How much do you pay for your COWWs?

[Phlier]

So over this past month or so, I've been scouring my town trying to find not just decent prices on COWW's and scrap lead, but anyplace that will sell it at all.

Even the Ma and Pa local tire stores aren't interested, even when I offer to pay double what their recycler pays. Typically, the response is "the EPA considers it hazmat. As such, we can only sell it to properly licensed recyclers." (As much as it burns me to do so, I'm going to avoid going off on a political rant here.)

Now the real kicker here is that those scrap yards that are "properly licensed" to buy Plutonium....er... I mean lead, are able to buy that dreaded hazmat (clip on wheel weights) from tire stores legally (whereas I cannot), then move it down the street a few miles, and turn around and legally sell it to me for 75 cents per pound.

So that's where I'm at. Sifting through the scrap yard's 60 gallon drums filled with Zn. Fe, and occasionally lead wheel weights to buy the lead ones for 75 cents per pound. Two hours yesterday netted me 22 pounds of lead COWWs (less than one in four clip ons were lead). I didn't bother with stick ons, as they are almost pure lead... See next paragraph.

One other thing they had that caught my eye, but wanted to ask you guys first... They have pure lead in 10 pound ingots for the same price. Around 1,000 pounds or so. Is this a good deal? If so, I'll be returning on Monday to buy all of it. I did buy 80 pounds.

I'm very interested to hear how much you guys are paying for COWW's where you're at. Yeah, I know that some of you guys are getting them free, and I'm very jealous. So what I'm hoping to find out is what you guys that actually have to pay are paying.

Back in the '70's when I was casting with Dad, we'd just stop into any convenient tire store and walk out with as much free "hazmat" as Dad could fit in the old International Travel-All.

[rancher1913]

the local dealer that I know sells to me for 60cents a pound but he is going out of business so that will dry up quickly, the big city dealers that will sell to the public all want a buck a pound and at that price you can buy from vendor sponsors on here in ingot form ready to go. have gotten to know a couple of tire shops over the years and one we trade garden produce for ww's and the other I pay 20 bucks for a full 5 gallon bucket, neither has very much quantity. most all the other tire shops in town will not sell to the public.

the pure will be good to trade with on here as its great for casting slugs and round balls or you can buy lino and blend it.

[Phlier]

I bought 15 pounds of "Super Hard" from Roto Metals for alloying with pure lead. Adding in the Super Hard will bring the dollar cost up a bit. Not sure exactly how much as I haven't done the math yet.

[frkelly74]

If it is available, at reasonable price, you have the money required, are not going to move soon, you should buy it, especially if it is ingoted. Ingotted at less than $1 a pound is a no brainer. Buy it!

[atr]

I pay nothing ....I have so much lead, and wheel weights that I will never shoot it all

[Phlier]

If it is available, at reasonable price, you have the money required, are not going to move soon, you should buy it, especially if it is ingoted. Ingotted at less than $1 a pound is a no brainer. Buy it!

I was hoping to hear that it was a good deal, but wanted to check with you guys first. Didn't want to blow 750 bucks on lead in one shot unless it was a very good price.
I'm going to cast a few bullets with one of their "pure lead" ingots over the weekend and test them for hardness with a Lee hardness tester. Figure I'll test as cast and also a couple water dropped ones to see if they harden at all after water dropping. Should be a quick and easy test to see if it's pure lead.

[scotner]

Paid $20 for one bucket and $30 for another. Ended up with 111 pounds COWW, 45 pounds SOWW and 48 pounds of Zn and FE total after melting down.

[Phlier]

Paid $20 for one bucket and $30 for another. Ended up with 111 pounds COWW, 45 pounds SOWW and 48 pounds of Zn and FE total after melting down.

Great prices, wow. Was this directly from a tire store?

There are still a few tire stores in town that I haven't asked yet, but had given up after around ten or so denials. Maybe it's worth pursuing more.

[Beagle333]

Pure lead at .75 per pound? Jump on that!!!

COWW is non existent here. I get all of mine from the S&S section. Really all from one guy.... but all from that section of the forum. :-D

[Phlier]

Pure lead at .75 per pound? Jump on that!!!

