Wheel Weights and EPA

[coffeeguy]

It seems that the pickin's just ain't what they used to be. About a year and a half ago I picked up 65 lbs of wheel weights from my local recycler, and got about 22 lbs. that were usable for boolits; the rest were zinc and steel. This week I stopped by on a whim and saw that metal prices were way down, and bought 55 lbs of WW's...And after sorting them, I had maybe 5 lbs worth of lead WW's which works out to around $4 per pound of boolit alloy. Ouch.

I know I can recoup some of this by waiting for prices to go back up and then re-selling my zinc/steel WW's back to the recycler...But for the immediate future, I'm re-thinking my WW strategy as follows: It seems the lead WW's are really starting to work their way out of the system now. In the past I've melted down a bunch of lead for fishing sinkers, so what I have left are going to be repurposed as boolits, and a bunch of those zinc WW's are going to be turned into sinkers. (Zinc'ers??? Ha ha...) It's really a shame and for now I'm thinking that I'm going to have to plan more of my smelting around fluctuations in the price for scrap lead, etc where I can't score it for free.

[Crazyrcflier]

My scrap yard here wants $.75 a pound to resell lead to the public. I was on the fence about that price.

I already have lots of range scrap lead that I want to try. I also don't think I could buy it, smelt it down and sell it for any profit.

[coffeeguy]

Yeah, mine is buying for $.40 and selling for $.80, which is about as low as it's been over the past few years. Fortunately there's been an abundance of scrap steel, appliances, etc around my area so sometimes I'll just work out a trade and, when I do have to actually buy scrap lead, end up paying around $.50 per pound.

[truckerdave397]

I was digging through the gaylord box of wheel weights about two weeks ago at work and I will say that only about 25 to 35% were lead. I will say that the smaller weights I pass over and just go after the big ones.

[Schrag4]

There's a scrap yard nearby that sells WW for 0.75/lb, and they let me sort through and pick them out myself. I'd say it's 60% lead, 25% steel, 10% zinc, and 5% plastic. Luckily for me, it's 100% lead that I took home (unless I messed up on a few).

Another shop nearby sold me 96lb of WW, unsorted, for 0.30/lb. Great price, but the ratios were about the same so the prices were actually pretty similar when all is said and done. I've called them a few times since then and they never have any. I'll stick with the place that lets me sort them for now. They told me they see 2 or 3 55gallon drums of the stuff come through every month or two - they should have more than I could afford to buy.

[fredj338]

The only way I would buy ww today is if allowed to sort them. IN Kalif, you would be lucky to get 10% if you get them at all. It's been coming, since Kalif banned the lead ww 4yrs ago. SO now it's on to other sources. Always keep your eyes & ears open.

[RogerDat]

Problem with buying a bucket from the WW bin at the yard is the last guy (or two) might have sat right there and picked the lead ones out for his purchase. Then you grab half a 5 gallon bucket of the already picked through leavings.

At $4 a lb. it would make a lot more sense to purchase already smelted COWW ingots from swapping and selling section. Closer to $1 a lb. Use the yard to pick up some plain lead while the price is down to stretch the WW lead.

[ballistim]

Problem with buying a bucket from the WW bin at the yard is the last guy (or two) might have sat right there and picked the lead ones out for his purchase. Then you grab half a 5 gallon bucket of the already picked through leavings.

At $4 a lb. it would make a lot more sense to purchase already smelted COWW ingots from swapping and selling section. Closer to $1 a lb. Use the yard to pick up some plain lead while the price is down to stretch the WW lead.

Amen! I'm done with getting ticked off at how many zinc weights I'm stuck with, wish I'd traded with Shady Grady before he ran out of lead to trade even up.

[coffeeguy]

Amen! I'm done with getting ticked off at how many zinc weights I'm stuck with, wish I'd traded with Shady Grady before he ran out of lead to trade even up.

Yeah, and the $4 per pound net cost of the lead WW's hurt; I'm glad I only got a small batch. Like I said, my plan is to either sell the zinc ones back, keeping some to cast into fishing sinkers, or smelt them and sell them back as zinc ingots since I'll get a much better price. So in the end I'm not really out any money. I think they'll let me pick through the bin in the future, but if the ratio stays as bad as it was the other day I'd rather do my normal trading and pay $.50/lb for scrap lead.

[ballistim]

Yeah, and the $4 per pound net cost of the lead WW's hurt; I'm glad I only got a small batch. Like I said, my plan is to either sell the zinc ones back, keeping some to cast into fishing sinkers, or smelt them and sell them back as zinc ingots since I'll get a much better price. So in the end I'm not really out any money. I think they'll let me pick through the bin in the future, but if the ratio stays as bad as it was the other day I'd rather do my normal trading and pay $.50/lb for scrap lead.

