paulg
.375 Atomic
Posts: 2,420
|
Post by paulg on Oct 3, 2016 5:53:10 GMT -5
I've never cast and don't have an immediate supply of lead, that I know of yet, to cast my own. So is there a reliable source of lead for a guy interested in getting started? If so I like what Fermin is doing with the new .44 bullet and would like that to be my introduction into casting.
|
|
|
|
Post by Squatch on Oct 3, 2016 7:43:29 GMT -5
The best price I have found for bullet alloy is Missouri bullet works. #2.18/lb. This is 92 lead, 6 antimony, 2 tin. I don't cast either, yet. But have been looking at suppliers for bulk lead since ww's are no longer available when I live.
|
|
|
|
Post by fanofthefortyone on Oct 3, 2016 8:31:54 GMT -5
|
|
edk
.375 Atomic
Posts: 1,108
|
Post by edk on Oct 3, 2016 8:52:15 GMT -5
There are quite a few sellers of smelted wheel weights on these forums for around a dollar per pound - that translates to about $3.57 per 100 bullets of the type you are looking at. There are some folks who are tuned into a good source of lead andn perhaps some crusty old coots with nothing more to do than travel to tire shops. Good for them but the "free" lead still costs them time, fuel and possibly a gratuity for the source. Then comes the labor and expense to smelt. It takes enough time just to cast and hand load so I don't mind paying for the lead.
|
|
ericp
.327 Meteor
Posts: 504
|
Post by ericp on Oct 3, 2016 9:20:40 GMT -5
If you want to buy it without any hassle the various vendors on the "Cast Boolits" site have good prices and are honest/timely.
I used to do the tireshop thing but it no longer worthwhile here. I still go the scrap yard quite a bit, lots of soft lead roof sheeting/pipes comes through and every now and then you can still find type metal. It's cheaper than the vendors but can be quite a bit of work and you need luck on your side. I mostly do it because I like the hunt and the scrap folks are always interesting.
Eric
|
|
|
|
Post by sixshot on Oct 3, 2016 12:07:35 GMT -5
As Ronnie mentioned, Rotometals sells alloys & there are several different adds in Handloader magazine that has alloy for sale. Also you can find sellers over on Cast Boolits Forum that have range lead, etc. With all the politic's that are going on I WOULD NOT be caught without some alloy & at least a couple of moulds, fellas, things might take a real big change in the next few months that none of us imagine. Not wanting to be pessimistic but if you are a handgunner you had better get some alloy stock piled & don't wait another day. It's out there, just get looking! WW's are hard to find but you can find them, Linotype is out there, get some, it goes a long way with pure lead, get some! Range lead makes very good handgun bullets just as it is, get some!
Again, not wanting to preach doom & gloom but if Hillary gets in you better be ready for some changes & it won't be just our guns. What good is a car without gas? One other thing, when you practice try to do it in a place you can recover your own bullets, guess what, you can melt them down again.
Dick
|
|
|
|
Post by Rimfire69 on Oct 4, 2016 7:07:17 GMT -5
Alot of our shooting is done in a recoverable back stop, its surprising how fast it adds back up. I cleaned out a small 6 bay indoor pistol range this spring, 2 hrs of work resulted in 4 1/2 buckets, or 657 lbs of range scrap. Recycling is a good thing.
|
|
|
|
Post by boatswainsmate on Oct 4, 2016 8:08:52 GMT -5
Lead is out there. Sometimes you have to get dirty to find it.  |
|
|
|
Post by contender on Oct 4, 2016 8:33:15 GMT -5
sixshot is speaking with wisdom in his heart. I started long ago,,, accumulating lead,,, buying molds, and in general, stocking up. The Second Amendment says we have the right to keep & bear arms,,, so that fight is a hard one for the anti's. But regulating ammo & such,,, that's a whole different tactic to disarm us. Easier to get laws changed in regards to that stuff as well.
|
|