COWW is non existent here. I get all of mine from the S&S section. Really all from one guy.... but all from that section of the forum. :-D

Yeah, think I will.. Just gotta get the wife's permission to drop that much cash on lead. I've visited the scrap yard for COWW's many times, and have never seen them get *any* pure lead for sale, let alone a half ton of pure in ingots. They also have roofing lead, but don't think I'll have enough money to get the ingots and the roofing lead both. I just hope the "pure" ingots that I bought really are pure lead. Going to go cast a few right now to find out.

I'll take a picture of the ingots, and see if you guys can identify them. They aren't really "ingots" per se.... imagine casting a 20 pound ball of pure lead, then cutting it in half. That's what these look like.. half balls. They aren't actually cut, but they look like they were cast as half spheres. They look like they were probably used as ballast at one point. Why they are now considered scrap is a mystery, as they are in perfect condition.

[kmrra]

I have a probly stupid question , but what does COWW stand for , I see it refered to often here , Just wondering

[Beagle333]

Clip-On Wheel Weights.

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/i/171766284431-0-1/s-l1000.jpg

[scotner]

Great prices, wow. Was this directly from a tire store?

There are still a few tire stores in town that I haven't asked yet, but had given up after around ten or so denials. Maybe it's worth pursuing more. Yes, these were from two local shops. I also checked another shop and he had his old weights in an empty washer fluid bottle. I asked him how much and he looked at me sort of funny and said "you mean people pay for these?". I quickly thanked him and changed the subject. He told me to come back in a couple of weeks and he would have some more for me. I let a month go by (knee issues) and stopped in there the other day. They said that guy didn't work there any more and he was the one that kept up with the old weights. Since he left they have been tossing them in the corner behind the balance machine. I plan to go back early this week with TWO 5 gallon buckets. One to get those weights up and one with my name and phone number on it.

[z28z34man]

My dad owns a tire shop so every time I go home I pickup a bucket or two.

[shootsblanks]

I went into a tire shop and asked what they did with their weights, they asked what i wanted them for, as it turns out the owner thought making bullets was really cool and i have picked up about 2 1/2 5 gal buckets from them for free! The other shops in town charge about 40 bucks a bucket though....

[Phlier]

Great information, gents, thank you.

After hearing that some of you guys are still successfully talking tire dealerships out of their COWW's, I think I'll continue the hunt.

One nice thing about the place I go is that I can sort out the lead COWW's before buying them, so I'm paying 75 cents per pound of pure lead COWW's. Kinda nice vs paying for a bucket full of weights from a tire store that are assorted Zn, Fe, Pb.

[scotner]

Great information, gents, thank you.

After hearing that some of you guys are still successfully talking tire dealerships out of their COWW's, I think I'll continue the hunt.

One nice thing about the place I go is that I can sort out the lead COWW's before buying them, so I'm paying 75 cents per pound of pure lead COWW's. Kinda nice vs paying for a bucket full of weights from a tire store that are assorted Zn, Fe, Pb.

I would like to be able to go through them so I would not have to deal with disposing of the unusable stuff. Problem is if I pick what I want out of what is available and they have to get rid of the rest they may decide to just dispose of all of it in one place. Scrap yard or whatever.

[RogerDat]

OP doesn't indicate what part of the country he is in, prices, availability, and lead percentage of a bucket varies depending on region. You only need one or two tire stores to come through with a bucket or two to get you off to a good start. I hit every tire place I could find for 50 miles in the three directions I travel. Found two stores out of all of them. I hit at least 6 or 7 scrap to find a couple that would sell to the public. I make a drive to check on a fairly regular basis.

All I can say is if you find a source, take them some donuts, or a pizza at lunch. Be the guy that really appreciates them selling you those wheel weights or scrap lead.

Price around here runs from a low of 40 cents to 75 cents. Good stuff such as solder or printers lead may be at a premium price of around $1 to $1.50 I have really slowed down buying lead, have accumulated a lot so these days I'm looking for a good deal or a premium alloy. Especially clean plain lead at a good price might tempt me too.

It took time and regular checking in at sources or potential sources to build up a supply but steady searching eventually leads to some scores or sources. Forum has a lot of posts from people that "stumbled" onto a big pile of good lead alloy at a sweet price. Generally only happens if your out looking for it.