I cast flat sliding sinkers for catfishing & make lead head jigs for walleye as well, I figure I'll see how well they work although the larger size/less weight on the jig heads could be a problem plus I've never cast pure zinc so castability in those molds is a question mark as well.

[kweidner]

I still grab stickys for hand casting soft stuff but in all honesty, I buy ead a ton at a time and have it shipped freight for my bullet master and can get deeply discounted prices at the ton mark. Hardball for plinking and soft stuff for hunting. Probably fire 1000 plinkers for every 1 fired on stand probably even more. Think about it.....by the time you drive to recycler, sort, smelt, and organize, you probably have just as much in it. Less messy and guaranteed proper alloy. How much is your time worth?

[ballistim]

I still grab stickys for hand casting soft stuff but in all honesty, I but lead a ton at a time and have it shipped freight for my bullet master and can get deeply discounted prices at the ton mark. Hardball for plinking and soft stuff for hunting. Probably fire 1000 plinkers for every 1 fired on stand probably even more.

I've been fortunate enough to find large sources of roof flashing and other alloys from two local scrap yards nearby. I've also bought ingots of Linotype, COWW, SOWW, & range lead here on the forum, so I have no need to hassle with raw COWW or worse pay good money for them. I'll still take them when I find them for dirt cheap or free however but that doesn't seem to happen nowadays. Back in the day I managed tire shops and had unlimited access to free WW before zinc was a problem, those were the days along with cheap surplus powder.

[leeggen]

Contact Shadygrady on here and he will exchange zinc for lead.
CD

[ballistim]

Contact Shadygrady on here and he will exchange zinc for lead.
CD

He's no longer swapping lead for zinc, just asked him, he's willing to work out other trades however. PM him if you're interested. I just communicated with him over the weekend.

[prs]

With flat rate shipping to my door for processed lead I can take a little beating on the price per pound considering the fuel and time I save compared to scrounging and rendering scrap. Even with foundry metal at a little over $2.00/# with shipping included, I am probably money and certainly time ahead.

prs

[dtknowles]

What is up the graph on the top of this thread show the price of lead has dropped ten cents since December. Looks like lead is only eighty five cents a pound.

Tim

[bobthenailer]

After smelting my last batch of WW 3 years ago, about 1,200 lbs collected over a few years time. im done buying scrap WW from the tire dealer, not counting the bother and time to sort them, i ended up with over 200lbs of zinc and steel ww + the lost lb in smelted clips, ended up with about 800 lbs of useable alloy.
Since ive been retired ive gone strictly to range berm picking !

[RogerDat]

I sell the sorted steel and zinc weights also the clips skimmed from smelting to the scrap yard. Not for big money but a few bucks that I use to purchase soft lead from the yard.

Tire stores are still the cheapest source I can find and if one has room to accumulate them until it is convenient to smelt a large batch it works out pretty well but then I'm not retired so periodic checks of tire stores fit my schedule better than regular trips to the range for some shooting and berm mining. Which frankly sounds like more fun than tire store WW mining.

[jonp]

I think that on saturday I'm going to spend a couple of hours at a scrap yard here and pick through the barrels of COWW for the lead ones. They are selling it for $.65/lb and if I pick I'm getting all pb

[scottfire1957]

Well, you went to a recycler, instead of hitting the local tire shops yourself and making offers yourself. If you are lazy, you pay more. Simple as that.

I went today to a very small tire shop I've been to before. Not much at all. Today though 15 lbs of wheel weights. Not much in the larger view, but it's 15lbs (after sorting) I didn't have before.

I got it cheap, 30 cents a pound, because I made a contact and followed up.

15lbs here, 15lbs there. It adds up. Get off your ***, and you could do even better.

[ballistim]

Well, you went to a recycler, instead of hitting the local tire shops yourself and making offers yourself. If you are lazy, you pay more. Simple as that.

I went today to a very small tire shop I've been to before. Not much at all. Today though 15 lbs of wheel weights. Not much in the larger view, but it's 15lbs (after sorting) I didn't have before.

I got it cheap, 30 cents a pound, because I made a contact and followed up.

15lbs here, 15lbs there. It adds up. Get off your ***, and you could do even better.

Maybe where you live it's like this, not everywhere is this true. I have gone to tire stores large & small and they do not sell weights. I drive all day & when I pass places I stop in and get one of a few often repeated answers; 1.) we already have someone, 2.) we're not allowed to sell to the public, 3.) we trade them to someone for new weights, 4.) we make our own new weights. On the rare occasion that I get buckets it is a waste of time with often over 50% zinc and has been picked through already so I end up paying more to get less & have to take the time to sort them. Be thankful if you've had good luck instead of being critical of others since you don't not know what it's like everywhere else.

[scottfire1957]

Oh, I heard a lot of those "we sell, trade, recycle" statements. Keep digging. It's out there.

It can be difficult, it's work. But it can be done.

