Do without something else if your $$ are thin.

banger

[Tom W.]

"Not ready" meaning still collecting tools and sources of WW. Working with-in a constrained budget. (Fixed income.)


Please don't think I was being rude. That was not my intention at all.

[6622729]

Please don't think I was being rude. That was not my intention at all.

I don't think anyone took it as rude. I didn't.

[kmw1954]

Please don't think I was being rude. That was not my intention at all.

No offense taken at all. Yes I get antsy at times and want to get going. As said many times before. "I've got more time than money"!
Just had to take a time out again to get the old pump roto rooted. Much better now.

[RogerDat]

The link from CLatch to the Captain's thread selling lead is probably the most cost effective solution. It is worth looking into independent tire stores and scrap yards to accumulate a bulk supply where the small savings per pound can add up. For getting started however it is hard to beat well prepared and ready to go WW ingots. Both on quality and on price. Driving around, time spent, propane costs, need some sort of molds too. Compared to a box arrives at your door ready to cast.

Think about it, the savings from buying your own WW's and scrap lead to make ingots comes into play only after one pays for the equipment and search effort (gas & time) out of the reduced cost per pound for the raw materials. Your first 50# of lead will have $50 of up front cost already invested, it is when you spread that $50 up front cost out over 500# or more pounds that it really saves you money.

You will probably be happy if you can score a bit of solder or tin so you can add enough to get 1 or 2 percent tin into the WW lead you cast with. With the 300 blk it might be worth looking into powder coat for lube, PC'd bullets can be softer and tolerate high velocity pretty well. Or maybe water dropped, can't say for that caliber but as a general thing might be worth looking into for rifle.

[RogerDat]

Hey Banger you stopped "collecting" WW's but do you happen to have any ingots of WW still lying around? I ask because I seldom go for specifically looking for WW's either but that is mostly on account of the pile I already have :-)

Nothing wrong with buying store bought known alloy, foundry sourced, but us thrifty (cheapskate) fellows will snag whatever we find at a good price, and that includes WW's, of course they are only dirty and nasty until I flux them with sawdust and make em into ingots, then they be clean and shiny. oooh shiny! :mrgreen:

:kidding:

[mold maker]

The eBay source wasn't knowledgeable or he wouldn't have called them Lyman. That's just the brand ( cast in the mold) of a mold used to cast them. Or else he's looking to prey on someone who is just starting out and the lead may be anything.
You've ask the right folks to get honest answers. I'll ditto The Captian.

[Echo]

If your "big city" has a source of COWW's that are not mostly Zn/Fe, get them NOW!!!! Don't wait. You will find even in a "big city" most tire places have deals with recyclers and will not give or even sell you COWW's any longer. Just because the city is there and it is big does not guarantee you a good source. I live in a big metro area and there are virtually ZERO tire stores that will supply COWW's any longer. That is why I now buy all my alloys and mix what I want, not relying on "beer & donuts" to get dirty old WW's.

Get 'em while you can! Do without something else if your $$ are thin.

banger

Plus One, Jim - and another vote for Kathie (The Captain). I've had nothing but good deals with her.

[Handloader109]

Fergit about eBay. More expensive than almost every seller here and not nearly as safe. I've bought from probably 8 different sellers and every one of them are faster and more reliable than eBay could ever be. I cast for 9mm and 22tcm with the possibility of 300 blackout coming get up. Use mainly range lead and coww. Works well for me

[6622729]

Fergit about eBay. More expensive than almost every seller here and not nearly as safe. I've bought from probably 8 different sellers and every one of them are faster and more reliable than eBay could ever be. I cast for 9mm and 22tcm with the possibility of 300 blackout coming get up. Use mainly range lead and coww. Works well for me


Im having 100% success on eBay. I have about 4 or 5 sellers I use and trust. My best deal is $1.16lb for a BNH 10 alloy that needs a little antimony and tin. I paid $1.37lb for the cleanest isotope lead ingots I've ever seen. EBay is an excellent source for COWW in ingot form for maybe $1.50 lb. Saves me a lot of time and unnecessary lead exposure not having to smelt.