Alternate lead sources

[selmerfan]

Okay, so I'm seeing over and over that lead WW's are becoming harder and harder to find. I've got a supply of around 500 lbs. which should last me for many years, as I don't shoot as much as I'd to, but I do have two girls (8 & 6) that love to shoot, so I'll be feeding them sometime in the near future as well. Let's put together a current alternate list of lead sources that may be obtained for low cost, even though that's becoming harder and harder as well. I'll start it out.
Wheelweights - I still get them from the local tire shop and one shop where my in-laws live
Lead pipe from plumbing - USPS counter man gave me about 60 lbs. two weeks ago.
Isotope cores
X-ray shielding
Dental foils - outdated technology, some are still using it
Range scrounging

[sundog]

Shower pans
Roof flashing
Cable shielding
Counter weights (aircraft, marine, heavy equipment, etc.)

[lwknight]

There will always be some lead around. It just gets harder to find especially now that junkers are getting nearly $1.00 per pound for scrap that they scavage up.

[grisy11]

what about old sail boats

[Mustangpalmer1911]

I got about 50lb from a friend who works at a hospital. They replaced the doors around the X-ray area and her riped it out of them.

[David LaPell]

A worst case scenario I would suppose is getting range lead. I have my own range and those 475 grain Minie balls are pretty good size. Recently I saw a couple of cans of home made bullets that someone cast but was in another caliber I don't have. They were cheap and if they are there when I go back I may buy them because they will be cheaper than wheel weights pound for pound. About 20 pounds worth for about $10 and I think I can get them for a couple bucks less. They can all be recycled. I have about 400 rounds of ammo in the basement right now that are in calibers I don't own so I am going to pull all those bullets (all lead) and eventually recycle them too.

[468]

work out a swap at a local scrap yard. Hustle up some copper tubing...its worth about $4/lb...trade then 4 for 1...

[David LaPell]

I can tell you that I can only imagine how much harder this is going to get. Maybe not this year, maybe not next year, but how about 10 years from now? Given our country's nanny state mentality it makes me wonder how much worse this environentalist garbage is going to get. Think about it, this isn't getting better no matter who is in charge as long as we have people hell bent on making sure that we don't do a darn thing that someone else thinks is dangerous. I mean, I'm only 35, I have (hopefully) many years of casting ahead of me, and frankly, I want to be able to cast something and not run out of material.

[Ole]

Build yourself a backstop/bullet trap and recycle your own boolits.

I don't do this yet, but I probably will start once my stash starts to dwindle.

[CWME]

Build yourself a backstop/bullet trap and recycle your own boolits.

I don't do this yet, but I probably will start once my stash starts to dwindle.

Problem with that is some ranges are very strict in what is downrange. I read about people shooting gongs and steel targets all the time. You are all very lucky people. My range only alows paper and depending on who you talk to skeets on the embankment. I got barked at the other day for shooting some skeets on the bank by the RO. Boggles the mind because the skeet ranges have piles 2' thick of them in places... The fear with steel is bullets flying off the range I guess. Doesn't make sense to me but that is the rule.

Anyway another issue is the same idiots that are trying to ban the lead are the ones calling the cops if they hear a gun go off. So no trap at the range and no trap behind the shop for handgun shooting.

The libs are getting us tied down a little at a time.

[fredj338]

Yeah, private ranges/clubs w/ berms are a great palce to scrounge lead. Stained glass shops or classes, dive shops or fishing outfits. WW were the best choice as they needed little to nothing to be a good alloy & they were pretty much free for the asdking until a few years agao. Now with bans in Kalif, Wash, NY, NJ & other states, they will only be around for 203yrs, about as long as a set of tires lasts.:(

[bslim]

Find yourself a wrecking yard and bring donuts. I was surprised at how many WW these guys go thru. 90% of the used tires they sell are taken off of the rims and the WW go into the pail. One yard threw their WW in the metal scrap bin, cause they didn't think they were worth anything. Who am I to tell them different, but they now save them for me. Donuts work wonders.

[wgr]

been trying to trade some steel beams for lead with some stock car drivers they fill vauve covers with lead for weight in cars