howd i do? lead score...

[par0thead151]

i am picking up 500# of pure lead( i believe it is pure)
10 cents a pound
the lead was used in rail cars for their ballasts so whatever type of lead was used in that application is what i am getting. the lead is encased in wood, but should not be too difficult to get out
i figure it will work well for buckshot and slugs or i can sell/trade to black powder shooters, or it might convince me to buy my own black powder rifle.
good score?

[Gunslinger]

Indeed a very good score at a very decent price too :-D

[par0thead151]

should i expect this to be pure lead?

[Gunslinger]

Well... I won't put my behind on the line, but yes I would expect it to be pure. Since the lead is encased in wood hardness probably wasn't important, only weight. For that application pure would be the obvious choice....

I'm sure someone in here knows for sure.

[standles]

Hmmm should I be going down to the spur line and INSPECTING the cars to make sure they have thier ballast intact? :mrgreen:

I might need to get ma a "Ballast Inspector" badge made up.

[Ole]

Kind of makes you wonder why they are getting rid of it.

[sheepdog]

Kind of makes you wonder why they are getting rid of it.

Agreed when even more scrap yards are paying .15 to .20 cents a pound. But have if its really lead and not radioactive then cool beans.

[par0thead151]

originally the guy wanted 50 cents a pound.
apparently scrap yards are getting picky as to what lead they take. the wood around it made the scrapers refuse it.
the guy also does not want to haul it him self...
i am picking it up from his business.

[hammerhead357]

151, I have worked in the railroad industry for 36 years and have never heard of using lead for ballast. I am not saying that it's not done I just have never seen it. Usually if a load is out of balance on a car the shipper will offset it with barrels full of concrete or iron weights.
I can't tell where you are from but if outside of the US it may be different. That is just my experince. TWIW.....Wes

[par0thead151]

milwaukee wisconsin is where the lead is.
i am now a bit leery as if scrap yards will not take it... i wonder what its prior use was.
is there any medical lead that is still dangerous? IE radioactive or other such harmful things?
smelting and casting is enough of a hazard, i do not need to have something more dangerous in my garage.

[runfiverun]

it ain't radioactive if it has been around without the iodine or whatever for more then a month.
once it's in ingots i doubt that anybody is gonna do a dna test on it.