Fair price per pound for lead ingots??

[Dave Bulla]

Hi all.

Another new guy with a question that's probably been asked a thousand times but I went back a couple pages and didn't see any threads specifically asking about the price of lead.

Anyway, everyone I talk to says it's getting harder and harder to find lead wheel weights or other sources of lead so out of boredom tonight, I got on ebay and searched "Lead". Found tons of it for sale then got smart and used the search feature to narrow things down to sellers within 25 miles of me and still got a couple of hits.

There is a fella selling ingots of indoor range lead that he says was fluxed twice and is very clean. Of course the auctions are still in progress but it's looking like about a dollar a pound or a little less is the going rate.

Is that a fair price for this grade of lead? I emailed the seller asking if I could pick up in person and that I was interested in learning about casting but I probably won't hear back until tomorrow sometime.

Just thought I'd jump on here to get an idea before I buy.

Thanks

[JesseCJC]

I wouldn't pay more than 1 dollar per pound, shipped. Look in the sponsor section and the Captain is selling some in 50lb boxes for cheap so if I had to buy, I would get them from her.

Edit, here you go

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=63886

[fredj338]

The going rate is a $1/#. My only issue w/ e-bay/craig'slist sales, you have no idea what you are buying. It's not impossible to melt zinc ww & get them into molds. Zinc ingots are useless for bullet casting at any price IMO. SO buyer beware.

[Adk Mike]

I've been casting for 30 years. I never buy lead. The trick is to ask people you run into. You'd be surpised what people have. I've looked long enough now I have more than a liftime supply.

[Dave Bulla]

Talked to the seller and he says it's all recycled bullet lead and shot from shooting ranges with brinnell hardness ranging from 12 to 17. Local pick-up price is .80 cents per pound.

Here is his description as it shows up on the auction.

"This is recycled lead from an indoor firing range. It is bullet cores and shotgun slugs/pellets from an INDOOR firing range, NOT wheel weights. The lead has been described by my customers as "Very HARD Lead". Check out my buyer feed back page. I use the lead for casting a wide variety of rifle, magnum pistol, and shotgun shot. I flux the lead at least 2 times during the cleaning/smelting process. The "Biscuits" weigh approximately 1.75 pounds each and they easily fit into most lead pots and the "Littleton Shot Maker". I also have the "LEE" 1 pound and 1/2 pound ingot bars if the buyer would prefer the bars let me know when ordering."

[fredj338]

Talked to the seller and he says it's all recycled bullet lead and shot from shooting ranges with brinnell hardness ranging from 12 to 17. Local pick-up price is .80 cents per pound.

Here is his description as it shows up on the auction.

"This is recycled lead from an indoor firing range. It is bullet cores and shotgun slugs/pellets from an INDOOR firing range, NOT wheel weights. The lead has been described by my customers as "Very HARD Lead". Check out my buyer feed back page. I use the lead for casting a wide variety of rifle, magnum pistol, and shotgun shot. I flux the lead at least 2 times during the cleaning/smelting process. The "Biscuits" weigh approximately 1.75 pounds each and they easily fit into most lead pots and the "Littleton Shot Maker". I also have the "LEE" 1 pound and 1/2 pound ingot bars if the buyer would prefer the bars let me know when ordering."

Well, if you can believe the seller, 80c/# for castable alloy is not a bad price. When you consider going rate for a 100#+ bucket of ww is at elast $20 & the % of useable lead ww goes down every month ( my last bucket out here was only about 65% useable), that works out close to 30c/# & I had to go get them, smelt & cast ingots. If its' 80c/# delivered, not a bad price, despite some of the lucky guys that get it for free.

[Echo]

Talked to the seller and he says it's all recycled bullet lead and shot from shooting ranges with brinnell hardness ranging from 12 to 17. Local pick-up price is .80 cents per pound.

Here is his description as it shows up on the auction.

"This is recycled lead from an indoor firing range. It is bullet cores and shotgun slugs/pellets from an INDOOR firing range, NOT wheel weights. The lead has been described by my customers as "Very HARD Lead". Check out my buyer feed back page. I use the lead for casting a wide variety of rifle, magnum pistol, and shotgun shot. I flux the lead at least 2 times during the cleaning/smelting process. The "Biscuits" weigh approximately 1.75 pounds each and they easily fit into most lead pots and the "Littleton Shot Maker". I also have the "LEE" 1 pound and 1/2 pound ingot bars if the buyer would prefer the bars let me know when ordering."

That is a good deal. Forty cents/pound is a good price, if you have to buy your stuff. And +1 for The Captain's stuff. I have ordered from her, and am very satisfied. I believe she charges $47 for 50 pounds, delivered.

[Dave Bulla]

Fred, it's not 80 cents per pound delivered, it's that price if I go pick it up. About a 25 mile drive from my house and I get to talk to someone experienced in casting and maybe see his setup to get some ideas so I'm figuring it'll be worth it. In my car, it'll cost me about $5 in gas to go get it.

[fredj338]

Fred, it's not 80 cents per pound delivered, it's that price if I go pick it up. About a 25 mile drive from my house and I get to talk to someone experienced in casting and maybe see his setup to get some ideas so I'm figuring it'll be worth it. In my car, it'll cost me about $5 in gas to go get it.

Even then, not a bad price. Buy enough to make the drive worth while (at least 100#). That works out to about $25/K for 200gr/45s!

[geargnasher]

I'm a little doubtful about that "12 to 17" bhn, especially since bullet cores, shotgun slugs, and pellets are almost pure lead. Birdshot, of course, is very hard. but "pellets" is probably soft buckshot. Most indoor range scrap comes out more like 7-10 bh, even with some "hardball" commercial cast mixed in. I'm not saying he's lying, 12-17 is pretty hard as his customers are saying, but there must be a lot of something else in the mix to make it that way, because the described contents won't get there by themselves.

Do the fingernail test at least, because you'll likely have to add expensive metal to harden it a bit if you can scratch it easily.

Gear

[Trey45]

It would be worth it for the lead price alone, talking to an experienced bullet caster and checking out his setup may very well prove to be priceless. Especially if he takes a liking to you, you may garner some real working knowledge and instructions in the process. Good luck!

[Dave Bulla]

I guess I'll have to ask him if he adds anything to the lead.

How about some more info on the fingernail test... Sounds like it's simply seeing how soft it is by gouging it with a nail but what are ya looking for. At what brinnel hardness can you no longer scratch lead?

Trey45, you stated my own thoughts exactly!

[sqlbullet]

Locally I sell for $35/40# box. I generally sell about all I am willing to let go of. Right now I am out, except for the 2000 lbs I keep on hand for me.

[Dave Bulla]

Been emailing the seller.

He says it is range lead with quite a it of "hard shot" in it so maybe the shot is what makes it hard.

The question I have now is, what is "too hard"? Is there such a thing even? Is 12 to 17brnl a good range to be in? These bullets will be for rifle. 9.3x57 specifically. So standard jacketed velocity is about 2100fps. I'd like to get close to that.

[Stick_man]

I'd recommend purchasing a hardness tester. That way you will know exactly how hard it is. Even if it is at the upper end of the stated range in hardness, you can then determine how much pure lead you would need to soften it up to what you want.

[ANeat]

Dave if it was local I wouldnt worry about how hard it was. I would also go talk to the guy and see if he would sell any before he smeted it. Basicly go around the middle man (EBAY) He may cut you a better deal without the fees and him having to pack it

[ronterry]

Yeap - go right to the end user
Whats up Adam...