Disappearing range lead

[jsheyn]

On Friday nights a group of us lead type fellas go and shoot all night long <more BS'ing then shooting most nights> at our clubs indoor range, by morning we're done shooting and we would usually grab a couple gallons of range lead each for next weekend’s shooting. The last couple of months the range trap has been picked clean, we’re not even able to grab a gallon of scrap.

Back in the day everyone just took what they needed and left some for the next guy, aint so no more. Now I see lead being sold on craigslist as range scrap. Makes me feel like I am buying my own lead back.

[Smoke4320]

and you very well may be.. where I am scrap lead is now running .80 a LB
its going to be like copper soon it looks like

[9w1911]

everything is picked clean here as well and there is one guy selling range lead for 2.00 a lb and he knows its for casting but he cannot tell me the hardness of it or the alloy makeup he is basically scrounging every range and selling it, all be it his right to do so but also capitalizing on demand but not knowing what he is selling, I told him that at those prices I can get alloy that is exactly what I want, ie..Roto. My point is if you are going to do this and charge premiums higher than Roto you better know what you are selling.

[Kraschenbirn]

At our club range, the available quantity of 'range lead' has significantly diminished but not from 'over-harvesting'. Due to price/non-availability of ammo, our members just aren't shooting as much...and what they do shoot tends to be (relatively) inexpensive FMJs; both for rifle and handgun.

Bill

[uscra112]

My club range it used to be a brass mine after a LEO training day. Now even the sheriff's deputies are picking up their brass. All I find now are the nice plastic trays from Blazer ammo, which make great storage trays for my boolits.

[2wheelDuke]

I know someone locally that's selling range scrap ingots for $2/lb. I'm guessing they sell at gun shows, I can't see it going for that price with unknown composition and hardness. I'd buy rotomeals alloy that's known virgin alloy before I paid that. And I think I do a better job of fluxing and cleaning when I smelt.

I buy my range scrap, so far my source still sells me raw at a good price. I am buying my own lead back, but it cuts down the amount I have to dig myself.

[wgr]

one range i know had some one even sweep up the fired 22 brass. this is an outdoor range

[jcwit]

one range i know had some one even sweep up the fired 22 brass. this is an outdoor range

Not a bad idea at all. I turned just under a $1,000 bucks of .22 cases from our range maybe a year ago, went for some improvements at the club.

[Whiterabbit]

Back in the day everyone just took what they needed and left some for the next guy, aint so no more. Now I see lead being sold on craigslist as range scrap. Makes me feel like I am buying my own lead back.

Back in the day was last summer, and it included BRASS too! Now, a guy comes through the range three times a day and grabs the 40 pieces that accumulated in each bucket. No chance for scrounging. Takes EVERYTHING. rimfire, steel case, whatever. Just grabs the bucket and empties it into his own.

I thought it was take what you need and leave the rest for your fellow man. "Fellow man" apparently is a dying breed. :(

[Teddy (punchie)]

Our range was cleaned after years of use and we waited for a month and then went and got lead there was only one other person to do so. We are going to try to go after the fines next and then head up the the outdoor range. We are going to ask around and sell at club at a lower cost any extra we have. Then sell here.