[mold maker]

Aint nothing like it used to be, and It Will Get Worse. Better quit your belly aching and get what ya can now. If politics has anything to do with it, all lead will be off limits soon, and what ya have will have to last.
I've preached to the choir for years about laying in a supply. My supply is in tonnage, and if I never find another WW, I'll have enough to supply my family for their life time. However I still look out the window and stop for weights at intersections, and approach tire dealers.
No mine aren't for sale.
If ya think it's hard now, just wait a few years and listen to the cry. Without the free and cheap supplies, guess where the price at alloy dealers will go.
What will your molds be worth when they are only collector items? That's what they will be without lead.

[Beesdad]

Aint nothing like it used to be, and It Will Get Worse. Better quit your belly aching and get what ya can now. If politics has anything to do with it, all lead will be off limits soon, and what ya have will have to last.
I've preached to the choir for years about laying in a supply. My supply is in tonnage, and if I never find another WW, I'll have enough to supply my family for their life time. However I still look out the window and stop for weights at intersections, and approach tire dealers.
No mine aren't for sale.
If ya think it's hard now, just wait a few years and listen to the cry. Without the free and cheap supplies, guess where the price at alloy dealers will go.
What will your molds be worth when they are only collector items? That's what they will be without lead.
Mold Maker... Outstanding advice... Be assured that some of the choir hears your..

[Beesdad]

Maybe where you live it's like this, not everywhere is this true. I have gone to tire stores large & small and they do not sell weights. I drive all day & when I pass places I stop in and get one of a few often repeated answers; 1.) we already have someone, 2.) we're not allowed to sell to the public, 3.) we trade them to someone for new weights, 4.) we make our own new weights. On the rare occasion that I get buckets it is a waste of time with often over 50% zinc and has been picked through already so I end up paying more to get less & have to take the time to sort them. Be thankful if you've had good luck instead of being critical of others since you don't not know what it's like everywhere else.

I have been scrounging for wheel weights for more that 30 years... Thought that I had heard every justification for not sell their weights...

I have never heard "we make our own new ones"... Well all I can say they sure are getting creative with their excuses -:)

[ballistim]

I have been scrounging for wheel weights for more that 30 years... Thought that I had heard every justification for not sell their weights...

I have never heard "we make our own new ones"... Well all I can say they sure are getting creative with their excuses -:)

That was a local truck repair shop at a truck stop next to the freeway, told them I'd never heard that one either, used to love those big truck weights back in the day..

[ballistim]

I've had good luck at two local scrapyards and have bought scrap lead roof flashing & counterweights from factories that come in. One puts Lino, mono type & bar solder aside for me, and another will let me go through their COWW's to pick out the ones I want, they don't care if they are zinc or not. I'm glad some of you are able to find what you want at tire stores, I've gone a different route & I pay from 45 to 80 cents a lb. right now. Hats off to you if you're doing better than I am but I've layed up a pretty good supply this way.

[dtknowles]

Oh, I heard a lot of those "we sell, trade, recycle" statements. Keep digging. It's out there.

It can be difficult, it's work. But it can be done.

It does not take many hours of effort to make it a better deal to work for pay and buy your lead.

Tim

[smkummer]

Here in So. Indiana, two different tire shops are producing buckets that after smelting, we are still over 75% in lead ingots from all types of wheel weights. Mostly clip on, some stick on. BHN of 12 or 20 if water dropped. I am saving the zink to cast 1" cannon balls (still need a mold) and all steel goes back to recycling for about $5 per 5 gal. bucket.

[Side by Side]

Wheel weight are getting hard to locate

[RogerDat]

Well, you went to a recycler, instead of hitting the local tire shops yourself and making offers yourself. If you are lazy, you pay more. Simple as that.

I went today to a very small tire shop I've been to before. Not much at all. Today though 15 lbs of wheel weights. Not much in the larger view, but it's 15lbs (after sorting) I didn't have before.

I got it cheap, 30 cents a pound, because I made a contact and followed up.

15lbs here, 15lbs there. It adds up. Get off your ***, and you could do even better.

While I totally support the concept of a little here and a little there as a way to build up a stash I too have a problem with calling someone lazy because the buy from scrap yards rather than tire stores.

A few things you may not be aware of or considered.


Many areas the scrap yards won't sell to the public so taking advantage of a scrap yard as a lead source is something that many would be overjoyed to have as an option.
In many parts of the country the ratio of lead to steel and zinc WW's is horrible which was the point of the original post.
Depending on how many small independent tire stores are around and their driving distances it may well be much more efficient and cost effective to drive to single location (scrap yard) to get 100% useable lead WW's. in decent quantity.
A lot of good alloys go through the scrap yard. A long term relationship with them can also yield dividends. I can think of a couple of times they have repaid my donuts by setting aside such items as two casting ladles, or three boxes of 500 38 special SWC lasercast for me to purchase at scrap lead price. The Babbitt and body solder was appreciated too.


