Rotometals loves castboolits.com In person report..+local recylcler.

[Dadswickedammo]

All I can say is WOW!
This morning went to the scrap yard and Rotometals.
Let's start with Roto.. Nicest people. They asked how I got their name told them castboolits they tell me they get calls all day from casters needing help they send them here to our forum nothing but nice things to say they love us.
It's a small mom and pop shop I was invited to the Wherehouse and shop. Bought a few ingots hardball lynotype and tin. Upon leaving was given a Rotometal hat just nice people.
Now the recycled Aaron metals in Hayward Ca, brought in a lot of clean brass $1.40 lb got $270.00 then asked about buy-in lead he tells me a buck a pound it's all the way in the back. They have 1000s of tons 55gal drums full of range reclaim two drums of cast never fired cast boolits drums of reclaimed shot 1 drum of bags of 7/8 shot new w/w pipe sheet lead roofing x-Ray pallets of ingots some say Lyman my head was spinning so I grabbed 2 25lb bags of new shot and 50lb cast boolits $100
. And again very nice people to deal with.
I am writing this on my phone with my big fat thumb and some sort of spell check so if it looks a like a hillbilly wrote it your wrong I'm all redneck.

[cga]

I've dealt with Roto Metals a few times. Fast + free shipping. The local scrap yard in my town doesn't sell to individuals.

[rancher1913]

most around me will not sell either.

[runfiverun]

at 1.00 a lb that whole drum of shot would have went into my truck.

[shoot-n-lead]

at 1.00 a lb that whole drum of shot would have went into my truck.

Bingo!

[Dadswickedammo]

So just went through the lead the boolits consist of new fmjs about rest are cast most of the pistol are lined and sized rifle boolits are lined sized w/Gas checks.
They are kinda dirty but not unshootable.
1) do I run them through the sizer load and shoot.
Or
2) Scrap them All?
Wish you fellas were nearby this is a reloaded casters Disneyland.
I am really on the fence about buying 1000 lb of the new shot and reselling seems like a lot of work. Two years ago sold my shot press due to the cost of shot.

[deac777]

Wow... I need to take a trip over to Aaron metals. I recently went over to Alco metals in San Leandro, not too far from Rotometals. Alco wanted $1.50 a pound for lead bricks.

[deac777]

I just noticed there is also an Aaron metals scrap yard in Oakland that I'll checkout next week. Only issue is that it is in a sketchy part of town.

[Lloyd Smale]

yup you could bag it and sell it and make a good profit
at 1.00 a lb that whole drum of shot would have went into my truck.

[merlin101]

at 1.00 a lb that whole drum of shot would have went into my truck.

That would've been quite an investment. That drum sure would be heavy!

[richhodg66]

You have a truck that would handle a 55 gallon drum full of lead shot? Does it resemble a freight train coal car?

I have no idea how many pounds that would be, but a whole drum, it's gotta be up there.

[standles]

Yes my truck can handle it. 55gal bbl = 7.35 ft^3 which is 5206 # of lead according to an online converter I used.




You have a truck that would handle a 55 gallon drum full of lead shot? Does it resemble a freight train coal car?

I have no idea how many pounds that would be, but a whole drum, it's gotta be up there.

[Budzilla 19]

I got the truck, but not the $5,000 plus bucks to buy a drum! Lol BUT,IF I DID, next time I was there I would load up! That's a steal of a deal on shot. Just my. .02.

[MaryB]

Only the smaller scrap yards here will sell lead. The bigger ones all claim it is against the law AKA they do not want to make $100 sales when they sell by the railcar...

[Dadswickedammo]

Hey MaryB this scrap yard is monster big looks like they buy way more then they sell

[Bookworm]

Some scrap yards here will sell, some won't. I've never figured out any pattern to it.

I do know that finding lead "in the wild" is both more time consuming, and MUCH cheaper than purchasing from a scrap yard.

I'm now trying to convince several shooters to make 5-gal bucket bullet traps, by offering to purchase all the captured lead from them. There may be some lead to be gotten this way. Remember, 175 .22 boolits is about a pound, and it's not unusual to shoot many hundreds of 22 shells in one session.

