I need more lead! What are the latest best sources?

[Idaho45guy]

I have gotten my lead from three sources so far. Amazon, Buffalo Arms, and my dad.

Dad had some bilge weight lead of unknown hardness that I mixed in with some Lyman #2. Seemed to work fine.

Amazon had some Lyman #2 for $25 for 5lbs and free shipping. So $5 a pound.

Buffalo Arms sells Lyman #2 for $2.77 a lb and shipping for 7 lbs is $18.39 (I live 80 miles from them). So after shipping, their cost per pound is $5.40.

But, if I double my order to 14 lbs (only sell it in 7lb increments) then the shipping stays the same and the per pound cost drops to $4.08 a pound.

At that rate, it costs me about $.15 per boolit.

I can buy cast boolits cheaper than that, or close to it. That's based on a 250gr .45 Colt boolit.


There's got to be a cheaper source for lead, right?

[jeepyj]

Have you gone to your local scrap yard? I waved a little cash at my local scrap yard and obtained about all I could haul for .60 per pound. We've become freinds and he saves me a little pile on a regular basis. I will admit I did bring him a Chirstmas cheer just to keep the wheels lubed.

[jcren]

Check the vendor and swapping and selling sections here. Usually find all you want in nice clean ingots, ready for the pot for under $1.50 shipped. If you want certified alloy, rotometals at the top of the page on the vendor banner is half what you have been paying, cheaper and free shipping on bigger quantities.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I would recommend buying COWW or range scrap from a CB Vendor like Kathy, AKA: TheCaptain or another member from the S&S section. But you seem to mention Lyman #2 a lot, so I suspect that's what you want?

Rotometals (a banner sponsor of our website) sells Lyman #2 for $16.99 for 5 lbs. Buy larger quantities for sizable discount.https://www.rotometals.com/lyman-2-bullet-metal-5-pounds-90-lead-5-tin-5-antimony/

[Beagle333]

There's almost always lead in the swappin and sellin page here. And if you don't see what you want, put a WTB ad in there. There are lots of guys sitting on more lead than they'll ever use, and some of em are even old enough to be willing to sell some of it. ;-)

[Hick]

If you buy from Rotometals they run around $15 for 5 pounds and if you order at least $99 worth they ship it to your door for free. Not as good as finding your own lead but not bad either.

[Grmps]

Look to buy COWW from the forum and some Linotype when available. scrounge a little pewter at thrift stores and alloy your own

Lead alloy calculator
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=45784&d=1341560870

you can do a hardness test on the lead to have an idea what you're dealing with

Economical way to easily test lead hardness
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?355056-Easier-pencil-lead-hardness-testing

[bruce drake]

Check the Vendor sales here first and then check with Rotometals before you go to the Ebay or Amazon routes. Most of my tire shops here in Indianapolis are nearly impossible to purchase from as they get excellent deals from two local scrap/recycle yards and I'm not ready to pay retail for filthy wheelweights and whatever else they toss into the buckets to weight it down.

Bruce

[44Blam]

Message: jetsfan-24. He has good lead, ships it fast and it's priced well.

[Idaho45guy]

Great suggestions; thank you!

[Rcmaveric]

Don't forget you can recycle range lead. There a few indoor ranges i been meaning to call. I will clean their range for lead if the will let me. Always a berm, dirty yes, but i can shovel and reclaim more in an a few hours than most can afford to order. I made a sifter out of half priced 1x4 and chicken wire.

[facetious]

I picked up about 150 to 200 lb's of range scrap last year. I hope to have at least 100 to 150 lb's after cleaning. I need to find a scrap yard with one of those things to tell what is in it so I will know what I have add to it. I was thinking I will use it for handgun stuff and melt all the handgun stuff I cast up from WW's to use in my .308 .

[Thumbcocker]

I have bought ingots from vendors here and have had nothing but positive results. Clean and ready to cast and you are doing business with the "family" whats not to like?

[Bookworm]

Message: jetsfan-24. He has good lead, ships it fast and it's priced well.

Agreed. I have purchased from him more than once. Good product, well packaged, prompt shipping.

[Idaho45guy]

My dad mentioned his cost is around $2 a pound as he buys it by the pallet and casts around 40k boolits a year as a sub-contractor. I think I will see if he will sell me some of his commercial casting stock. Last time I asked, he didn't want to part with any of it and gave me some of his bilge lead.

