Found a new source for lead

Re: Found a new source for lead

If you watch your lead pot temps closely you don't have to worry about the Zinc. Lead melts at 620 degrees,Zinc at 788 it will float on top of the lead and you just have to skim it off.

[flashguy]

Re: Found a new source for lead

With the Vampire nation we are in now, I am thinking silver might be another option.

The Mythbusters tried emulating Tonto some time back. It is extremely difficult to make bullets out of silver--its melting point is way too high, and it shrinks when it cools so that the castings are not crisp. (Not to mention that it's pretty expensive right now.)

flashguy

[gandog56]

Re: Found a new source for lead

From listening/reading/watching news reports we ought to be able to squeeze quite a bit of it out of small children.

And even more out of Chinese toys!

So we should squeeze Chinese children?

[Ahab]

Re: Found a new source for lead

Be careful of wheel weights!

The "new" wheel weights are zink.

You DO NOT want to get that melted in when casting...it turns into a gloppy mess and won't cast .

If you are going to use wheel weights, CAREFULLY separate out the zinc ones.

[RT]

Re: Found a new source for lead

wow, I deal with construction and remodel cleanup from time to time. Will have to keep an eye out for medical clinics and places that had X Ray equipment.

[Old Man of the Mountain]

Re: Found a new source for lead

Wheel weights make excellent pistol bullets. They do need to be hardened with antimony and/or tin like for rifle bullets and even then the velocity needs to be kept down or you will have leading in the barrel. Really good rifle bullets can be made from linotype from printing shops if you can find one that still uses it. I also like linotype for 44 mag bullets!

For Black Powder wheel weights are too hard as they need pure lead bullets. An excellent source for this is Xray rooms that are being remodeled as they are required to replace their lead sheilding every so often. Right now under my gun room is about 800 pounds of it and it was just one partial wall of an Xray room a buddy remodeled for the hospital. He has the rest and it is over 2 TONS!

Thanks, that is good to know!

[Old Man of the Mountain]

Re: Found a new source for lead

Hawk.....your bullets don't glow.....do they?

Everyone else at the range thought they were just tracers!

[TheMrMitch]

Re: Found a new source for lead

Hawk.....your bullets don't glow.....do they?

[Hawk45]

Re: Found a new source for lead

Have you tried that yet?

I was told that the lead alloy of shot is different from the lead alloy of bullets, one must have more antimony that the other.

Also that the alloy of tire weights was not the same as needed for cast bullets.

Wheel weights make excellent pistol bullets. They do need to be hardened with antimony and/or tin like for rifle bullets and even then the velocity needs to be kept down or you will have leading in the barrel. Really good rifle bullets can be made from linotype from printing shops if you can find one that still uses it. I also like linotype for 44 mag bullets!

For Black Powder wheel weights are too hard as they need pure lead bullets. An excellent source for this is Xray rooms that are being remodeled as they are required to replace their lead sheilding every so often. Right now under my gun room is about 800 pounds of it and it was just one partial wall of an Xray room a buddy remodeled for the hospital. He has the rest and it is over 2 TONS!

[jefferson101]

Re: Found a new source for lead

If you can melt it, mold it, weigh it, and load by bullet weight.

Moly coat it if you feel the need.

It's a whole lot better than shooting nothing, even if it is a lower density. Compensate in your load, and all will be well.

[Old Man of the Mountain]

Re: Found a new source for lead

From listening/reading/watching news reports we ought to be able to squeeze quite a bit of it out of small children.

The Communist Chinese toy industry is going to cause a lead shortage!

[Old Man of the Mountain]

Re: Found a new source for lead

I was goofing around at the range the other day and decided to walk about over by the trap section since they weren't shooting that day. I scooped up about 4-5 lbs of lead off the ground in about 10 minutes. It looks to be mostly 7 or 8 shot but I plan on melting it down for casting. If you've got a trap range you might want to check it out.

Randy

Have you tried that yet?

I was told that the lead alloy of shot is different from the lead alloy of bullets, one must have more antimony that the other.

Also that the alloy of tire weights was not the same as needed for cast bullets.

Re: Found a new source for lead

You can not buy wheel wights in WA state any more tire shops say the us gov. will not let them sell the lead any more , the one shop I went to showed me a letter that the lead in harmful to the puplic.

[jefferson101]

Re: Found a new source for lead

Why don't you just go by a tire store and ask them for the weights? They have to pay a hazmat fee to dispose of the materials and it would make sense to ask before you start helping yourself. Makes shooters look bad if we are common thiefs.

Once upon a time, that was true, and it was a readily available "free" source.
Nowadays, every one I've checked with has someone who pays them by the pound for it when they come pick it up.


The practice may be different in your AO, and it may come back to that point if the price of lead continues to go down, but right now they aren't giving it away.

Re: Found a new source for lead

Why don't you just go by a tire store and ask them for the weights? They have to pay a hazmat fee to dispose of the materials and it would make sense to ask before you start helping yourself. Makes shooters look bad if we are common thiefs.