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bbs70
02-17-2009, 10:23 AM
I have a chance to pick up 5 5 gal buckets of range scrap at a scrap dealer.
He wants .30 a lb for the stuff, and won't go any lower.:(

How much usable lead do you guys usually get from a 5 gal bucket.

runfiverun
02-17-2009, 10:53 AM
depends on the copper stuff in it.
but 80% should be obtainable. easily.

Boerrancher
02-17-2009, 10:55 AM
I usually get about 40 lbs of lead out of a half a five gal bucket, providing it is clean material without a lot of dirt and rocks mixed in. I like range recovery, I mix it 50/50 with WW and it makes a good tough, yet soft boolit material that will hold together at higher velocities, yet expand well on game. I don't know if I would pay $0.30 a lb for it or not. I would have to be in need of lead really badly before I would pay that price. If I didn't have any lead to speak of I would jump on it.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

sundog
02-17-2009, 11:27 AM
I was going to suggest about 75%, just depends on how small the weights are (more clips with smaller weights), and how much trash (including things like razor blades that will hurt you). Like Joe said, haveta need it pretty badly to pay that, but if that's all you have access to, well.... If's the last you'll ever have access to, and you have a hard time finding lead, and you have the funds...

Gunslinger
02-17-2009, 12:12 PM
I think .30/lbs is way to much for range scrap.. but then again I'm not in desperate need for lead so I can allow myself to be a little picky. Range lead is not a consistent alloy which is why I don't think it's worth that much. If the members of the range shoot mostly jacketed then the outcome will be close to pure but if there is a lot of casters in the club the lead you'll render will be harder! What do you plan on using it for? Are you unable to fnd any WWs?

bbs70
02-17-2009, 12:27 PM
I think .30/lbs is way to much for range scrap.. but then again I'm not in desperate need for lead so I can allow myself to be a little picky. Range lead is not a consistent alloy which is why I don't think it's worth that much. If the members of the range shoot mostly jacketed then the outcome will be close to pure but if there is a lot of casters in the club the lead you'll render will be harder! What do you plan on using it for? Are you unable to fnd any WWs?

I'm not in desperate need of lead, I have several hundred lbs in ingots.
I was just thinking about the future availability of lead.
You know, get it while you can.
Yes, wheel weights are getting really tough to find.

monadnock#5
02-17-2009, 12:37 PM
I'd get my smelting gear set up, and then go and buy one bucket. Once you've done one buckets worth, there will be absolutely no doubt in your mind as to what the buckets still at the scrap dealer are worth.

bbs70
02-17-2009, 01:41 PM
I'd get my smelting gear set up, and then go and buy one bucket. Once you've done one buckets worth, there will be absolutely no doubt in your mind as to what the buckets still at the scrap dealer are worth.

Now why the heck didn't I think about that.:confused:
I guess I was too busy thinking about getting some more lead.
I get carried away sometimes and overlook the obvious.:roll:

Beekeeper
02-17-2009, 02:01 PM
I live in socal.
I recently paid $.25 a pound for 800 lbs of wheel weights. pure lead 3 lbs of what looks to be linotype, and about 50 half dollar sized disks that seem to be almost pure tin from the shine.
My question is did I get took?
What is anyone else paying in the socal area?


beekeeper

smkummer
02-17-2009, 02:01 PM
A friend of mine bought some and melted it on a propane stove. It had some wierd stuff in it and plugged up my shotmaker. I know the range he got it from uses alot a non-lead ammo for LEO qualifications. So maybe the non-tox ammo was giving us all the fits. He has about 100 ingots that we will have to throw or sell to recycling.

supv26
02-17-2009, 08:24 PM
I smelted some range scrap and got some good stuff. I do not know what the hardness is but I was able to shoot about 100 of them last week. I had a very little bit of lead in the barrel so I shot 10 rounds of jacketed bullets when I was done and the barrel was squeaky clean!

The range I get the stuff from is a private range and they only shoot 40 cal jacketed stuff. It's an indoor range and is very easy to get. Just put a bucket under the clean out tray and flip the switch. I am getting about 40 to 45 pounds of ingots from a half 5 gallon bucket of scrap.

imashooter2
02-17-2009, 08:59 PM
Does it look like this?

http://home.comcast.net/~imashooter2/pictures/scrap600.jpg

If so, I get about 70% yield. Note also that it takes more time and gas to smelt than WW. And there's always the chance of a dud .22 lurking in there...

I wouldn't pay 30 cent a pound for it in today's market unless I was desperate for alloy.

targetshootr
02-17-2009, 09:19 PM
I have about 600 pounds of range lead I picked up by hand I don't know what to do with and I still pick up more on every trip. Good thing I don't gamble.

RayinNH
02-17-2009, 09:56 PM
Outdoor range is different than indoor range. The club I belong to has two outdoor ranges. A rifle range and a 50 yard pistol/rifle range. On the pistol side it contains a lot of lead projectiles, as in hardcast. That is good stuff. The club also has an indoor range, and only jacketed or plated bullets are allowed in center fire calibers. The lead from there contains a lot of garbage, target paper, backboard material and bits of wood from the uprights. I can get it free when we clean out the trap about every year or so, but I wouldn't pay for it unless I was desperate...Ray