[dverna]

My dad mentioned his cost is around $2 a pound as he buys it by the pallet and casts around 40k boolits a year as a sub-contractor. I think I will see if he will sell me some of his commercial casting stock. Last time I asked, he didn't want to part with any of it and gave me some of his bilge lead.

It will likely be 92-2-6 alloy. Good alloy for many uses but a bit hard for hunting. BTW, it is what I bought when I decided to buy a ton. It can be cut with softer alloys. I got mine from Mayco Industries. $1.67 delivered about 6 years ago.

Range lead is often cheap if you can get it. But I have bought lead from the vendors on this site

At anything over $3.00/lb I would buy bullets...but that is me.

[Grmps]

My dad mentioned his cost is around $2 a pound as he buys it by the pallet and casts around 40k boolits a year as a sub-contractor. I think I will see if he will sell me some of his commercial casting stock. Last time I asked, he didn't want to part with any of it and gave me some of his bilge lead.

Nice dad

If you can buy some 92-2-6 from him scrounge some pure and cut it 45 colt doesn't need that hard an alloy

[Rcmaveric]

When ordering lead even you have to take into account shipping. Sure a $1 a pound sounds nice but add shiping and its goes to $1.25. Still inexpensive as compared jacketed bullets. However if i can source local lead for less than 1.25 a pound its all money saved. When you start racking up weight it adds quickly.

[gwpercle]

Tire shops...small or large , if you have a shop you buy your tires from...start with them.
Otherwise , drive to all the shops you can find and ask them about buying old wheel weights.
For decades I got all of mine for free, my best friends father owned a tire shop, then my friend went into the business. I bought all my tires from them. Both have retired and I now have found a few shops that will sell them to me at the price the recyclers pay them. Next place is the scrap metal salvage yards for scrap lead. I mix the COWW with lead 50-50 , this makes a good alloy for casting boolits.
Gary

[lightman]

There are many sources of lead. A lot of us casters are scroungers. You have to look for it. You have to always be on the lookout for it! Ask your friends, family and co-workers to be on the lookout for you. Ask at your local tire shops. Check prices at your local recycling places. Run an ad in your local paper or on your local swap shop. You can buy good alloy here in the swapping and selling section for $1 per pound plus shipping. You have to plan for the future and try to stock pile a stash before you need it. Good Luck!

[rjbuilder]

Wheel weights use to be all lead. These days if you get a good price on them, you will find that a good 1/3 or more will be steel. At least in my area that is what I am finding now. I had a good source for WW years ago for .15 cents a pound. Print linotype was .30 cents. Oh the good old days.

[Outback32]

I just got into casting so I didn't have a lot of lead. I went to a bigger town to all the tire shops. I found 1 big tire shop I gave them 4 5 gallon buckets. There going to let me have all I want free. You can find it you just have to look hard

[Walter Laich]

Message: jetsfan-24. He has good lead, ships it fast and it's priced well.

he's my first 'go to' source here. Great packaging and clean product

I figure several years back I was willing to pay a bit more and skip the smelting process. Time vs. $$ vs. effort needed all came into play

[DocSavage]

Just received 58 lbs of recycled bullet lead from Rotometals $95 delivered little low in tin percentage wise so I order a lb of tin as well to mix in came to $113 total.

[Tenbender]

I just sold 700 lb. for .50 a lb. Told you I was selling out ?

[bangerjim]

Buy your Pb and alloys from folks on here! Good people and reasonable prices.

I find my Pb and alloys at several local scrap yards...they sell to businesses and the public for a buck a pound....including Sn and solder!!!!!

[Cleatus]

I've purchased Hardball 92-2-6 from Acme Bullet Company at $2.10 a pound.

[lightload]

Visit all plumbing companies big and small. You will be rewarded.

[Kestrel4k]

ID45, your posted location is the WA / ID border; I can hand deliver nearly 8 lbs of lead to you if you are close to Post Falls ID ? (No charge - but would be happy to trade for some .38Spl boolits if you'd like.)

[Mica_Hiebert]

Next time your in Lewiston stop by pacific steel & recycling they will sell it to you, limited to what they have on hand but my brother-in-law has scored on 2 ocasions a 5 gallon bucket of linotype and once he got almost a bucket of 1 lb ingots presumably wheel weight alloy ready for the pot. They sell it for spot scrap price.