Let us do a little math using the OP lead to junk ratios. That would be only 1/3 usable WW's apply that to your 15 lb. purchase at 30 cents a lb. and you would be paying 90 cents lb. for the lead which is considerably more than the 65 cents a lb. from the scrap yard for sorted all lead WW's which you suggest the member get off their Lazy *** so they can do better as you do.

I have too have found stores that won't sell or that have prior arrangements with casters known to the shop. I have also found tire stores where the majority of the WW's are not lead. If you are lucky enough to have a source or two be it tire store or scrap yard I say use it if it works for you and ignore people who give you grief over it.

[fragman]

Time is money. Its a cliche, but its true. I didnt get into casting to save money, I got into it to have fun. Trawling tire stores to save 30-60 cents a pound, or 1-2 cents a boolit, for me, is not a return on my investment of time. Especially considering fuel costs, wear and tear etc. Some may like the 'thrill of the chase' hunting down cheap lead and thats fine. I do not. i dont clip coupons either.

We have a finite number of minutes on this earth. Rather use as many of them as possible doing something I like.

Some may call it lazy. I call it quality of life.

[scottfire1957]

My time away from work is my time. I ain't getting paid. I don't charge myself an hourly wage. I could be mowing the yard, or washing the car, or straightening my stereo wires OR checking places for wheel weights.

Up to you I guess.

[coffeeguy]

I still grab stickys for hand casting soft stuff but in all honesty, I buy ead a ton at a time and have it shipped freight for my bullet master and can get deeply discounted prices at the ton mark. Hardball for plinking and soft stuff for hunting. Probably fire 1000 plinkers for every 1 fired on stand probably even more. Think about it.....by the time you drive to recycler, sort, smelt, and organize, you probably have just as much in it. Less messy and guaranteed proper alloy. How much is your time worth?

Plus one to you too, Scottfire...When prices are low, I certainly see kweidner's wisdom in buying bulk. That's how the big boys do it, agreeing on a certain quantity, for a certain term, at a certain price. And this last go-round, the time I spent sorting did not pay off well at all, the best I can hope for is to recoup some of my losses by smelting & selling the zinc.

Now, on the other hand, yes, 15 pounds here and there definitely adds up, as does going out and networking. I pay .30/lb at the scrap yard, they buy for .15/lb....So, it holds that if I go to the local tire guy who sells to the scrap yard for .15 and offer him .20/lb, for just his lead WW's, we both win.

Two very good points of view, two perspectives, and they both work. I've never tried berm-mining, but who knows?

[dtknowles]

There is more than one way to skin a cat. It is legitimate to get your lead in the manner you prefer. Calling people lazy.....is tempting other to name calling as well, could be considered trolling. Leave off the name calling and explain why you think your approach is better using a constructive voice is a service to the forum.

It is not lazy if I decide to buy my bullets.

It is not lazy if I decide to by my lead or alloy.

I am not special if I scrounge my lead from Tire Dealers.

Some people think I am special when I mine the berms at the range (it is not a compliment).

It is normal to defend oneself when someone criticizes your posts but it is special to admit a mistake or acknowledge the opposing point of view.

Yes, with a little more effort some people might be able to get a much better deal on their lead if the work the tire dealers, their mileage may vary. Most of the more experience members have been down that road and know the results for their area. Might be different for new members.

Tim

[ballistim]

There is more than one way to skin a cat. It is legitimate to get your lead in the manner you prefer. Calling people lazy.....is tempting other to name calling as well, could be considered trolling. Leave off the name calling and explain why you think your approach is better using a constructive voice is a service to the forum.

It is not lazy if I decide to buy my bullets.

It is not lazy if I decide to by my lead or alloy.

I am not special if I scrounge my lead from Tire Dealers.

Some people think I am special when I mine the berms at the range (it is not a compliment).

It is normal to defend oneself when someone criticizes your posts but it is special to admit a mistake or acknowledge the opposing point of view.

Tim


Excellent! Exactly what was needed here, shouldn't be an "us against them" mentality to the subject here as the goal for each of us is to have sufficient lead on hand & I'm pretty sure we all agree on that. I'm always open to new & creative ways to come up with lead, now if I can only find a nice sailboat keel weight & figure how to get it home...

[Hardcast416taylor]

About twice a year I pick up the pail of scrap weights from my friends car dealership. I get about a 3/4 full 5 gal. pail each time. Yes, the percentage of non lead weights is getting toward 50% or more now. For free though I guess I shouldn`t complain, besides I sell the non lead weights to the local scrap yard when I have a big enough pile.Robert

[scottfire1957]

Point taken. Apologies to all.

[fragman]

Another way to look at it is that those of us that prefer to not go trawling the tire dealers leave more for those who do. So everyone wins.

[ballistim]

We're all in different situations & usually I have to work so much overtime that I have little time on my hands & have to try to make best use of my time. I applaud scottfire1957 & other's hard work put into scrounging wheel weights, just as I respect those like myself that other options are best. Hey, it's all good here!

