Where to find lead in ca

[Chickenfarmer]

Any tips just getting started casting have been reloading for a while but can't seem to find much lead here.

[jmort]

Where in California? Scrap lead and COWW is virtually impossible for me to find. Have one source and I am often day late when I check. "Some guy just bought all of it." Most of what I have has come from members/vendors here.

[cdngunner]

Lead has been proven to cause cancer in the State of California ...



Good luck

[BNE]

I have had a little success with a company that goes in and scraps out old manufacturing plants. I ran into the manager almost by accident and started talking to him. He told me he could sell me lead, but he would HAVE TO charge me what the scrap yards were paying him! The scrap yard he was in was a real dump. VERY low budget and very disorganized. At least as far as I could see. BUT I was able to pick up around 150 pounds of 99% lead and 1% tin from him. (It was from old sewer pipe that used oakum and lead to make the seals.) I'm on the other side of the country from you, so I do not know if this is of any value.

When I first started, I had a hard time finding any lead. Don't give up and be persistant. It's out there.

[Chickenfarmer]

Thanks yea I already picked up about 15 pounds from my brother just looking for more and don't really know where to start.

[Springfield]

I am in N. California and I manage to find a few thousand pounds a year. Rarely free but never over 1.00/lb, otherwise I just buy it here.

[Bzcraig]

Where you at?

[Chickenfarmer]

North San Diego county

[lightman]

I can't help much with just Ca, but check out several pages of old threads in this lead alloy forum. I've cast and scrounged lead for years and have learned about a few new places to find lead. Talk with your friends, family and co-workers. The more people looking for you, the better! Good Luck in your search. Lightman

[Lee]

Dead vultures ........... :kidding:

[BAGTIC]

Contract with some 'Coyotes' to smuggle some in from Mexico.

[Chickenfarmer]

Bag tic does that work? Lol

[JMtoolman]

Go looking for junk sailboats that have lead keels. There are always old boats that need to be scraped that are taking up space in boatyards. If you are willing to haul them off, you can sometimes get a lot of free lead! Takes a lot of cutting the boat apart and hauling it to the dump! Good luck there. The toolman.

[Chickenfarmer]

How do you know what boats have lead keels.

[roberts1]

pm jetsfan coww already smelted into ingots for $1.15lb shipped to your door. That's hard to beat

[Cmm_3940]

Just get it from condor gullets. According to the greenies, those things hoover it up like nobody's business! :kidding:

[jetsfan-24]

thank u roberts1 any body need any I have lots for sale

[fredj338]

It's always where you can find it. The ww has pretty much been extinct here for a couple years. Ask around; stain glass classes, dentist office, contractors that do demo work, X-ray labs, obviously any scrap yard may have something they will sell. Then there is always berm mining. The two clubs I shoot at have berms I am able to pull lead from, as long as I don't damage the berm. I can often scoop up 30-40# in less than 20 min.

[JMtoolman]

A pocket knife will quickly tell you if it is lead, you can cut a spot off easily. Cast iron keels don't cut real well! The toolman.

[birddog]

right across the border in AZ and NV
Charlie

[69daytona]

I just picked up 3 5gallon buckets of WW at the wyotech auto school in Sacramento, was all free.
Try the local colleges they and truck tire stores I find some there still once in awhile. Just had a friend offer me a 48' sail boat for free, will have to see if he doesn't mind me taking it apart for the lead keel.

[Big Dipper]

I live in Northern California about a hundred miles north if Reno, NV. I get around to talking about cast boolits with everyone I meet. Lots of people have lead in a pile in the garage, in the shop, in the barn, someone's friend is a dirt track racer and has lead from race cars, brother in law that doesn't dive anymore. I keep talking and listening and lead is out there. My Uncle's neighbor had 75 pounds in ingots for fishing weights that he doesn't use, my mother's neighbor was going near bye in a RV picked it up droped it off at my Mother's an now I am casting boolits for my 357.

[Buck Neck It]

One member wrote that he salvaged 3000 pounds of lead fishing sinkers from below a dam near Sacramento. As much as we dislike California politicians and policies, the state seems to be blessed with lots of stupid people who don't know how to fish! Good scrounging.

[Digger]

One member wrote that he salvaged 3000 pounds of lead fishing sinkers from below a dam near Sacramento. As much as we dislike California politicians and policies, the state seems to be blessed with lots of stupid people who don't know how to fish! Good scrounging.

Oh my goodness!!... according to all the Cali Greenies everyone and every thing downstream should have passed away by now with all that poisoning !!

[steve817]

I have picked it up cheap enough from folks right on this board and the hard work has already been done.

[leadbutt]

Maybe in shipwrecks in the bottom of the bay?

[Bigslug]

Just get it from condor gullets. According to the greenies, those things hoover it up like nobody's business! :kidding:

Condors. . .also known to California casters as "The Winged Ingot". Some casters find that smelting condors is very efficient - not only because studies by environmentalist groups have shown that the average twenty pound bird contains thirty-six pounds of lead, but also because you can drop them into your pot whole and the feathers will act as a flux. Personally, I prefer to add LOTS of cedar shavings to cover the smell of burning feathers. . .and dead buzzard.

:bigsmyl2:

[WILCO]

just looking for more and don't really know where to start.

Let folks know that you're looking and also purchase "known" alloys from one of the many vendors here.

[RogerDat]

On scrapping sailboat don't forget the metal beyond the lead. Brass and Aluminum are common on boats and fetch good prices from the scrap yards. Stainless and plain steel are also salvageable for some cash. Wiring too. Might get enough from the recycle yard to at least pay for the propane to melt a keel or a dump fee or two.

[Chickenfarmer]

Got 150 pounds at 1:10 a pound most of it is reclaimed shot.

[GLL]

Tijuana ! :)

Jerry

[BAGTIC]

But if you buy it out of state when you cross the state line you have to pay Kalifornia sales tax. Blood sucking vampires.

[Tar Heel]

The Peoples Republic of California has determined that lead is BAD for you and ebven looking at it will melt your brain. You will need to go to Arizona to get it.

[Duckiller]

Bill Green in West Los Angeles advertises in Handloader Magazine and sell assorted alloys of lead.

[HeavyMetal]

I think thats Art Green and I haven't seen an ad in Handloader for Art in awhile, Need to check my latest issue, LOL!