[scotner]

So what do you do with the scrap that you can not use? Will a scrap yard buy zinc and steel weights? What about the clips from the COWW?

[Phlier]

OP doesn't indicate what part of the country he is in, prices, availability, and lead percentage of a bucket varies depending on region. You only need one or two tire stores to come through with a bucket or two to get you off to a good start. I hit every tire place I could find for 50 miles in the three directions I travel. Found two stores out of all of them. I hit at least 6 or 7 scrap to find a couple that would sell to the public. I make a drive to check on a fairly regular basis.

All I can say is if you find a source, take them some donuts, or a pizza at lunch. Be the guy that really appreciates them selling you those wheel weights or scrap lead.

Price around here runs from a low of 40 cents to 75 cents. Good stuff such as solder or printers lead may be at a premium price of around $1 to $1.50 I have really slowed down buying lead, have accumulated a lot so these days I'm looking for a good deal or a premium alloy. Especially clean plain lead at a good price might tempt me too.

It took time and regular checking in at sources or potential sources to build up a supply but steady searching eventually leads to some scores or sources. Forum has a lot of posts from people that "stumbled" onto a big pile of good lead alloy at a sweet price. Generally only happens if your out looking for it.

I'm in the desert south west.

And yes, once I find a supplier, they'll be well taken care of.

[RogerDat]

So what do you do with the scrap that you can not use? Will a scrap yard buy zinc and steel weights? What about the clips from the COWW?
Yes but not for much money, but something. Clips will be scrap steel. Zinc and steel WW's you may get their price for WW's coming in. Which is generally pretty low compared to what you bought. Figure going there to buy lead so a couple of buckets of scrap I bring in is sort of a discount coupon.

[Don Fischer]

This wheel weight stuff is all over the board. I've never heard before you need a hazmat license before. Then two post's later someone is still getting them for free! I'm glad I scourged up what I did in years past, I've got maybe 1000# +/- laying around the place, all poured into ingots. Life time supply for me! $10 a pound sound's pretty expensive! That's getting pretty near the price of jacketed bullet's! In this state WW's are really hard to find, tire shops can't use them. Sound's like a bunch of other states are the same way. What's the future of bullet casting if lead just keep's getting higher?

[scotner]

Yes, these were from two local shops. I also checked another shop and he had his old weights in an empty washer fluid bottle. I asked him how much and he looked at me sort of funny and said "you mean people pay for these?". I quickly thanked him and changed the subject. He told me to come back in a couple of weeks and he would have some more for me. I let a month go by (knee issues) and stopped in there the other day. They said that guy didn't work there any more and he was the one that kept up with the old weights. Since he left they have been tossing them in the corner behind the balance machine. I plan to go back early this week with TWO 5 gallon buckets. One to get those weights up and one with my name and phone number on it.

I went back with with two buckets as planned. It quickly became apparent that I should have taken three. The weights were piled up in the floor and I got out my flat bottom shovel. I had the bucket filled and rounded over the top. Granted, these were a mixture of gold and garbage but I was not going to tie up the whole shop while I was sorting. I split the load between the two buckets and told them I would bring them an empty bucket the next time I passed their way. The guy even set them on the back of the truck for me. I handed him $10 and he said that I did not have to do that. I was doing him a favor hauling them off. If I can dispose of the unusable stuff like another member mentioned this may the ticket. I don't want to accumulate a bunch of unusable stuff around my shop.

[scotner]

Yes but not for much money, but something. Clips will be scrap steel. Zinc and steel WW's you may get their price for WW's coming in. Which is generally pretty low compared to what you bought. Figure going there to buy lead so a couple of buckets of scrap I bring in is sort of a discount coupon.

I sorted the batch of weights I brought home yesterday. I thought it looked like a bunch of steel in that load. I netted 40# of SOWW and 32# of COWW. The rest was steel and zinc with the emphasis on steel. I called the local scrap yard and they quoted me .10 for mixed WW and .20 for lead. I just said that I didn't think there was much lead. The main thing is that I have a safe and proper way to dispose of what I can't use. I want to be sure of that before I bring anything else home. I have a total of 117# that I need to dispose of.

