Having a HELL of a time finding lead.......

[juniorsonic]

When I first decided to cast my own (about 6 months ago), the first tire shop I hit gave me a 5-gallon bucket about 3/4 full of weights. Well, it must have been pure beginner's luck, because the dozen-or-so other shops I hit that day told me to go pound sand. And, today - 6 months & ~50 tire shops later, I still have yet to score more wheel weights. I often hear stories of huge mountains of lead weights sitting underwater near dams in popular, highly-populated fishing areas. Anyone heard this too?

[para45lda]

They're there. But it's a death trap even for experienced divers.

Getting wrapped up in monofilament is no joke.

Wes

[bruce drake]

In addition to the mono fishing line, there is also the dangers of undertows from the dam's turbines sucking you into the intake pipes or causing you to be trapped against the intake grills until your air runs out.

As the saying goes...let the resting lead lie where they are.

Bruce

[John Boy]

I often hear stories of huge mountains of lead weights sitting underwater near dams in popular, highly-populated fishing areas. Anyone heard this too? Yep,

As the saying goes...let the resting lead lie where they are
Naw, not if you use your noodle, the PB just keeps coming!

I grew up in a NY town that had a river with a dam running through the middle of the town. In the Spring, suckers ran up the river to spawn. We used to snatch for them off the concrete dike in front of the dam.

We cut holes in metal garbage cans, tied a rope to them with a rock on the end, put a few rocks in the cans and submerged a few in front of the dam

Never had to buy sinkers or snatch hooks again!

[juniorsonic]

Yep,
Naw, not if you use your noodle, the PB just keeps coming!

I grew up in a NY town that had a river with a dam running through the middle of the town. In the Spring, suckers ran up the river to spawn. We used to snatch for them off the concrete dike in front of the dam.

We cut holes in metal garbage cans, tied a rope to them with a rock on the end, put a few rocks in the cans and submerged a few in front of the dam

Never had to buy sinkers or snatch hooks again!

Now THAT is a hell of an idea! Ingenious! I have a buddy who says he is willing to dive down to the bottom of the nearest dam/salmon fishing area for lead. I'll have to run these dangers you guys speak of by him & see what he says. He is a pretty experienced diver.

[VA Shooter]

juniorsonic got alittle tip for you don't go to the big tire shops they will not give you lead at all they have contracts with battery CO. Go to little one and two bay shops that " Billy Joe" owns I have gotten a 70% success rate and some guy at a big tire shop said that some guy comes in every so offten and buys them from him I said how much he said 5 bucks a 5 gal I offered him 7 he said deal

[walltube]

"Mining" lead at the traditional tire shops, etc. are becoming more a thing of the past. As said, 'Big Time Tire Co. Inc.' have agreements with battery manufacturers and who knows else to rid the shop of discarded WW. Corporate America is in the crosshairs of the "GET GREEN or ELSE" mobsters.

Smaller, one owner\operated shops deal face to face with customers everyday. They are more in touch with the human side of a transaction. Most are yet under the discarded WW EPA radar. Buying and having tires repaired at such shops give the hungry WW prospector an advantage. Sweetening the relationship with Mr. Smallshop by offering a doz. or two doughnuts for his crew oftimes work wonders.

Big shop, small shop, does not matter; the prospect of having zinc contaminated WW in your newfound mother lode is on the increase. My advisory is buy from our vendors here at Cast Boolits. By that, I'm not suggesting any LeadHead quit the quest. Stay vigilant, be resourcefull. It's in our collective DNA... :)

Yours to the last WW,
Wt.

[juniorsonic]

"Mining" lead at the traditional tire shops, etc. are becoming more a thing of the past. As said, 'Big Time Tire Co. Inc.' have agreements with battery manufacturers and who knows else to rid the shop of discarded WW. Corporate America is in the crosshairs of the "GET GREEN or ELSE" mobsters.

Smaller, one owner\operated shops deal face to face with customers everyday. They are more in touch with the human side of a transaction. Most are yet under the discarded WW EPA radar. Buying and having tires repaired at such shops give the hungry WW prospector an advantage. Sweetening the relationship with Mr. Smallshop by offering a doz. or two doughnuts for his crew oftimes work wonders.

Big shop, small shop, does not matter; the prospect of having zinc contaminated WW in your newfound mother lode is on the increase. My advisory is buy from our vendors here at Cast Boolits. By that, I'm not suggesting any LeadHead quit the quest. Stay vigilant, be resourcefull. It's in our collective DNA... :)

Yours to the last WW,
Wt.


Thanks for the helpful info. I will be checking the 'mom & pop' shops around the area to see what I can find.

[walltube]

juniorsonic,

You are welcome and good luck.

Wt.

[-06]

A remodeling bud swapped me some lead sheets for some 223 reloads. 'Bout a 100#s of pure soft stuff. Have been stockpiling old lead pipes for years plus accumulating WWs. Picked up an old plumbers melting pot that turns it into the silver stream in just a few minutes for ingots. Best wishes on finding new supplies. Would be vigilant about it as at some point in time the supply will dwindle.

[Groundhawg]

think I have near 1000 lbs of wheel weights outside the shop.
Near 5000 lbs of pure stuff inside.
Pays to know the area scrap collectors and become friends.
Some smoke , some drink some will trade stuff...
they are the dirty guys with dirty trucks and wear dirty t-shirts.
KEEP TRYING

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Groundhawg is so right,
Contacts ! you can never have enough Contacts...be generous with them,
they will remember you when they stumble onto scrap Lead.


PS. if these dirty guys like to shoot, but don't reload...it's an easy trade.

[Groundhawg]

had 800 lbs of lead delivered free
when I helped a scrap guy get steel months earlier ...
still got a lead bar in the shop he dropped off one day
inch thick ... 5 inches wide by four feet long ...
HUGE
still got it in the corner too
I cannot move it.

[GSCSA]

Went to a small tire shop several months ago and asked about buying lead. The owner said he just gave what he had away the week before. For some reason I mentioned I was casting my own bullets. Turns out he's a fellow shooter. That afternoon I brought him by some .38s and .45s. He managed to "find" 3/4ths of a bucket of WWs in the back. I picked up half a bucket from him Friday as well. Cost me a 50 pack of donut holes. Don't forget to check the scrap yards. Went to a place Friday afternoon and he sold me WWs at 39 cents/lb. I only bought 60lbs, but he had a 55 drum full.