acquiring lead

[idpasharpshooter]

besides wheel weights where are you guys getting lead for bullets specifically in central pa

[Damage control]

besides wheel weights where are you guys getting lead for bullets specifically in central pa

Toys from China lol sorry I had to

Damage Control

[knight0334]

Toys from China lol sorry I had to

Damage Control

+1 for the laugh!!

Sometimes I come across old lead telephone cable.

In a pinch I'll buy some off a local scrap metals purchaser if I need some like right now. Most of the time the local scrap places will beat the ingot sellers - but the quality isn't always the best.

[imashooter2]

Indoor range scrap. Contractor tear outs of roofing flash, shower pans and old pipe. Radioactive isotope containers from hospitals.

[27hand]

besides wheel weights where are you guys getting lead for bullets specifically in central pa

I believe you can buy ingot lead from plumbing supply houses.(call for cost)

I used to smash old cast iron pipe hubs, collect the lead and melt it down into my own ingots. I still have a lead furnace we plumbers used to use to pour these joints and still occasionally lead toilet flanges in.

I have since given most of it away to a guy making sinkers.

After handling lead, you should wash your hands with soap and cold water.

27hand

[Farbmeister]

I have had ZERO luck getting wheel weights. I was even down Harrisburg and hit about 10 tire/repair places and they all said the same thing.. they have a contract for a recycler.

I did score about 50lbs from a marina that had old boat anchors, but that was in MD.

[mauser]

eBay is an option. It seems to be selling for around $1.00 per pound and should ship for around $10.00 for 50 pounds. (And your letter carrier will hate you). Search "soft lead" "sinker lead", "bullet lead", "linotype".
http://cgi.ebay.com/50lbs-soft-lead-...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/25-lbs-SOFT-LEAD...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Soft-Lead-Washer...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/50-lbs-soft-lead...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/SOFT-LEAD-Ingot-...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/30-Pounds-Soft-L...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/50-Pounds-of-Sof...QQcmdZViewItem

Linotype is selling for a bit more:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Over-50lb-Linoty...QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/Linotype-lead-al...QQcmdZViewItem


Several years ago I went to one of the bigger tire dealers in Lebanon, and offered them a price for their scrap wheel weights that was competitive with what they would get at a salvage yard. The difference is that I offered to pick it up, rather than them having to haul it. I got several hundred pounds in a short time, then for some reason they wanted more $$ from me. By that time I found out how much hassle it is to clean them, and to separate and dispose of the steel clips, not to mention the stink of rubber and brake dust when I was melting them. I decided that I had enough wheel weights. I checked with local scrap yards. One said they didn't have any, but couldn't sell it to the general public if they did have it. (BS or not??). Another one said he had some that he could sell me. I think I remember 25¢ per pound. It sounded a bit expensive, but when I saw that the lead was actually printers linotype I bought it in a heartbeat. I think it was a bit less than 100 pounds.
I've asked plumbers (private contractor) who were glad to give me a few chunks here and there.
Yard sales and flea markets have turned up all kinds of lead, such as lead shot, linotype, lead ingots, solder, pewter mugs, (Not the aluminum that looks similar to pewter, but real pewter, it's mostly tin with antimony, copper, bismuth, and sometimes lead. It's good for making alloy for harder lead).
As far as I know, plumbing supply houses and hardware stores don't sell lead or lead alloy solder any more. It's illegal for plumbers to use lead now.
If there are any printers in your area, (Old, long established printers, we're talking OLD technology here), they may still have some linotype collecting dust. Linotype is good for alloy to harden lead, or for good hard bullets used just as it is, but it will cast oversize and it can be a bitch to size more than a thousandth or so.

Good luck.

Let us know what you find.

[PA Rifleman]

...
As far as I know, plumbing supply houses and hardware stores don't sell lead or lead alloy solder any more. It's illegal for plumbers to use lead now.
...
Let us know what you find.

Interesting. I've been purchasing new lead from local plumbing supply houses. I cast for my muzzleloaders, so I need really soft lead.

I ask for "caulking lead" and they know immediately what I need. Comes in a 5-ingot string of 5 lb ingots (total=25 lbs)...one ingot usually looks like this:

[Frenchy]

If you can get a gun club (interior as much as possible) to allow you to clean for them, (its really hard to do) then you could have as much lead as you want...

I say its really hard because most clubs know the value of the lead and brass and sell it out, but I have seen places that actually will pay you to clean there. Lead poisoning being a factor, most "contractors" charge very high amounts to clean walls and cealings, Propose a good price and include scrap removal in your price, you would be surprised how fast they forget the scrap value once you mention you can wash walls and cealings.

[Hawk]

Are you wanting to get into it or already have a setup? I considered it for reloading shot shells but a ton of guys around here are already fighting for scrap lead. If your wanting to make bullets for regular firearms for the first time (not muzzle loaders), I'd rethink it and just look for deals on the web for your reloading supplies.


Hawk,