Price of Lead
- Thread starter yhryw72
- Start date
BattleRife
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- of No Fixed Address
Casters tend to get their on secondary market, and the price fluctuates wildly.
Some people are getting it for free. Some are paying scrap prices, like 40 cents/lb.
People advertising openly are charging anywhere from $1 to $4.50 per pound.
The actual price of lead on industrial markets averaged about USD$0.98/lb over the last year, and has traded mostly within a fairly tight band of $0.90 to $1.20 for a decade.
Some people are getting it for free. Some are paying scrap prices, like 40 cents/lb.
People advertising openly are charging anywhere from $1 to $4.50 per pound.
The actual price of lead on industrial markets averaged about USD$0.98/lb over the last year, and has traded mostly within a fairly tight band of $0.90 to $1.20 for a decade.
vagrantviking
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Alberta
Just before Christmas I bought 500lb from Canada Metals for about $3.10/lb.
canadametal.com
I don't quite understand people selling salvaged lead at $4 or more if you can get foundry new lead for less.
Shipping is defiantly a factor in some cases though.
canadametal.com
I don't quite understand people selling salvaged lead at $4 or more if you can get foundry new lead for less.
Shipping is defiantly a factor in some cases though.
QUOTE>>>>>I don't quite understand people selling salvaged lead at $4 or more if you can get foundry new lead for less.<<<<<ENDQUOTE
Because depending on what else is in that lead, as in old-school semi-tractor or farm equipment wheel-weights, [eg. tin, which is now $28.00 / # +/or antimony, which is currently $50.00 / #], it may be very worthwhile. The problem, of course, is determining what exactly is in the mix.
Because depending on what else is in that lead, as in old-school semi-tractor or farm equipment wheel-weights, [eg. tin, which is now $28.00 / # +/or antimony, which is currently $50.00 / #], it may be very worthwhile. The problem, of course, is determining what exactly is in the mix.
Alchemy Extrusions , Stoney Creek , Ont . They will make up whatever mixture you want , excellent to deal with , very fair prices. They use to cast bullets as well many years ago, so they now what you mean when you ask for a Lyman #2 alloy.
vagrantviking
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Alberta
I've dealt with Alchemy but recently Cascade Lead Products was a better deal than Alchemy. Metalex used to.be a good supplier but I don't think they do less than full truckloads now.
Wheel weights can be a good source of about 3% antimony and that's something at today's prices as James mentioned.
Wheel weights can be a good source of about 3% antimony and that's something at today's prices as James mentioned.
Just make sure the wheel weights are the clip on type , I have found the metal in the stick on ones doesn’t work very well . Contaminate a mix with the wrong stuff and it is all scrap. And even with wheel weights, you need to add some tin to make them cast and fill out better . Without the tin, the bullet will be a bit heavier and smaller in diameter than they should be . With the #2 Lyman alloy I get from Alchemy , the bullets are spot on for weight and diameter. Have tried it all over the last 50 years of casting. When you spend an afternoon in front of a furnace , you want it to be worth the time spent.
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I've found the new clip on wheelweights contain zinc even though they are softer than pure zinc weights. I think wherever these weights go to get recycled the sorting process isn't really a high priority. I tested a few of what I thought were lead weights and they tested positive for zinc with muriatic acid.
when you melt them down, just keep the temp under the zinc melting point and you can just skim the zinc ones off the molten lead.
Saves a lot of work sorting : )
- Location
- Delta B.C.
New foundry lead is just lead.... not recycle grade... They provide test sample data for standards... and guarantee minimums as it's required... just sayin... Cheers
I get some of mine from the 22lr rounds I shoot.I use bucked up lengths of wood with a target over it. Shoot and collect. Soft lead. Need to add linotype according to wanted hardness.
A buddy of mine got a demo contract when the local hospital was upgrading/ adding to the x-ray dept.
Turns out the walls were lead lined and all the lead had to be removed from the site.
I gave him a hand stripping and cutting it into sheets. (Yes. Proper PPE and techniques were used.) We salvaged about 3 tons of lead sheeting.
My take was just under 1000 lbs of pure lead.
So far just used it for casting round balls for BP.
Where can you purchase Antimony or other hardening agents?
Turns out the walls were lead lined and all the lead had to be removed from the site.
I gave him a hand stripping and cutting it into sheets. (Yes. Proper PPE and techniques were used.) We salvaged about 3 tons of lead sheeting.
My take was just under 1000 lbs of pure lead.
So far just used it for casting round balls for BP.
Where can you purchase Antimony or other hardening agents?
Antimony will be expensive and hard to find.
Maybe try finding Linotype printing lead or other harder lead alloys and use that to harden it or put out a want to trade add for some of your soft lead for lead ingots made out of wheel weights.
