Finding Scrap Lead

[CALIFORNIA]

Aside from finding the minority of auto services centers willing to part with or even sell their scrap WWs, does anyone have other sources for bullet grade scrap lead?

Fellow CGN'ers talk about Linotype, Babbitt, or even Isotope containers. Admittedly, these sources are not exactly mainstream.

I have located a dealer online that sells scrap bullet lead from a shooting range for approximately $45.00 US for 50 lbs in ingot form, shipping included.

This is a little more than the .15 -.20 cents or so you pay for used WWs, if you are able to find it. Take out the odd spark plugs, wheel nuts, valves, and steel and/or zinc I have come across in a 5 gallon pail, plus the time saved melting, smelting, fluxing, etc, and this might not be such a bad deal.

Does anyone have other decent sources?

 

[firemachine69]

Part of the process of 'boolits' is making them as cheap as possible. I don't feel like looking it up tonight, but I'm fairly certain lead from the US carries a tariff as well. In the end, bulk bullets may not be that much more expensive.


But spending money in the arena of 'smelters' is taboo.

 

[Cactus]

Go talk to the guys at the scrap yard. You may be able to get sheet lead, old Xray lead or other scrap lead.

If you have any friends that are into airguns or thier kids with an indoor pellet trap ask them to save the spent pellets from cleaning the trap in a coffee can for ya. One of my airgun friends dropped off a coffee can full of spent pellets a couple weeks ago.

I put them in the melting pot and all the bits of cardboard and duct seal burned right off. Once I scooped the ashes and fluxed I got close to 100 1oz slugs from half the can.

Also talk to any roofers and plumbers that you know. Keep checking and collecting, it adds up over time.

Cactus