[dtknowles]

Point taken. Apologies to all.

Way to go. I hope you continue to have luck finding lead, it seems to be working for you.

Tim

[dtknowles]

We're all in different situations & usually I have to work so much overtime that I have little time on my hands & have to try to make best use of my time. I applaud scottfire1957 & other's hard work put into scrounging wheel weights, just as I respect those like myself that other options are best. Hey, it's all good here!

Agreed, I often have to choose between casting bullets, loading ammo or shooting with my spare time. If I can go shooting, that is my first choice, second is loading ammo but if I don't have any bullets cast, I cast some. I have some lead stock piled, ingots, uncleaned range scrap, salvaged shot, Mono, lino, and solder. I also have a lot of cast bullets on the shelf but for the rifles I have been shooting a lot lately, I have only what I cast two weeks ago. I went to the range today, almost no scrap to be had, shot a couple boxes of reloads and some .22 LR. I have not finished cleaning up from the range trip and did not cast anything this weekend. I have not sized and lube half of the bullets I cast two weeks ago or was it three.

Tim

[RogerDat]

Point taken. Apologies to all.

A public apology is something I think is worthy of respect. Goes a long way toward uphold the high standards of this community.

Happy Scrounging - since we don't hit the same tire stores. ;-)

[fredj338]

Oh, I heard a lot of those "we sell, trade, recycle" statements. Keep digging. It's out there.

It can be difficult, it's work. But it can be done.
As noted, it just depends. Out here, precious few shops sell, trade or give way what few lead ww are left. So you can spend countless hours driving around & searching, gas $$, wear & tear on the truck, it just becomes a losing proposition. If I spend 2hrs a week & $20 in gas to get 20# of useful weights, not really saving me anything over buying them for $1/#. If you have access to tire shops still willing, you are blessed & I can only say get as much as you can, its going away sooner than later.

[Schrag4]

I don't get to shoot as often as I like, so if I want to get my gun fix, I usually have to reload, cast, powder coat, clean guns, etc. I enjoy all of these things, for the most part. I totally understand those that would pay to skip steps that they hate doing.

[konsole]

Yesterday I stopped at a couple places for wheel weights and I did well. 80-lbs total weight for $5, with 75% lead weights, 18% steel, 7% zinc, minus a few % from each for the clips on them. Today I did a few more places and got probably a little more then 150# of total weight for $7 and it appears to be mostly lead. However, this is after not checking out these places since atleast last October, and also initially checking out literally dozens and dozens of places and being turned down by 95% of them.

One place I stopped at today, one of the guys in the shop was so convinced that all(most?) weights now are steel and aluminum. After quickly glancing into his bucket I just couldnt convince him that what he had in the bucket was mostly lead, and that the aluminum weights that he was thinking of was probably describing the application the weights are used for (aluminum wheels). Some of the weights saying "AL" probably contributed to his confusion. I didnt notice much zinc in his bucket, at first glance, so its possible he just hasnt seen much zinc. Its not the first time I have gotten into a conversation with someone at a shop and tried to set them straight about whats in the wheel weights now. Lead > Steel > Zinc > 3M synthetic > Plastic, is the order of popularity that I see, but even the guys running the tire balancer are often not aware of whats in the weights they deal with.

[coffeeguy]

Konsole (and others), that's certainly encouraging to hear that some places still have a good percentage of lead wheel weights. It's a little frustrating to spend an hour sorting a bucket of weights only to find most of them are zinc/steel, but it could be they've already been picked through as well...60 pounds' worth of lead for 5 bucks would be a nice haul for my area, and it helps to see that in some places the pickin's are still good..

[konsole]

I don't recall ever getting a really low lead percentage in a bucket. I think probably around 50% is the lowest I have seen. My 75%/18/7 (lead/steel/zinc) was one of the best I have gotten and normally steel and zinc comprise closer to 35% of the bucket. I should also mention that my 75%/18/7 numbers are the percentages of the total weight, not how much they actually fill the bucket. In terms of total volume of the bucket in this most recent sort, its probably about 65%/25/10 (lead/steel/zinc). So in this sort, lead made up 75% of the total weight, and about 65% of the total volume.

[RogerDat]

The lead/steel/zinc ratios are really regional and even shop specific. Auto dealer would probably have less than 5% lead. Some bigger up market tire shops have consistently been sort of a 50/50 lead to scrap. Others are at least 75% lead.

My own feeling is that in the states that still allow lead WW's it is only the tire stores that use them, not the car manufactures. A shop that does mostly newer cars is removing zinc/steel weights from new cars, probably take another 4 years before that customer comes back and the lead WW used last time will be in the bucket. Older cars have already had that zinc WW from the manufacturer replaced. Shops that service them will have more lead.

