What to do with my soft lead.

[Newshooter]

I currently have about 1200#'s of soft sheet lead similar to roofers lead I would guess. From what I have been reading it would be kind of expensive to bring this up to a harder alloy. I will be casting strictly for 40 S&W and may do some muzzleloading bullets too but that won't be the issue. So what do I do to get this lead up to usable stuff for 40? Am I just better off trying to sell or trade it off for harder alloy to use? I was thinking maybe just adding some tin solder but this could get expensive and I don't think I can add enough to get it where it needs to be. Keep in mind I am very cheap and prefer to not buy anything expensive . I have hit just about every auto shop in the area to see if I can get wheel weights but as you know that was a lost cause. Not sure what to do next so anybody else have some suggestions?

[montana_charlie]

Am I just better off trying to sell or trade it off for harder alloy to use?

That would be my inclination. But trading alloy will involve postage costs. Are you too 'cheap' for that?

CM

[nagantguy]

Depending on location is take some of the soft lead from you cash or wheel weight swap. I also am cheap by the neccsity of being poor but can use soft lead.

[sargenv]

I say sell it or trade it for the alloy you want.. I was just punching up some numbers to get you to WW percents and with 1200 # of pure, you'd need:

50 # of Magnum shot (@ 5% antimony)
28 pounds of Pure tin
120# of the Rotometals Super hard (70/30/0)

To get almost 1400 pounds of 95.23/2/2.75 with a 1/4% of antimony.. or basically WW +2% Tin.

Alternatively I also mixed up a different alloy using 63/37, COWW, and Monotype which is:

50 # of COWW
220# of Monotype
1200 # of Pure
25 # of 63/37

to get:

1495# of 94.92% Lead/1.96% Tin/2.90% Antimony/.13% Arsenic

You can usually find 63/37 here for about $6-$7/lb and WW lead for $1-$1.25#

Monotype is usually $2-$2.25/lb if you can find it..

You can trade it for a certain percent to ppl who have a lot of COWW alloy..

[Newshooter]

Thanks for the help guys I was thinking that the best thing to do is sell or trade it do to it being so expensive to add what I need. I just wanted to confirm that I was right. Ok so if I do trade for COWW what is fair trade I have already melted it down into about 10# ingots would it be pound for pound or is it worth less than that since COWW is harder to find? I also think from what I am reading I could mix the COWW 50/50 with the soft and get pretty close to the hardness I am looking for correct? Thanks again I relize that these are questions that get asked quite often but as you can tell I am still quite green when it comes to casting boolits.

[Newshooter]

That would be my inclination. But trading alloy will involve postage costs. Are you too 'cheap' for that?

No, not to cheap for that just didn't want to spend a couple hundred bucks to get the lead up to where I need it to be. I have more soft lead than I can use do to where I work. Its free for me to take as an employee but I just can not sell it specifically to make a profit. Trading it is my best option but I could probably sell some to buy some other as long as I don't do a lot of it.

[Whiterabbit]

Dumb question.

have you TRIED to cast it and shoot in 40S&W yet? you might be surprised!

And if it leads but not badly you might still be able to make it work with a lube change.

[Newshooter]

No I have not tried but from what I am reading it would be much to soft for that. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it and see what happens. I know one of the key issues with leading is size so if the bullet is sized correctly maybe I wouldn't have an issue. I do plan on using Klass Kote to cover the bullets and this may help as well. Sorry rambling on and thinking out loud.

[Whiterabbit]

Try it. You might be surprised. It won't hurt you. And don't be one of those people that give up on an idea just because they don't hit a grand slam on their first time at the plate.

[Andrew Mason]

newshooter,

i my entire lead stash started out as about 700 lbs of pure lead.

i now only have about 300lbs of it left,

i traded the rest of it with some great members on here for COWW, lintotype, pweter, and isotope lead.

you just have to put your self out there and keep looking all the time.

[Mike W1]

I recently bought tin and superhard from RotoMetals. $127 of their metals turned 84 pounds of soft lead into hard lead of about 108 pounds. I figured I'm happy, that'll make 6000+ 9mms for me that would have set me back over $500 at the last price I bought any at. FWIW

[40-82 hiker]

I currently have about 1200#'s of soft sheet lead similar to roofers lead I would guess. From what I have been reading it would be kind of expensive to bring this up to a harder alloy. I will be casting strictly for 40 S&W and may do some muzzleloading bullets too but that won't be the issue. So what do I do to get this lead up to usable stuff for 40? Am I just better off trying to sell or trade it off for harder alloy to use? I was thinking maybe just adding some tin solder but this could get expensive and I don't think I can add enough to get it where it needs to be. Keep in mind I am very cheap and prefer to not buy anything expensive . I have hit just about every auto shop in the area to see if I can get wheel weights but as you know that was a lost cause. Not sure what to do next so anybody else have some suggestions?

I am interested in swapping COWWs for your sheet lead (pure?). I did a swap such as this a number of months ago and it worked out great! PM on the way...

[outdoorfan]

Mix it with equal amounts of COWW's. You will have a 50/50 alloy that will shoot in almost anything whether aircooled or HTed.

[detox]

Get rid of the 40 and buy a .357 revolver

[gspgundog]

Sounds like you have a heck of a problem but I (being the good guy that I am) am willing to help you out if you dont live to far. You can give it to me I will try to figure out what to do with it. Will not cost you a dime. lol

[destrux]

COWW are easier to find around here than pure lead.

[nightal]

I just came in from sorting WW I started yesterday, 5 gal. bucket, 2+ hrs. work, got 56 lb. lead mostly stick on's. 42 lb. zink mostly stick ons .18 lb. other metals, metal clips a lot of lead tape,i don't like smelting it, stinks +smokes,valve cores, a lot of steel ww. total 5gal. weight 116 lbs.I touched every one, that means sore fingers tomorrow.....

[Newshooter]

I am interested in swapping COWWs for your sheet lead (pure?). I did a swap such as this a number of months ago and it worked out great! PM on the way...

40-80 and I have a Trade worked out for some COWW thanks much appreciated. I think this is going to work good mixing 50/50.

[gimling]

Just cold cast your bullets should give you around 11-12 BHN I don't think you will have any problems.