Sources of Pure or Dead Soft Lead ???

Okay, basically I sort my casting lead accordingly:

Bin#1 ~ "Hard Ball Bin" Real commercial hardball alloy, WW alloy, and other stuff of similar hardness I can find
Bin#2 ~ "Soft Ball Bin" Softest is 30:1 hardest is 20:1 and any softer range lead I can get my hands on.
Bin#3 ~ "Dead Soft" Pure lead or darn close to it -- soft enough for muzzle loader use.
Bin#4 ~ "Typemetal" The really hard stuff.

The bin I have the hardest keeping full is #3. I need recommendations on where I can get stuff to fill that bin -- and I'm beyond the scroungin stage in desperation. I'm talking about buying if necessary. One guy suggested I could buy chilled non-magnum commercial lead shot and when melted down it's nearly pure lead. Can anyone confirm that or point me in a better (more economical) direction before I go out and buy a bag or two of shot just to melt it down ?????

shot has antimony and tin is about ww hardness you have a PM

1. junkyards obviously, look for pipe, sheet, etc
2. plumbers, who may have occasion to score pure lead
3. home remodelers who can also score pure lead
4. roofers who might score old flashing, etc.
5. dentists, doctors who might have old x-ray facilities
6. old housing to be razed


Network! talk to any friends, ask them to ask their friends, offer to make the effort worth their while. I don't think any of us will ever find "free" lead so barter for it!

95% of my soft lead came from working in underground utilities construction for 11 years. If you know someone that installs gas/electric/water/phone and such in most older cities they could likely help...iffin they do not hoard it for themselves that is. GOOD LUCK


lead water service pipes are quite frequent in some neighborhoods and it would surprise most libtards how many are still...in service...good thing them condors do not drink tapwater eh? Most are filled with mineral deposits and the water never actually touches the pipe. In most areas where I worked if you found a lead service pipe with the hoe the city would replace the whole length of the service drop. At which point I would do my civic duty and take the "hazardous material" home with me for safe and proper disposal.:mrgreen: I no longer do that work and am darn glad I got while the gettin was good.

Just be careful smelting the pipes down...put the pipe in the smelting pot cold and then fire it up ....and then you still need to be on your toes for "surprises" especially if the pipe is all bent up instead of cut into pieces or even worse if it was cut up with a hatchet and the ends are somewhat sealed.[smilie=1:

I lucked out. I am a range officer for Junior National Championships. I went to a National Match a few years ago and I was given 1500 pounds of spent air rifle pellets. It is about 1 in 50. Very soft. I was also given 1000 pounds of .22 rf rifle spent bullets. There is paper mixed with the lead but it burns off easily.

The air rifle pellets make great ML bullets and the .22 bullets make BP cartridge rifle and pistol bullets.

Turbo1889,
Stick on lead wheelweights are easily scratched with a thumbnail. They are either pure lead or close to it.
Roger

Put a small add in the local paper. "Willing to buy soft lead" .30/lb up to 500lbs or whatever... Perfect time to buy...Price is low, junk yards are not buying. You'll have all the lead you want....Every Tom,Dick and henry will show up.

If you have one of those shops around that does the fancy stained glass windows, that is close to pure. Ebay is still selling it and it seems to be comming down in price, certainly cheaper than buying bulk shot. Did you try here in the WTB section? There is usually someone with some extra wanting to sell.