Also possible factor in general availability and price is the surrounding states policy on lead WW's. Having lead used in all directions probably reduces price and increases availability over being the only state in the area with any lead ones. Lot of major metropolitan areas are at borders and will get customers from across the state line. If that state is lead free I expect it would reduce yields, at least in the border area near cities. Less available with high demand tends to make scrap yards charge more too.

[konsole]

Yes I had some luck with auto dealerships in the beginning just walking in and asking some guys in the shop, but going back resulted in a different answer and it wasnt simply because they didnt want to give it to me again. Usually I had to talk to a supervisor/manager the second time I stopped there and I got reasons relating to "company policy" or an agreement with a recycler. Definately don't bother with high-end dealerships because, like Rogerdat said, they deal with little or no lead. Large chain shops always are no good in my experience, but small-medium shops that have 1 location or only a couple locations are good. The small-medium shops are unlikely to have a recycling program and usually sell them to whoever or the shop owner gives them to a buddy that uses the lead for sinkers/bullets. Believe it or not I've had moderate success at gas station service bays, even if they only had a couple pounds, and they have mostly given me their weights free.

[coffeeguy]

Yeah, lots of larger chains and dealerships seem to have that policy, whether it be for 'environmental compliance', a 'contract with a recycler', or whatever. I found a place tucked away today, offered the manager .20 cents/lb (scrapyard pays .15) for a bucket. He asked if I was local and why I wanted them, so we talked a bit...He asked if I was doing this for my own personal use, I told him yes (which I am), and he just gave me half a bucket for free... Anyway, out of 68 lbs, I got 47 lbs before smelting that were lead, so figure maybe 40-45 lbs of clean casting alloy. Woohoo..there's still hope! And they had quite a bit more, so as long as those ratios hold up I think I can talk them into selling to me, unless they want to keep giving them away...Hey, at least I offered! And made out pretty good for 10 mins of schmoozing.

[RogerDat]

^^^ Way to go coffeeguy ^^^
Go back and show them an ingot or two, most folks think they are pretty neat.

[sw282]

l get a few pounds from where l get my oil changed for free..l also got quite a bit of range scrap a few years back from l guy who cleaned a ''pistol only'' range. l averaged paying $20 for a 3 gal bucket that usually weighed around 110 pounds.. Recently l have started casting with some of the scrap..lt goes strait into my little pot and l simply skim off the jackets. l have not calculated the lead/jacket ratio for a bucket yet, but the scrap does cast up some nice looking boolits for my H&G#503

[RogerDat]

.... l have not calculated the lead/jacket ratio for a bucket yet, but the scrap does cast up some nice looking boolits for my H&G#503

You might be able to sell those jackets to a scrap yard for a little cash. I have two neighbors with ranges come spring I'm going to ask about mining the berm. Even if I don't use it right away a bucket or two for someday won't hurt. Seems like folks using berm lead are pretty happy with how it casts.

[boho]

I'm trying to cover all the bases when I have time. The range master let's me mine the pistol berm once a month. I've got one small shop that barters with me for a small amount of brass or beer. I've got one shop that won't deal with me at all, but I stop in and ask so I can see his bucket. If its empty I go to the one local scrapyard and its there. I sort out what I want and pay 40¢/lb. Who cares how you do it, to each his own! Get it before it gets away whenever its convenient or affordable.

[milrifle]

Guess I'm lucky in one sense. I get a very large percentage of lead ones. I get very few zinc. I mean VERY few. Steel ones are getting more common, but few zinc and the vast majority are lead. For the last 4-5 five gallon buckets full of WW, I have gotten a total of about a 1/2 a coffee can of zinc ones. However, I am having to pay $50 a five gallon bucket. I probably should shop around for another supply, but this guy always has a bucket full when I stop in. Yesterday I traded him some fishing sinkers, but it cost me more fishing sinkers than I thought it ought to. 20 lbs worth for a 5 gallon bucket that would probably go 130-150 lbs. It was packed pretty tight. I took out the top 1/4 of his bucket to put in one of my buckets to lighten the load and it filled my bucket 2/3 full with his 1/4, so yeah they were packed pretty tight. But 20 lbs of of sinkers? I still thought that was a little steep.

[beezapilot]

I got bit by all this on the 1st of the year- my tire stores got a corporate directive that WW were to be kept internal, provided shipping boxes to be picked up by the tire delivery guys, and are on strict warning NOT to release ANY to the public.
From there I contacted some friends that work in large dealerships, and they too have to provide a paper trail on WW's. I was given the name of the vendor that picks them up and had a very educational chat- he is responsible for providing a chain of custody on the WW, and they have to go to an approved scrap yard. The problem- the "approved" scrap yards are not under obligation to take them- mixed metal is a problem apparently. He told me that he picks up about 800#'s a week, and has a yard that will take them- unless I was willing to take ALL the weight ALL the time- he did not want to jeopardize his relationship with the yard. Get it while you can....