[mac1911]

I,did the bucket trap for a while the biggest problem is being able to leave it in a safe place.
With out someone shooting it or taking it.

[Bookworm]

I,did the bucket trap for a while the biggest problem is being able to leave it in a safe place.
With out someone shooting it or taking it.

I am more fortunate than most, I can shoot on my own property. Walk out back about 250 feet, out behind the barn, got a 75yd range.

If someone steals my trap from there, we will have a serious problem.

[kevin c]

I just noticed there is also an Aaron metals scrap yard in Oakland that I'll checkout next week. Only issue is that it is in a sketchy part of town.
I've been to both locations just this month. Aaron the son was running the Oakland site. Aaron the father was running the Hayward site. The son referred me to the father at the Hayward site for lead purchases. I spoke to him briefly - he didn't let me in the back, but said he could get his workers to get what I wanted (I was asking after soft lead). Planning on coming back once I get some funds together. May be I can get a look in back first like DWA...

[kevin c]

I am more fortunate than most, I can shoot on my own property. Walk out back about 250 feet, out behind the barn, got a 75yd range.

If someone steals my trap from there, we will have a serious problem.
You mean, that "someone" is going to have a serious problem... ;^D

[Bzcraig]

I just noticed there is also an Aaron metals scrap yard in Oakland that I'll checkout next week. Only issue is that it is in a sketchy part of town.

Dude, all Oakland is sketchy!

[Hogtamer]

Just want to give Rotometals some good press too. Good prices and good service. Placed an order today, my 3rd from them. magnum shot, $92 per 50 lbs and the source for my Zamak 3 alloy (96% zinc 4% Alum) that I cast 12 ga "Zlugs" from. Free shipping. I haven't seen shot locally for a couple of years.

[kevin c]

Recently hit both places mentioned.

The Rotometals folks are really nice - they are my go to source for certified alloy. The Aaron metals folks are good people too. I recently sold them some scrap cartridge brass and spent primers (they take both, five cents a pound less for the primers). There have been problems with people trying to sell them stolen metal (wire and pipe most often) so they typically hold payment for three days, but they let me swap straight away for lead that they had for the value of the brass - I went home with 261 pounds of lead that I just cast into 3# ingots for storage. Have to check the BHN and/or get it zapped, but it's hard to beat lead for nothing more then my rejected brass and spent primers. Unfortunately, it took me years to accumulate that many primers and cartridges, and the lead will be used up well before I can trade again. Oh well, the scrounging goes on...

[bruce381]

I have to do this with my old brass also. Is the lead at there Hayward yard? that is closer to me too.

[kevin c]

I have to do this with my old brass also. Is the lead at there Hayward yard? that is closer to me too.

I asked first at Hayward (was in the area) and got the impression that they had there, but that I needed to call on prices (owner not there that day). I never confirmed, since the Oakland yard is closer to me and that is where I ended up going with the brass, happened to find the owner there and asked right then. He had lead at the Oakland yard so I made the swap.

Surest thing is to call and ask for Paul.

[jeepyj]

Just a note about what I learned after visiting some local scrapyards. After asking about purchasing some lead from several yards and being told they don't sell it. Then I met up with one gentleman that explained its because most scrapyards don't carry a state resale cirtificacate and don't have a system in place for collecting tax necessary for resale. In my experance most scrapyards don't want anymore attention from state officials than is necessary.

[knifemaker]

I am writing this on my phone with my big fat thumb and some sort of spell check so if it looks a like a hillbilly wrote it your wrong I'm all redneck.

Hate to tell you but Hillbilly and Redneck are the same thing. Look up the "battle of Blair Mountain" that happen in West Virginia in the 1920's coal war and you will find out how the term Redneck started.

[lwknight]

I am writing this on my phone with my big fat thumb and some sort of spell check so if it looks a like a hillbilly wrote it your wrong I'm all redneck.

Hate to tell you but Hillbilly and Redneck are the same thing. Look up the "battle of Blair Mountain" that happen in West Virginia in the 1920's coal war and you will find out how the term Redneck started.

There are many stories about the term "redneck" but they all refer to a working class people. In Texas at least redneck is not an offensive word but calling someone a hillbilly will get you in hot water. Language is a living and changing thing and in today's world redneck and hillbilly are a little different.