Source of "pure" lead...?

[Victor N TN]

I have a bunch of new molds I've bought over the past few years while I was pretty much house bound. I even bought a Redding / Saeco lead hardness tester.

I went to make some soft lead bullets to check the barrel dimensions. I cast maybe 2 dozen that weren't all wrinkles. I happened to check one with my fingernail and could just scratch a line on it. I put it in the hardness tester and instead of 8 or 9 it read 14...???

What is a good recognizable pure lead, to make good sizing "slugs" from?

Thanks in advance.
Victor

[Pipefitter]

How much pure lead are you looking for? I should have some laying around. Maybe get a visit from George One Dollar Bill in your near future......

[rwadley]

Split shot or egg sinkers in the fishing section of wally world. Swaged boolits work well, too (as long as they aren't too big). Stick on wheel weights are pretty soft, too.

[Victor N TN]

Split shot or egg sinkers in the fishing section of wally world. Swaged boolits work well, too (as long as they aren't too big). Stick on wheel weights are pretty soft, too.

I saw a bunch of lead sinkers at our WallyWorld last week when I was out there. Thanks for the hints guys.

[JAbee]

I second the Wally World sinkers. SOWW might be to much of a hassle to get to a "finished" product your looking for. (EX. cleaning, melting, fluxing....)

[fredj338]

I second the Wally World sinkers. SOWW might be to much of a hassle to get to a "finished" product your looking for. (EX. cleaning, melting, fluxing....)

Stick on ww are pretty soft. If you only need a pound or two, they clean up pretty quick w/ mineral spirits or gasoline. Then just drop them straight into your melting pot.

[runfiverun]

if you cast a swaged boolit to make it go down your barrel you'll be in for a surprise.
5% antimony alloy's don't like to be hammered down a spout.

a baggie of fishing weights would be my first choice.
pour the melted lead into a fired case then let it cool.
use your hammer type bullet puller thingy to get it back out.

[rwadley]

I used swaged 32 S&W long bullets of unknown make vintage (60's or 70's Remington is my best guess). Going from .314 to .308 wasn't too bad. Going from .314 to .289 took a little more effort. The boolits were already lubed (Alox?) and I used oil and brass round stock.


if you cast a swaged boolit to make it go down your barrel you'll be in for a surprise.
5% antimony alloy's don't like to be hammered down a spout.

a baggie of fishing weights would be my first choice.
pour the melted lead into a fired case then let it cool.
use your hammer type bullet puller thingy to get it back out.

[sw282]

Stick on wheel weights seem to be about the softest lead around for me...SOWW cast boolits weigh a full 5 grains more than those from Clip ons using the same H&G 250gr SWC mold..As for the trash, just skim it off

[Sasquatch-1]

At the salvage yard. Sheet lead or old plumbing pipe. If having a problem with fill out try adding just a touch of tin.

If you are just looking for a small amount try a plumbing supply house. They may still stock it for old cast iron waste pipes. I believe this is the expensive way.

I don't think I would just the new sinkers. A lot of them are coming from China and are being made out of our old scrap and could be anything.

[Victor N TN]

At the salvage yard. Sheet lead or old plumbing pipe. If having a problem with fill out try adding just a touch of tin.

If you are just looking for a small amount try a plumbing supply house. They may still stock it for old cast iron waste pipes. I believe this is the expensive way.

I don't think I would just the new sinkers. A lot of them are coming from China and are being made out of our old scrap and could be anything.

Our local salvage yard is ridiculous when you try to buy ANYTHING. They want brand new perfect price.

I seem to remember that our local ACE Hardware used to be a contractor house. I'll check there first.

I don't WANT Chinese anything.

[runfiverun]

a swaged antimony alloy is soft and glides easily under pressure.
a cast antimony alloy is tough and hard.
you can get away with mashing the swaged one down a barrel easily because the antimony crystals break down and allow the lead to slide easier.
the antimony in a cast one needs to have the crystals broken down before the alloy will upset and flow.

[Walter Laich]

there is always ROTO Metal, a vendor here:

their lead page: https://rotometals.com/lead-ingots-wire/