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Thread: Lead pipe question

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
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    Lead pipe question

    Is lead pipe pure lead, or close enough? BIL gave me some and I am just curious.

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master
    bangerjim's Avatar
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    Nothing in this life is for sure!

    Most lead water pipe I have found is very close to pure. Just test it with your set of artist pencils to get a ballpark reading.

    If it is old refrigeration small tubing, it could be pure tin. They used a lot in beer coolers long time ago. I ran across 100# of it several years ago for 50¢ a pound. Nice stuff!

  3. #3
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
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    My BIL is a foreman for a big plumbing contractor that does municipal contracts and if he runs across Any he gives it to me.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
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    Cass county, Michigan
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    If it bends easily without "talking to you" (pure tin will have a cracking sound when bent) it is as close to pure as you can get,,,,, except for the "wiped joints" (looks like a snake swallowed a rat) which will contain a higher % of tin.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    CABLE sheathing is not pure lead, but is a calcium-lead alloy which drosses like crazy and is a pain to use. When you get unknown lead pipe or split sheahing melt a SMALL quantity of several pounds and watch to see if you get heavy drossing or not after initial fluxing...
    The ENEMY is listening.
    HE wants to know what YOU know.
    Keep it to yourself.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check