Lead - other than wheel weights and linotype

blacksmithden

blacksmithden

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I live among the creatures of the night (Edmonton)
So, I'm snooping around for some lead. I'm going to go by a fairly large local scrap dealer to see what they've got.

The question is, what else, besides wheel weights is suitable for gas checked rifle bullets ??? I imagine that sheeting they used to use on roofs is way to soft, but what about things like scrap lead pipe ???

Also, I've asked a few scrap dealers if they ever get in any antimony. As expected, they look at you like you've got two heads and just spoke Martian to them. Also, linotype is about as easy to find as a spare engine for a Brenn gun carrier. Hardening it up myself is kind of out. What other things are made out of harder lead ???????

Oh, and just a tip. If you're going around to places asking, quite a few will ask you what you want it for. If you want half a ton, as I do.....making sinkers, or weights to balance your race car is kind of a weak excuse. However, when you're "redoing the keel on a fairly large sail boat":rolleyes: .....well, that requires quite a bit of lead :D
 
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blacksmithden said:
So, I'm snooping around for some lead. I'm going to go by a fairly large local scrap dealer to see what they've got.

The question is, what else, besides wheel weights is suitable for gas checked rifle bullets ??? I imagine that sheeting they used to use on roofs is way to soft, but what about things like scrap lead pipe ???

Also, I've asked a few scrap dealers if they ever get in any antimony. As expected, they look at you like you've got two heads and just spoke Martian to them. Also, linotype is about as easy to find as a spare engine for a Brenn gun carrier. Hardening it up myself is kind of out. What other things are made out of harder lead ???????

Oh, and just a tip. If you're going around to places asking, quite a few will ask you what you want it for. If you want half a ton, as I do.....making sinkers, or weights to balance your race car is kind of a weak excuse. However, when you're "redoing the keel on a fairly large sail boat":rolleyes: .....well, that requires quite a bit of lead :D
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Try medical isotope containers. They run about 20 to 1 lead to antimony. I am not sure where in Canada you might find a supply. I got mine from a fellow in Corning, NY. Try looking in BPCR forums.
 
Have you looked in on the Cast bullet Association or Cast Boolits forums? They have a lot of discussion on different sources and ways of hardening up soft lead.

Wheel weight is usually the easiest stuff to find and if you temper or water drop you should be able to get it hard enough for most uses.
 
The limestone steps in front of a government building were being rebuilt a few years ago. I struck up a conversation with one of the stone masons. After a few curious questions (for buttering up because I recognized the materials involved) I asked if he would reuse the sheet lead isolation material between the stone and concrete. No. He had something else for this job. So I asked if you would save it for me. Yes. Back I came that afternoon and got a Jeezly heavy folded mess of sheet lead. Gave it to a bullet casting friend.

The other disappearing source is lead newspaper typeset. It hasn't been used for many years, and if you find some, it is almost too precious to shoot away willy nilly!
 
Here's some ideas for you.

Lead ingots from old fish/work boats (used for ballast)

Truck shops, The Wheel weights from semi's are even harder that car ones.

Roofing contractors, the stuff they tear off and need to dispose of, this works just fine as long as you mix it with some harder stuff.

Water quench your bullets when they're out of the mold.
 
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Most of the "found lead" mentioned above makes a great base for bullet making as it is probably pure lead or close to it. Use as is for muzzleloading bullets/balls, add tin from solder making a 30-1 mix which is best for BP cartridge. Mix 50/50 with wheelweights and you have a mix suitable for std. velocity pistol bullets. Mix 50/50 with Lin/monotype and you have a mix suitable for most cast bullet shooting to over 2000fps(with gas check). Straight wheel weights work good for mid range velocities, but are very inconsistent as to weight and hardness. Quenching bullets works but leaves alot of inconsistencies in regard to hardness, it takes about a day for them to reach max. hardness and then from there on they start to soften and if left to sit will return to their original hardness.
 
vagrantviking said:
Have you looked in on the Cast bullet Association or Cast Boolits forums? They have a lot of discussion on different sources and ways of hardening up soft lead.

Wheel weight is usually the easiest stuff to find and if you temper or water drop you should be able to get it hard enough for most uses.
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Don't even get me started on castboolits.com. Every single time I go on that site, I get sidetracked away from what I went on there to find out. The next thing I know, I've learned some new skill that I didn't even know existed, and it's 3:30am on a work day !!!! LOL !!!!
 
arancio said:
Try medical isotope containers. They run about 20 to 1 lead to antimony. I am not sure where in Canada you might find a supply. I got mine from a fellow in Corning, NY. Try looking in BPCR forums.
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Radioactive lead particles. I'm sure the missus won't mind.
 
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