[Mica_Hiebert]

Also diamondback indoor shooting range in Lewiston used to sell 2lb ingots of their range lead smelled down and ready for casting, haven't been in there in a while but worth it to poke your head in the door and ask if your in town.

[Idaho45guy]

Totally forgot about Pacific steel. I used to buy scrap aluminum diamond plate from them all the time for projects. The only problem with them is they are not open on weekends.

[RCE1]

I bought 1000lbs of roof flashing from a friend in the hardware business a number of years ago. It takes some doing when you move, but the quality is excellent and the form factor convenient.

[marlin39a]

I've made some good buys on Craigslist. I look for a guy selling any reloading equipment, and inquire about any lead he would want to sell. My shed has got a good supply of lead and Linotype as a result.

[Mica_Hiebert]

https://lewiston.craigslist.org/spo/d/50lbs-of-fishing-weights-and/6549032211.html

[kens]

Has anyone tried the re-claimed shot from Rotometals for bullet lead?

[ShooterAZ]

Guys, just a reminder...Please don't make any offers to sell lead on this thread!

[quilbilly]

Have you gone to your local scrap yard? I waved a little cash at my local scrap yard and obtained about all I could haul for .60 per pound. We've become freinds and he saves me a little pile on a regular basis. I will admit I did bring him a Chirstmas cheer just to keep the wheels lubed.
That is about what I pay here at the scrap yards for plumbing and roofing lead but I will pay more for sheets of isotope lead which I know is pure and quite clean.

[Elkins45]

I found a commercial lead product maker one state over (5 hour drive) and bought myself 1000 pounds of 96-2-2. I was having only limited success scrounging locally and none of the recyclers will sell lead, so I figured I would just buy a big batch and be done with it. I don’t regret it, and no telling how many hours of work I saved by not having to sort out the zinc, smelt, flux, etc.

[Soundguy]

I have gotten my lead from three sources so far. Amazon, Buffalo Arms, and my dad.

Dad had some bilge weight lead of unknown hardness that I mixed in with some Lyman #2. Seemed to work fine.

Amazon had some Lyman #2 for $25 for 5lbs and free shipping. So $5 a pound.

Buffalo Arms sells Lyman #2 for $2.77 a lb and shipping for 7 lbs is $18.39 (I live 80 miles from them). So after shipping, their cost per pound is $5.40.

But, if I double my order to 14 lbs (only sell it in 7lb increments) then the shipping stays the same and the per pound cost drops to $4.08 a pound.

At that rate, it costs me about $.15 per boolit.

I can buy cast boolits cheaper than that, or close to it. That's based on a 250gr .45 Colt boolit.


There's got to be a cheaper source for lead, right?


Good luck. other than the 5$ a pound online sources.. your best bet may be to stumble on it locally at yard sales.. or hoping to find an honest seller here and maybee get some range scrap ingots.

my local recycler will no longer sell anything..

Got my last 72.5# score from a reloader that sold his house and moved and needed to ditch weight. this was last month. I felt extremely lucky.

[Blackwater]

Tire shops and service stations that sell tires have been the cheapest place I've purchased from for many years. I used to actually get 5 gal buckets for FREE back in my younger days, but that ended quite a while back. In my neck of the woods, one can occasionally buy COWW's for as little as 25 cents a pound, but prices are climbing. If you do all your gas buying and auto servicing at one place, that's your best bet, but you never know what you'll find until you go asking around. That's why they call it "hunting" for WW's instead of "finding" them! But it's really not an intolerable experience, and only our own laziness keeps us from finding good places to get WW's. And WW's will do fine for 90%+ of all our handgun shooting. I've considered getting a shot maker for shotgun, but haven't pulled the trigger on that one .... yet.

Second best source, and it's for very soft lead, is lead sheeting, which is more "catch as catch can" in my area. But it shows up and is good for ML'ers and soft, target loads with wadcutters, if you still shoot .38 revolvers. Plus, it can be alloyed with WW's and linotype (if you find it), to produce just about any temper of lead you might wish for. Linotype is seldom used these days in printing, so it's harder to find than the first two, but .... you never know until you ask! Scrounging lead is an adventure in itself, and the feeling of glee when you find a good stash really makes it worth the effort.

Oh! And when you find a good deal, stretch as far as you can, and get much more than you need! It seems that one's shooting tends to depend heavily on how much lead we have around! More lead = more shooting = better shooting = better accuracy and quickness with our guns. It's hard to beat that combination of qualities!