[RogerDat]

I sorted the batch of weights I brought home yesterday. I thought it looked like a bunch of steel in that load. I netted 40# of SOWW and 32# of COWW. The rest was steel and zinc with the emphasis on steel. I called the local scrap yard and they quoted me .10 for mixed WW and .20 for lead. I just said that I didn't think there was much lead. The main thing is that I have a safe and proper way to dispose of what I can't use. I want to be sure of that before I bring anything else home. I have a total of 117# that I need to dispose of.

Not a fantastic lead to scrap ratio but not all that bad either, In Cali or New Jersey I think that qualifies as a gold mine. Any way you slice it 72# of lead for $10 is actually pretty darn good.

Yes it is more labor to go through than it was back in the "good old days" but I find sitting in a chair with a box lid in my lap and a pair of dikes to nip the WW's and find the soft ones make the process move right along. Does help to be seated and have a tray/box lid in my lap allows me to avoid a lot of wasted motion, just flip them into the right sorting container ahead or beside of me and pick up the next one from my lap. Refill the tray each time it gets empty.

[scotner]

Not a fantastic lead to scrap ratio but not all that bad either, In Cali or New Jersey I think that qualifies as a gold mine. Any way you slice it 72# of lead for $10 is actually pretty darn good.

Just came back from the scrap yard. I took the unusable stuff from the last three lead collections. Came back with $14. That helps offset the gas cost when collecting.

Yes it is more labor to go through than it was back in the "good old days" but I find sitting in a chair with a box lid in my lap and a pair of dikes to nip the WW's and find the soft ones make the process move right along. Does help to be seated and have a tray/box lid in my lap allows me to avoid a lot of wasted motion, just flip them into the right sorting container ahead or beside of me and pick up the next one from my lap. Refill the tray each time it gets empty.

I don't really enjoy that part but I am retired now so I have the time to do it. The real down side now is dealing with the stuff you can't use. It really was nice when you go get lead, melt it and make bullets.

I just came back from the scrap yard. I took all my unusable stuff and came back with $14.00. When I unloaded the guy in the yard quoted me 10 cents a pound, which is what he told me on the phone. When I went to the cashier to get paid it was 12 cents. Not too bad for something that I really needed to get out of the shop.

They had a bunch of sheet lead where I left my stuff. I think they sell at 70 cents. It might not be a bad deal going that route if the lead could be used as is. I wouldn't want to pay that and then have to buy something additional to harden the mix. I already have a lot of SOWW to use up somehow.

[scarry scarney]

I used to get them from a military base AAFES gas station. The tire guy would always save them for me. When they changed managers, the tire guy quit. I met with the new tire guy, and he said talk to the manager. The new manager, once she found out it was to make "boolits" she said NO!!!! I should said to make fishing weights or something....

[hollywood63]

I pay nothing ....I have so much lead, and wheel weights that I will never shoot it all

atr..................buddy ole friend of mine :-D since your tag and mine (art) have the same letters buuuuudddddy you ever find the need to dispose of that nasty metal you have. I'll gladly help you out [smilie=s: budddddy lmao

[GRUMPA]

Seems time changes in ways that for the most part folks run into road blocks. What was once a pretty much "FREE" source for the do it yourselfer is now becoming a bit more difficult. Even when I lived in Phoenix I would only need to go to 2 tire stores and have enough for some time.

Now where I live I can't get COWW easily at all. Sure I called around, got negative results, and even visited some all with the same negative results. After some thought I now get most of it off this site in the S&S section. I live so remote if I figure it costs me .45 per mile it's easier and cheaper to just get the COWW already smelted and in ingot form for $1 Lb and have it come to me.

About a year ago I found someone locally that sells Isotope lead in those 30Lb chunks. Sure I need to smelt them down, but at $20 for a 30Lb chunk of Isotope core lead which is real clean already, it just isn't that bad of a deal. On the Isotope I add 2Lbs of Lino and if I water drop the BHN comes out around 15 and works great for almost everything.

So in the long run, even though COWW isn't as convenient as it once seemed to be, sources are out there, just not in the same place they once where. A person just has to look in different places, it's their, just need to be steered in another direction as to where to look is all.