[RogerDat]

I'm seeing the same pattern of more steel than zinc scrap in the bucket. Last batch I sorted approx. 150 lbs. of lead, 20 lbs. of steel, only about 10 lbs. of zinc. Little less than 1/2 a red Folgers coffee can of zinc to almost 3.5 cans of steel. Less than coffee can of SOWW's in that batch too.

Don't know how much your sinkers are worth but the lead is at the least 25 cents to 1 dollar a lb. If you can melt the zinc WW's you sort out into sinkers that might cover any future trades without using your lead.

[Beesdad]

One angle that I tried that proved effective was to find out what company is picking up these WWs from the corporate tire stores. After asking a few questions I found out that Interstate Battery Corp. was making the pickups at both the corporate tire stores and the scrape dealer..

I made a call at the Interstate location and they offered to resell me all the WWs I wanted for $.35/ lb.... The only stipulation was that I had to take full 5 gallon buckets and no sorting..

[1911KY]

I have been lucky with the local shops and they are yielding about 85-90% lead. I have about 3 or 4 shops and a scrap yard where I can find supply.

My brother in law works for an electric co-op in the eastern part of the state and he brought me 50 lbs of these beasts for Christmas!! They do all their own tire work onsite.

http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p628/jamesearnett/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20150108_233231_zpsx1e4gyg7.jpg

[coffeeguy]

.35/lb is around market price, so not so bad. I'm wondering if the batch I got at the scrapyard had already been picked through, being 90 percent zinc/steel. I committed sight unseen to buying a bucket from a friend's shop, 160 lbs for 50 bucks which is about 31 cents/pound, and on the top I could see at least 1/3 were lead so if that ratio holds up I'd be paying about $1 per pound of lead WW's. With scrap lead selling at .80/lb, I'm comfortable with that price, and just glad that there's still some to be had out there. That batch of 90 percent zinc worried me for a bit!

[coffeeguy]

Ugh...Been busy with a lot of honey-do projects around the house. Got some of that bucket sorted and smelted this past weekend, out of 62 lbs had 43 lbs lead and 19 lbs zinc/steel. So at this point I'm happy with the results, and not giving up hope just yet. ;)

[scottfire1957]

I'm due to pick up a 5gallon bucket or three next month. I think that will be enough for me, well over 1k# in a year. I've stopped looking for pewter already. If I can cast what I have I'll call it good, though I did see a new to me tire store yesterday. Gonna stop in tomorrow.

[mold maker]

The old uses for lead have been slowly replaced with alternate metals and plastic. That directly changes our future supply. Just as WWs are being replaced with iron and zinc, roofers and plumbers no longer use lead.
The Gov ABC departments have pushed their agendas with our tax money.
In the not too distant future there will be another big push to eliminate the sale of all bullets of lead. Sooner or later it will succeed.
At that point, casters will be the last ones that can afford to shoot. Without lead even casters will be out of luck.
When the supply of free/inexpensive lead is gone, the value of what's left will be like gold.
You have to determine now what you will be able to do in the future. Accumulate now what you, and your heirs, will need to keep shooting.
It's not a matter of if, but rather how soon.
Today's high prices will seem like a free gift, when it becomes unobtainum.
Not gloom and doom, just facts.

[woodbutcher]

:holysheepWell,I guess that I can make all of you guys and gals cry with this post.A friend of mine works for an outfit that demolishes and or dismantles old buildings.His boss knows that he is a boolit caster and also casts fishing jigs and sinkers and has told all
of his crews to save any and all lead for him.
In the last 18 months he has received 4800 lbs of linotype in 50 and 80 lb pigs,2500lbs of plumbers lead in pigs,and close to 4000 lbs of roof flashing.And close to 2 tons of COWW.Sounds like a lot,BUT two of the toys that he feeds are the following:
1928 Thompsom
M3 grease gun.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[Bigslug]

I live in the Granola State of fruits, nuts, and flakes: I don't even bother looking for wheelweights, but have pretty much unfettered access to multiple ranges on which I play Berm Buzzard.

But there's one phenomenon I've found to work very well for me: we all have friends who are "into guns" at different levels. A lot of them are intimidated by the prospect of loading their own ammo. Even a lot of handloaders are intimidated by the prospect of casting with molten metal.

So in short, we have these gun-oriented friends who are less gun-nutty than ourselves to play bird dog for us on casting metal. I have a gun shop that calls me when the "Old Dead Guy" piles of virtually unsellable components come in; had another shop call me to hardness test a bunch of ingots that came in to figure out what they were (bought a lot of lino cheap that day); and have had old wheelweights and solder drippings come my way free or cheap from folks who don't know what to do with them.

