Soft Lead Supply

[WolfyW]

WooHoo! Just ordered my first caplock rifle and am all geared up for when the delivery guy graces my doorstep.

Done some bullet casting years ago. Would someday like to cast my own round balls and conicals, but realize I need much softer lead than wheel weights.

Any idea where to look for lead for muzzleloading? Or is it possible?

[Nobade]

Do you have a range where you can dig in the berms? The cores of jacketed bullets are mostly pure lead and make wonderful round balls. Or you can order lead from Rotometals, or buy it on the swappin' forum here. Lots of options, just depends on whether you have more time or money.

-Nobade

[GARD72977]

You can use just about any lead for the round balls. You will need soft lead for the conicals. There is soft lead on the site for sale often. Stick on tire weights work great for ML

[fouronesix]

For round balls you can use wheel weights and do OK. For conicals or minies you'll need as soft as you can find- I just call it near pure so it runs about BHN 6 or less. I've scrounged it by word of mouth, classifieds here on this forum, local metal junk yard, one of advertisers here (http://www.rotometals.com/Bullet-Casting-Alloys-s/5.htm) has all manner of lead alloys, etc. I found a whole bunch of stripped cable sheathing a few years ago at the local recycler. It is very soft and perfectly adequate for the muzzleloader uses that call for very soft lead- like the minies. I've found very thick heavy lead pipe in the past in piles of scrap. Metal recyclers sometimes end up with the strangest things. Once in a while a stash of old plumbers lead will show up along with lead sheet roof flashing. Even radiation shielding out of x-ray labs or dentists offices can be used. The Lee molds are the easiest and cheapest to get started with.

[cajun shooter]

Go to your local plumbers supply houses and see if they still have the plumbers lead pigs in stock. This was used for many things in the plumbing trade. A demolition business will also have several roof jacks that are pure lead.
I don't feel I would use WW lead for your round balls as they have to be used with a patch and lube. You may want to see about using a sabot if your rifle has the correct rifling for that type of shooting. Can't give you an exact as you did not post any of your rifle information.
The best twist for RB is a 1in60. Rifles like the Hawken have a 1in 48 which is a middle of the road twist that shoots RB and minnie's good but not perfect as one can have. Best of luck David

[WolfyW]

Thanks guys. It's a Lyman Deerstalker, 1:48 twist. I figger the deer here, my targets, and my middle-age ages are all close range affairs. Should have also mentioned I'm located in Canuckistan.

[357maximum]

The 250Grain Lee R.E.A.L bullet is normally a champion of accuracy in 1:48 twist barrels. You do need somewhat soft lead with it, but it does not have to be foundry grade pure either. I would place it right towards the top in a poll of the 10 best things to ever come out of LEE. Easy loading, accuracy over many shots, and enough "thumP" to get the job done and not kill on both ends of the gun......in a word I would call the LEE R.E.A.L...PERFECT.

[WolfyW]

Now THAT I can find here. Just need the stuff to pour into it ;)

[OverMax]

Canuckistan. >Canada. Hmm? Shipping can become a problem in that case. Lead boxes are indeed heavy and may run into restrictions especially if you don't tell the shipper here in the States before hand what those restrictions are. You might be better off calling a recycling yard in a larger city up there to find some. Or try locally. (I would try to advertize in those free newspaper for some. May work?) So long as its soft lead. i.e. Sheet or old lead water piping. Either's good.

[grullaguy]

Sadly, unless you have a mailbox south of the border, using this site to purchase lead is a no-go. I use range scap for my round balls and sheet lead from roof jacks for my soft lead.

[WolfyW]

No intention of "using this site", just getting your ideas. i.e. where to gather lead from places I may not have thought of.
I did catch a video on the subject where one guy says he snagged a huge haul in the form of a discarded boat keel. I don't know if that stuff is soft or harder, but it's a source.

[grullaguy]

Boat keels are a source of lead which can provide 1000 lbs + at a go. The problem is you never know what is in the lead. If the keel was just done by a home project type of guy, there can be pretty well anything in the keel including zinc and lead blends. As well, if the keel was poured in segments, the lead purity can vary as the person found new lead sources through project.
Put the word out through your friends and family and lead will start showing up from all sorts of places. I mined about a 100 lbs of range lead last week and was given another 200 or more lbs from different friends in the same time period. I am heading out to the range again this morning to try some work with a shovel and screen to try to increase my haul.

[KCSO]

Old Plumbers lead, cable sheeting lead just ask around and you will be surprised at what comes up. I have a roofer friend and every so often he comes in with a few sheets of lead.