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Eagle66
01-15-2014, 05:04 AM
Today while out & about doing stuff, I stopped at several places to ask about WW’s. I ran into some interesting, some funny, and some really cool stuff. BTW, when I ask about WW’s, I always say they are for making fishing weights.[smilie=1:

First stop was AA+. He gave me a most of a waste basket full that he had, 46#. Free. :bigsmyl2:No, that’s not a typo. Free. Every store of this brand has always given me some free. No, I won’t tell you who they are, unless you tell me where your magic spot is where the deer all pose for your shot.

Next place was the stock lie about they gave them to some guy that came by last week. Nothing new there. My sister, who was along for the ride, found that interesting.

Next was another store of the same brand as the first. He said that he’d see what he could find and came back after a bit with a little bag full(6#). I thanked him and went back out to the car where my sister was waiting. When she saw the bag, she started snickering. [smilie=l: When I asked her what was so funny, she told me that she saw the guy come out into the garage, scoop up a couple of handfuls, and then just stand there chewing the fat with the boys in the garage for several minutes before I came out.

The next place, the fellow at the desk said that “the guy” got all he had yesterday, and that they didn’t give them away anyway. I asked him how much he sold them for and he said, “$10/lb.” I barely made it back to the car before I started laughing. :roll: When my sister asked what’s up, I told her and she started laughing too.

The next place said that they give them to a guy that melts them down into boolits. That caught me short and all I could say was, “Wow, that’s interesting”. :shock: He said that if I came back in a couple of weeks, maybe he could get the guy to split them with me. He took my number, & I left. When I told my sister about that one she started laughing again. So much for the fishing weight line.:|

Last place of the day, the guy said that he didn’t know, he had about 20 buckets of them in the back, but I would have to ask the boss, who was at the other end of the counter with a customer. I started to get my hopes up.( [smilie=w: ) The boss said that they had so many because his guys had been too busy to go thru them and pick out the ones good enough to reuse. They cost too damn much to toss good ones. He said that a shooter friend of his told him that COWW’s make the best boolits. We chatted about that for a bit, then he said that I should get back to him in a 3-4 weeks. He took my name & number and gave me his card with his number. When I told my sister, she said, hmm, that’s interesting. I put that place on my list for a few doughnut runs.

As I dropped my sister off, she said, “I suppose you want me to go pick them up when he calls while you’re out of town?” Then she said OK as long as they didn’t expect her to lift them into the back of her truck. Then I started laughing.

Pretty good day. 52# of free mixed WW’s and more fun than I’ve had in a long time pursuing the elusive WW’s.:grin:

sqlbullet
01-15-2014, 11:26 AM
A couple years back I was in a local branch of a well known chain getting 4 new shoes for my Excursion. I asked them about scrap WW's. They guy at the counter said he would see what they had.

When they pulled my truck around it had a full, sealed box of brand new stick on WW in the back seat.

lightman
01-16-2014, 08:56 PM
Thanks to this thread, I remembered to stop by my local tire shop this morning. Scored about half a bucket, for free. Prolly make it by there in the morning with some donuts! After sorting, about 1/3 were zinc, 1/3 were lead, and the last 1/3 were about equal parts stick-on, iron, and junk. Lightman

leadmonkey
01-16-2014, 09:23 PM
The local metal recycler will sell wheel weights to me for 40 cents a pound. Pretty good for him, since he only pays 20 cents a pound for them.

tygar
01-16-2014, 09:35 PM
The local metal recycler will sell wheel weights to me for 40 cents a pound. Pretty good for him, since he only pays 20 cents a pound for them.

lol my scrap guy pays .17 & charges me 70+.

Eagle66
01-17-2014, 05:41 AM
That free 52# broke down to(before smelting); Clip on 23#, Stick on 19#, Zn 1-1/2 #, Fe 8-1/2#, Trash, not enough to weigh.

The stick on's were 36%, never had that much before :D. Usually ~3-5%. Non lead at 19% were a bit higher than my normal 15%. No trash is nice, usually about 2%.

myg30
01-17-2014, 11:20 AM
Are lead weights not illegal in your state where ever you are ? You should of told the guy that reusing lead was a no-no and you would go thru them and return the good alum,steel,zinc ones when you were done sorting. And do it for free !! And next bucket full !

