lead

**chemist308** · November 24th, 2008, 12:32 AM

I reload. I've been set up to cast my own 38s since last year. But, were do those few who cast their own in addition to reloading get their alloy from?

**Franchi20/28** · November 24th, 2008, 12:44 AM

tire shops/garages, ie used wheel weights.
If your not good at begging, give up now.

**imashooter2** · November 24th, 2008, 08:31 AM

Indoor ranges, plumbers and roofers as tear outs, radioactive pharmacies for isotope containers...

**knight0334** · November 24th, 2008, 09:57 AM

Tire shops, plumbers, roofers, ranges that let me clean the backstops and pits, telephone crews(old lead sheathed cables being removed). I also purchase some from smaller recycling centers that dont gather enough to make it worth their while to ship off.

Except the range waste, most of the above is pretty close to pure. I only have to add a little bit of tin, copper or other materials to get my preferred alloys.

====

imashooter2,

that pharmacy thing is a pretty good idea. I never thought to check them out.

**PA Rifleman** · November 24th, 2008, 07:17 PM

For harder bullets (ie, cartridge guns) I melt down old auto wheel weights and sort the ingots by hardness.

For muzzleloaders, especially Minie bullets, I buy pure lead.

Consider investing in a hardness tester.

Here are two Minie bullets that I cast years ago. Left bullet-69 cal, right-58 cal.

What you can't see in this photo is the 58 cal Minie is correct, the 69 cal bullet is too hard. When fired, the 69 fails to properly engage the rifling and tumbles. Here's a recovered 69 cal Minie that tumbled:

Click on rifle icon for more info about the 69 cal rifle.

**benc4liberty** · November 24th, 2008, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by chemist308

I reload. I've been set up to cast my own 38s since last year. But, were do those few who cast their own in addition to reloading get their alloy from?

How much do you need?

**notenoughguns** · November 25th, 2008, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by benc4liberty

How much do you need?

Why , do you have some to sell , and how much ?

**benc4liberty** · November 25th, 2008, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by notenoughguns

Why , do you have some to sell , and how much ?

I do have some that I can sell, how much are you looking for. I'll need to know the amount you want in pounds. I'm also in York, so would you pick up? I don't even want to imagine what it would cost to ship. PM me for my phone number, and we can talk about it. I can negotiate on price.

Ben