[Phlier]

Well, after reading all of your responses, I think I'll stick with the local scrap yard. 75 cents/pound is pretty reasonable, and I can pre-sort the COWW's while I'm there, so I'm only paying for the lead ones, plus I can buy pure lead in ten pound ingots there as well.

[wv109323]

It varies. At one tire shop I gave $10.00 for about 60 lbs. at another I gave $20.00 for 80 lbs. These were COWW and SOWW and steel weights. I sorted out about 25 lbs. of metal and etc. from above.

[robg]

Too tight fisted to buy any lead ,I just scrounge .coww are nearly all zinc/steel over here now ,but there's still lead gas/water pipe to be found.just have to buy lead free solder for the tin .

[kingstrider]

I was paying $100 for 3 full 5 gallon buckets full from the local tire shop. After sorting, about 60% was COWW, 10% was SOWW, 25% was iron/zinc/other and the other 5% was trash. They got greedy on me and now refuse to sell at that price so I stopped going there, still looking for another source.

[mike69]

I paid 40 dollars for a fuul 5 gallon bucket at one shop the next time I went they wanted 70 said lead prices went up. Just found another place that will sell me 5 gallon buckets for 25 but somebody beat to what they had going to check back there in a few weeks. most places wont sell them get the epa reason from them.

[Budzilla 19]

Phlier,use your network, sir! Tell your friends, your yard guy, if you got one, local landscaper also! Those guys run up on all kinds of stuff! Plumber, telephone repair man, ( they used a lot of lead shields back in the day)), also hit up your local pharmacy to see if they do the radio nuclear?cancer therapy. Isotope containers. I just got lucky in my searches, but persevere, brother, you'll get there! Good luck to you.

[shooterg]

At Thanksgiving/Christmas/4th of July/etc. I visit the local station, pass out $1 lottery tickets to the 4-5 people working and leave with whatever ww on hand. Larger percent of steel/zinc each time though. But 10 buckets by the old picnic table and turkey fryer I refer to as my "lead factory" and many,many more already in ingots. Piles up, as most of my handgun boolits are recast range lead . I'm probably good for life, but I can't help myself anymore - somebody here has mentioned a 12 step program for lead addiction, but we have no local chapter...

[Phlier]

Phlier,use your network, sir! Tell your friends, your yard guy, if you got one, local landscaper also! Those guys run up on all kinds of stuff! Plumber, telephone repair man, ( they used a lot of lead shields back in the day)), also hit up your local pharmacy to see if they do the radio nuclear?cancer therapy. Isotope containers. I just got lucky in my searches, but persevere, brother, you'll get there! Good luck to you.

Thanks, man. :)

[Bosshaug]

[QUOTE=Phlier;3873277]I'm in the desert south west.

Phoenix?

[rondog]

A couple months ago on a local gun forum I responded to a "come and get this stuff" thread - COWW's, stick-ons, and lead pipe chunks - FREE! Even got the buckets too! No charge for all the trash either.....

[Phlier]

[QUOTE=Phlier;3873277]I'm in the desert south west.

Phoenix?

I'm 130 miles outside Las Vegas, Nevada. Hot summers, cool and short winters, beautiful red rock desert.

[Bosshaug]

[QUOTE=Bosshaug;3888892]

I'm 130 miles outside Las Vegas, Nevada. Hot summers, cool and short winters, beautiful red rock desert.

Ahh. If you were in the Phoenix area, I have a line on some of the isotope cores.

[Phlier]

[QUOTE=Phlier;3889140]

Ahh. If you were in the Phoenix area, I have a line on some of the isotope cores.

There's a very well known cancer treatment center where I'm at. I'll look into it, great idea!

[scotner]

A couple months ago on a local gun forum I responded to a "come and get this stuff" thread - COWW's, stick-ons, and lead pipe chunks - FREE! Even got the buckets too! No charge for all the trash either.....

Wow! Clean living pays off again. Must try it some time.

[copdills]

when I find some I try not to pay over $20 a 5 gal bucket, only get to use about 50% of them

[Blanket]

I buy all my tires from the small town shop and hook the owner up with cast bullets for his Henry. So nothing and he gets a bunch