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There was 4# of commercial 158 grain SWC bullets of some sort of fairly hard alloy in the scrap bin. Swaged not cast since they lack a sprue. Laser Cast go $60 for 500 so I make this 170 count find to be about $20 worth of "lead" for $4
Found a few hundred 9mm cast once too. A couple of other times have come up with some casters supply going to scrap. Sad but I make sure it doesn't get wasted and will be appreciated.
Anyone else come across bullets or shot in the scrap yard?
No but I once came across 8 of the big rotometals ingots stamped 90-5-5 for $1 a pound. This was my first stop by the scrapyard and convinced me I needed to order a Lee drip o matic and a 6 cav mold. Imagine my dismay when I discovered this was not the norm and usually it was dirty roof flashing at that price.
That first few thousand 124 9mms out of perfect clean alloy at under .02 each was enough to get me hooked on casting though.
I came on to about 130 pounds of the round shot, one size smaller than BB shot at a local scrap dealer. It was very battered, and had a lot of debris and broken glass in it. Needed to start from a cold pot, with a heavy cover as it was making a popping noise as it came up to temp. At the time, I thought it close to pure lead as it did not seem to heat treat. Also some broken lino ingots. Just never know what is in the scrap box.
Picked up 130 lb in 2 1/2 ingots. $0.75/lb. Not yet sure if it's pure.
The last time I was at the scrap place there was a heaping full 5 gallon bucket of freshly cast 8oz fishing weights sitting by the scales. Unfortunately this yard will not sell to the public.
I found a bag of #4 shot and about 30 lbs of .44 swaged bullets in the lead bin at the junk yard, but the bullets are so dirty I think I'll just melt them into bullets I can use. Junk yard charges $0.75 a pound and seldom has anything worth buying anymore, although I still look. My best find was a bucket of mono-type,and some large babbitt bearings.
I bought a stash of dental lead off a guy on Facebook Market place for about $.75 per pound. it looks to be pretty good alloy. I haven't cast with it yet
but it is in my stash now. It was nearly 160 pounds of alloy.
Someplace I recall posting results for and XRF of the dental foils I found once. It was nice alloy, I think it was bit higher antimony and tin than COWW lead. Did yours have that plastic film on them? Man did that smoke.Quote:
Originally Posted by LenH
Haven't been finding a whole lot at scrap yards I check but I think more stuff comes in during the warmer months. Pickings have been slim enough I picked 170 .38 SWC that were dumped loose out of the pallet sized bin just to buy 4# of something useful. Lot of plain soft lead right now. Plain lead in pipe and sheet, not much else. Did see a small bucket of reclaimed shot not long ago but it was badly weathered and white with oxidation. Not worth it when the lead is that bad, and breathing in that white dust is bad enough I have to mask up, messes up me mustache so I passed on the deal.
Bucket of mono-type and Babbitt are a nice score. I always wonder what the story is when I see reloading and casting materials in the bin, Lyman or Lee ingots, cast bullets, that sort of thing.
I found 20# of #8 shot in a metal coffee can once. $10. It has already broken many clay targets.
My best deal to date was in 1975. Was coming home from working out of town and stopped in a small town for some gas and a cold drink at a service center? Asked the guy at the counter if they had any WW? Sure can have all you want but I am locking up in 15 minutes and the night guy can’t get in the shop. He walks me back and points at a 55gal barrel full and says Go for it! So I grabbed my chain and hooked it around the bottom of the barrel and used the company’s truck to pull the barrel outside. Rejigged and tipped it over in the parking lot. Started shoveling and sweating about 20 minutes later they where all in the back of the truck. I sweep the area and put his barrel by the over head door and was on my way. All COWW and not 3lbs of junk!
I have found hundreds of pounds of pre-cast NEW boolits in the scrap yards. Bought all I could find for $0.75/#. Most were 18+ hardness. Many were cleanable/de-greasable in acetone (38cal) and usable (PC’d). The rest I melted down into ingots.
You never know what you will find in the yards! I feel sooooooo sorry for those that live where yards will not sell to people. All my guys are glad to sell to me!
I once asked about lead and got a what you gonna do with it question.
I said cast bullets with it.
the counter guy called the manager out and said this guy wants bullet casting lead.
follow me says the manager.
we walk out into a little metal drive through building and he points to a bunch of pointy ended 18" long bright shiny things with a hole in the end all wrapped up on a pallet.
65 cents a lb.,,, they are 20 lbs each [actually they are 25 lbs each he weighed one with a hole in the center]
400 lbs by their figures [500 actual] at .65 cents a lb ='s straight in the back of Fiver's truck.
Only one scrap yard near me that will sell lead and he never has much. He is more into scrap cars and appliances... He said he never bothers saving the wheel weights, they get crushed with the car after the engine and transmission is pulled for the aluminum he smelts on site. Want stinky... drop a transmission in the smelter!
Those times you hit the mother load are one reason to build up a stash of cash as "mad money" just in case you come across one of those barrel or pallet deals. Doesn't have to be huge amount, just whatever little extra you can set aside that will allow you to maximize your purchase of a good find. One time I couldn't buy the whole barrel but I did managed to get 2 1/2 buckets worth because I had the funds set aside. Later came back and bought more but some was going out with other people so I didn't get the whole barrel. No harm, bet they put that lead to good use too.
I recently boiled some 9mm to clean them up. Worked ok but those were not commercial, and don't think they were lubed. Just dirty and oily from storage conditions. Few years back I found 2 1/2 boxes of laser cast 38's so old the price sticker had them at $36.99 and looking them up they were at $60 and change. Those boxes are living proof that the commercial lube has "staying power" that is for sure. Blue lube grooves had zero slump or melt out.
I am more than willing to take someone else's word for what melting a transmission smells like. No need to rush out to confirm it for myself.
...............I call that "mad money".........CREDIT CARDS! Never leave home without them! Cuz I never know how much I will find or where it will be. All scrap yards I attend accept plastic willingly!!!!
Any lead is getting harder to come by. But, the last acquisition was about 150 lbs of lino, from a guy who's dad had a print shop. He brought it to my boss, along with other things from the clean up. My boss told me if you want it it's yours.
Got a good boss this time !
Mine took a hit from a recent powder and primer purchase. Will take a very good deal indeed to pile anymore onto plastic until that purchase is paid for. Not going to happen that entire amount gets paid in same month the brakes get fixed. None of the scrap yards I hit take plastic. Not even debit cards been a couple of times that was a real hassle. But they have the lead, I want the lead, and they only take cash money US.Quote:
Originally Posted by bangerjim
My scrap dealer only takes cash too. I bring in scrap and put in on account for that rare find. I have about 10 car batteries I need to take in. How much should I expect to receive for a car battery? I have a bunch of motorcycle and ATV batteries too.
$7-15 for a car battery around me, depends on how far I want to drive to get rid of them...