While we're probably all on the "list" of the Black Helicopter Pilots, there ARE benefits to being known as "That Guy"

[RogerDat]

It generally pays to stock up on things you know you will use eventually. I have no problem with purchasing 4 or 6 cans of coffee at a good price because I know I will use it. Lead stash is the same thing, with the possible advantage that my heirs can probably sell the lead for more than I paid for it. Coffee left behind when I'm gone I expect one of them to dump the contents into another container and use the empty can for my ashes.

I lost a tire store source, the owner died and his son decided to sell. Am lucky that the mechanic is now working for the buyer and while they don't do as many tires he remembers me and told the new owners "yeah he is the guy that buys our WW's" so being known as "that lead" or "that WW" guy sure doesn't hurt. Another shop went through some turn over and the people that know the manager is ok with it are no longer there. Have to make a trip there when the manager is in for "approval". Need some auto work so while I'm there dropping the price of tuition at Harvard might be an especially good time to bring it up.

If I was honest I probably have enough lead and alloys to meet my needs but I figure it is never dumb to make hay while the sun shines. Despite not being a big believer in the "end is near" predictions I think it is prudent to have a good supply. I just bought 150 lbs. @ 30 cents a lb. The hundred lbs. before that was 35 cents. Which are both good deals in my book. Even if they turn out to have 50 lbs. of scrap (20%) that is still 40 cents a pound. If nothing else like I said I can get my money back out of it or my descendants can. One of these days my stuff might be the "dead guys stash" that makes some caster thank his lucky stars.

I guess my point to the OP is get it where you can at a good price, don't worry too much about it, just build up whatever size stash seems reasonable to you, bearing in mind the stash might outlive you but all that means is you had enough and your heirs can make a buck.

[savage308]

I have a friend who works at a large tire store and for the last 15 years he bring me a bucket every 2 weeks or so and I sort and separate soft stick on for shotgun slugs and clip on for buckshot and 44 mag. I shoot a lot so several years ago I took a 330 gal plastic tote that I get free from a local chicken processing plant, it is 3 feet square and 4 foot tall, cut the top out and lined it with a layer of free used conveyor belt and filled it full of sand. I can now reclaim all my lead and should never run out. I have at least 2 k pounds now and still getting more. I you live in a rural area like me and are able to shoot on your own property then you need a system like mine to reclaim all your boolits.

[tbj555]

I am one of the lucky ones, I owned a repair tire shop for years. I keep all the old WW. I have thousands of pounds, And now I have unlimited source of range lead. One of my best friends owns a gun shop with range in our town. When they mine the backstop he calls me to see if I want any before it go's to the foundry. He gets around 25k of lead a year out of it.

[WILCO]

It seems that the pickin's just ain't what they used to be.



The situation with wheel weights is the number one reason I don't scrounge anymore.
Currently, I have all the lead I'll need for quite some time. Should the need arise, I'll simply purchase it in known alloys from a known supplier.

[bangerjim]

Many tire stores around have corporate contracts with recyclers and are not allowed to deviate from that. Forget the tire stores.

I quite doing WW's almost 2 years ago once the ratio got to under 60% lead.

Now I get all my alloys clean and pure from my local yards. Mix anything I want. Don't miss those filthy dirty stinky WW's at all.

But depends on your location. If you can still find them in good Pb ratios at good prices and have the time to mess with them, have at it.

I'd rather be on the range shooting than cooling a smoky stinking pot of COWW's.

bangerjim

[RogerDat]

....
I'd rather be on the range shooting than cooling a smoky stinking pot of COWW's.

bangerjim

Don't you mean..... rather be on the range shooting all those boolits made from a really large pot of cheaply acquired COWW's? Oh wait, that would be me!

But yeah at 60% lead you have to figure at best you are getting 1/2 pound of lead for every pound you purchase. 30 cents just became 60 cents a pound + labor + driving expense. Hopefully by the time I'm seeing ratios that bad I'll have enough of a stash that the Chinese radar satellites will be able to see my shed and garage from space because of the radar density of all that lead. Now as long as they don't tell the EPA.....

My goal is to have a rationed lifetime supply, then slowly add to it at a rate of replacement plus interest. So eventually I won't even worry about having to ration it. But who knows could end up scoring the mother load of scrap lead or alloys for cheap next week or lead WW's all getting banned from tire stores so I have no choice but to purchase from suppliers. Or....? Who knows. Get while the getting is good as long as you can, if you can do it without being a jerk. Even a regular schedule of purchasing from suppliers won't hurt, as recent events have shown reloading supplies on hand will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no reloading supplies for sale.

[Doggonekid]

The situation with wheel weights is the number one reason I don't scrounge anymore.
Currently, I have all the lead I'll need for quite some time. Should the need arise, I'll simply purchase it in known alloys from a known supplier.

I still scrounge but it does not add up fast enough to feed my habit. I also buy my lead from a salvage yard. 1 trip to the salvage yard 200 lbs of pure lead and 100 lbs of linotype and 12 hours of ingot casting I am set for a while. From a salvage yard I know more what my alloy is vs scrounging who knows?