Mike

leadhead
01-17-2014, 11:36 AM
It's really not legal to re-use wheel weights.
Denny

ACrowe25
01-17-2014, 11:58 AM
Not bad. I get as many WW as I can carry if I give the guy 10% back for his jig heads. Have over 500lbs and just started lol.

lightman
01-17-2014, 12:03 PM
I would gladly buy a sinker mold and swap for WW if any of my sources want to do that. I would swap bullets, but I'm the only reloader around here. Lightman

mold maker
01-17-2014, 02:36 PM
I really feel for you guys starting out, and those that didn't keep their stack high and dry.
I collected and shot WW since the early 60"s. I actively hunted even when the pile in the corner was more than I ever expected to use. Now that they are hard to find at any price I look at the tons in my inventory with the biggest grin.
Every source I have used, except one scrap yard near 50 miles away have stopped allowing WWs to go out the door unless attached to a wheel. I've heard all the excuses from "We reuse them", to "It's against the law". It's all BS and its because somebody greases their hand. Some may be genuinely afraid of responsibility for health problems, but I doubt it. Most have made a deal with their battery supplier. Little do they know the battery co is taking them for a ride.
No, I don't intend to sell any of my stash. When the time comes my Son will have to do the grunt work to get it out of the basement. I've tried for 30 years, to interest him in casting, reloading, and shooting, with no success.
At almost 72 I have a friend thats 20 years younger and, a real gun nut. He will handle what I leave.

fredj338
01-17-2014, 03:01 PM
I still ask when in a shop, but @ $4/g for gas, there is diminishing returns driving around trying to scavenge lead, especially now that more than 50% will be non lead alloy. I am sure it varies by location, but that is just my take on it. At 40c/#, I would go buy 1000# of sorted ww & never look back.

bob208
01-17-2014, 04:43 PM
a few weeks ago I put an add in the trade paper. wanted lead paying better then scrap. I checked the yards they were paying 20-23 cents a lb. so I dais 35 cents for wheel weights and 60 cents for clean lead and I would haul it.. got one guy gave me the lecture that I was way off base and the last lead smelter was shut down blah blah. the next said what they wanted and I said I was buying lead not gold. the third asked for the price again. never heard back from him.

mold maker
01-17-2014, 05:21 PM
They figure, if your advertising for it, you must really need it. Your price is reasonable, but folks with a couple lbs wont mess with strangers, for a buck or so.
You'd probably do better with word of mouth. Your doz friends looking out for you could mount up nicely.

RogerDat
01-17-2014, 06:05 PM
I went out looking and got 75# at $0.30 a pound from one shop. I'm paying what the local recycler pays for WW's. Now where it got sort of funny is at the next couple of stops.

On shop I was told "a math teacher had cleaned them out for a student project so they did not really have anything left" call in a couple of weeks.

Chain store said corporate office only allows sale of WW's to licensed hazmat recycler for the last couple of years.

I don't think the local school (or parents) would allow that "math teacher" to do a "student project" involving a hundred pounds of nasty road grimed lead. Hard to reconcile with the other place treating it as requiring hazmat disposal.

So far I have found 2 or maybe 3 shops that will sell them. This weekend I will stop at the local recycler to see what they might have and at what prices.

If I'm asked I say WW's are good lead alloy for casting if I am asked casting what I tell them bullets. I do put some emphasis on the age of the firearm and need for bullets cast to fit it's specific barrel which applies to the 303 Enfield. Not so much the .38 specials :-) I figure they have a right to make an informed decision, and besides my wife says I can't lie for diddly.

merlin101
01-17-2014, 08:45 PM
It's really not legal to re-use wheel weights.
Denny
In some states it is illegal to use LEAD wheel weights new or used. I picked up aprox.40lbs of new in the box weights! They went right into the pot.

el34
01-17-2014, 09:06 PM
Chain store said corporate office only allows sale of WW's to licensed hazmat recycler for the last couple of years.


I've wondered what it would take to get a license. Haven't researched it though.

mold maker
01-17-2014, 09:47 PM
We certainly qualify as recyclers, just not the kind they're thinking.
I've thought about the same thing. A magnetic door sign and some cards from vistaprint should work. Maybe even some yellow buckets with hazmat emblems in red.
Naw, I can't lie worth a darn. just ask, and take what ever comes along.

Black Powder Bill
01-17-2014, 11:03 PM
I've wondered what it would take to get a license. Haven't researched it though.

Don't even go there man! You want to deal with the EPA and your DNR????

WILCO
01-18-2014, 06:16 PM
Pretty good day. 52# of free mixed WW’s and more fun than I’ve had in a long time pursuing the elusive WW’s.:grin:

Glad you had fun. I always offered to pay at least something for what I was given. I don't bother searching for wheel weights anymore. Too much of a hassle and gas is too expensive. Easier and cheaper to buy clean ingots of a known alloy.