local find at a scrap yard.

[rmatchell]

I went to a local scrap yard today to sell some bronze and found out that they will sell lead to me for around 50 to 60 cents a pound. They have about 4 thousand pounds on hand between to boxes one was lead pipe that other was lead sheet. I intend to buy as much as I can but I'm not sure what to do with it. How do you guys use lead pipe and lead sheet as far as the make good alloy.

[rainy191]

it works best as is for muzzeloaders but you can mix it with lino to make it similiar to #2. i do mix a small amount with wheel weights and use it to make 38 spl and 45 acp bulletts

[Sasquatch-1]

I would guess that what you are looking at is "dead soft" it is good for swaging and for BP. If you buy a large batch you may want to try trading some for wheel weight or isotope lead.

[rmatchell]

So from the few post I see on this it isn't going to do much good to me except maybe to trade. If it is doable I was wondering what it would take to make it useful for pistol.

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

for pistol you have 2 options, for revolver I would mix it 1:25 tin to lead or 1:1 lead to wheel weights, for semi auto I personally (though others will disagree) would mix it 1:3 lead to wheel weights or 1:1 lead to lino.

[Nocturnal Stumblebutt]

so basically it will be more useful to you if you are a revolver shooter

[rmatchell]

I shoot a lil bit of everything, but its good to see the options. I haven't messed with alloys yet just wheel weights.

[John Wayne]

You can harden it up. I'll pm you a metals dealer inyour area.

[Green Frog]

I shoot a lil bit of everything, but its good to see the options. I haven't messed with alloys yet just wheel weights.

Another useful thing to mix with pure lead is linotype. You might want to see what the possible alloys are with that. BTW, I just happen to have a bit of linotype but am running low on sheet lead. (hint hint [smilie=s:)

Froggie

[kenyerian]

I think that the sheet lead is much easier to work with than the water pipe .

[DukeInFlorida]

If they'll sell you wheel weights for 50 cents pound, buy some of those also.

My local scrapper will ell wheel weights for 50 cents a pound, and give me full rate weight refund for any steel and zinc I return (as long as I separate them)

[rmatchell]

I didn't see and wheel weights but ill be watching.

[fryboy]

look in the pipe for joints !! they be solder ;) um and worth saving and smelting separate !!

[bumpo628]

Linotype is a great alloy to mix with pure lead. You can make just about anything with them. Linotype is 4% tin, 12% antimony, 84% lead. You can get Lino here or from Rotometals.

Lino:Pure
1:1 = 2% tin, 6% antimony (aka Hardball)
1:2 = 1.33% tin, 4% antimony
1:3 = 1% tin, 3% antimony
1:4 = 0.8% tin, 2,4% antimony
1:5 = 0.67% tin, 2% antimony
1:6 = 0.57% tin, 1.71% antimony
1:7 = 0.5% tin, 1.5% antimony

If you buy the pure lead at $0.50 per pound and the Lino from Rotometals, then the alloys above will cost somewhere between $0.80 to $1.80 per pound.