[D Crockett]

go to vendor sales and look up the captain and order from her she is the best bet for lead D Crockett

[rsrocket1]

Has anyone tried the re-claimed shot from Rotometals for bullet lead?

No, but I cast all my bullets nowadays with reclaimed shot from the trap and skeet club I belong to. At $25/bag, it's $1/#pound which is about as good a price I can ever find from any reliable source. Sometimes, I see ads for $0.75 or $0.60/pound for a keel weight or creek cleanup sinkers but those offers are usually scooped up immediately or are for a half ton or more in one piece.

I smelt the shot in my Lee 4-20 and have to scoop up the graphite (about 2 tablespoons full per 15 pounds) and start casting with my PID set at either 675 or 700 depending on the weather. I've experimented with up to a half pound of solder added to a pot, but it didn't seem to make much difference one way or the other so I simply leave it out now. There is often a couple of steel shot pellets per pot, but not much because even though the club asks the shooters not to use steel shot, some idiot newcomer will bring a box of steel shot every now and then and use it despite them selling shells at some of the best prices around.

The shot is probably lead with antimony and little or no tin. One caveat is not to cast at too high a temperature. One time I made a batch of 9mm bullets with the lead melt > 750F and about 5% had granular "crystaline" splits in them after water dropping. I only discovered it after drying out the batch and inspecting them. I culled them out and used the rest and performance didn't seem to be affected the ones without the defects. If they were rifle bullets, I would have probably remelted the batch.

I powder coat my handgun bullets which give them a surface harness of about BHN22 (#2 pencil hardness according to the PC label) and I lube the .308 rifle bullets with 2:1 Beeswax Valseline and shoot the gas checked bullets at up to 2400 fps and the non GC bullets up to ~1800 fps.

I've done some searching and there are a number of clubs or ranges around the country that sell reclaimed shot at this price or close to this price so check around.

[40sand9s]

The pistol club I belong to has several thousand rounds shot at it per month in the various pits. The first day my brother and I scrounged we got 3 half gallon juice jugs full in about an hour and a half. That was a lot of work, now we just settle for a shotgun box or 2 each and call it a day. We are still getting about what we shot and not nearly as hard on the back. I have several hundred pounds in my garage I'll get to smelting one day. All pretty much free and you get the satisfaction of knowing you got it yourself. The first couple hundreds of pounds though I bought off Devildog here on the sight and was happy with them.

[therealhitman]

+1 on Jetsfan24

[pls1911]

My best current recommendation would be roofing contractors.... every new roof gets new vent stacks, and old ones are great pure lead.
Most houses should yield 20-30 pounds if you can keep the roofers from hoarding it to sell for scrap.
My friendly contractor provided a few garbage cans full before he retired.
I imagine Houston alone should have yielded tons of scrap lead.

From a different source, I got four ROLLS of 30" lead flashing from an over run on one job... about 400 pounds.

Total cache is undetermined, but I'm not actively collection at thois point.

Combined in a mix of 75% pure to 25% with my stash of already alloyed wheel weights, a 55 gallon drum of printers blocks (I need to go through it for historical material), and a hundred pounds of fresh babbit lead, 50-50 solder bars and pewter, I'm set for the duration.

[sigep1764]

Got lucky today. Went down to my normal scrap yard today for some wheel weights. 65 cents a pound. Turns out they had half a 55 gallon drum of Lyman ingots marked WWR which I assume is two parts wheel weight and one part range lead. They ring when I drop them. Walked into the office and asked the price, said 1.10 a pound. I came with a hundred dollar bill and left with a bucket of ingots. Saved me a day off full of smelting. Now I get to cast all of it today and tomorrow. Im happy.

[Soundguy]

Go buy a lottery ticket!

[59sharps]

Scrap yard 90 cents a lb. last Saturday.

[justashooter]

buddy of mine got a keel out of a scrapped sail boat for me recently. boat yards and marinas where they scrap boats are worth a call. he saw a yard worker throwing the keel pour inot teh dumpster.

[pls1911]

sigep1764....now THAT's a great find!
The labor involved in clean up via smelting and alloying to quanities can be substantial... TRULY A GREAT FIND!

[2011redrider]

RMR Bullets also sells bullets cores that didn't make the grade. They show they are BHN 12, about 1.50 lb and free shipping like their bullets.

https://www.rmrbullets.com/products/327143664001024-rmr-jacketed-bullet-core-lead-approximately-12-brinell-hardness