[HANDLOADER]

I just read on the form wheel weights won't be around much longer. Is there any truth behind this.

[RustyFN]

I would say it depends on what state you live in. I think California has already done away with them. My sources in WV tell me they won't be gone from here any time soon.
Rusty

[arizona98tj]

It's common knowledge (or should be) that all zinc WW are beginning to replace lead WW. As mentioned, how soon your state/county/city decides to ban lead WWs will be the determining factor.

[bullseye308]

Maybe we should treat them like other reloading components and hoard them while we can. Note the lack of sarcasm. I'm getting them before they make me register them into the wheel weight database and get taxed. :neener:

[NCsmitty]

This is the continuing saga of change that was promised. Big brother will eventually deem lead a health and environmental hazard and ban it completely. It may take a while, but it's coming. Look at the Kalifornicated.

NCsmitty

[ReloaderFred]

The EPA has initiated a program to completely do away with lead wheel weights within the next two years throughout the U.S. It was the result of lawsuits from the tree huggers. The story was in the news a couple of months ago, but there wasn't much followup on it.

Fred

[SyberShooter]

I went to sears a few months back and asked for weights and the manager said they couldn't give me any because of hazardous material laws so I left and walked around the side where he couldn't see me and asked the guys in the tire shop - they gave em to me. Today I stopped at Big-O and they had 2 5gal buckets they even loaded them into my car. I asked if they are seing many zinc weights and they said no.

How can I tell if a weight is zinc? I did find a few that were very light weight and looked smooth like aluminium - are these zinc?

[ReloaderFred]

The zinc weights I've seen have been riveted to the clip. Zinc will also ring when it drops on concrete.

If you keep your melt around 700 degrees, the zinc won't melt and you can pick them off the top of the molten lead.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[jibjab]

The EPA has initiated a program to completely do away with lead wheel weights within the next two years throughout the U.S.
CO2 and lead are on the hit list, we expel CO2 and use lead to shoot, and if you happen to be a smoker thats three strikes and you may soon be out :fire:

[evan price]

In Europe they have already banned lead WW in many countries. It will happen here, :for the children: of course.

[Inspector3711]

I'm going to use fillings to make my bullets... Just need donors... Any volunteers?

What a farce... Lead from bullets is not a problem.. Compare them to the real pollution sources and they won't even register.

Another excuse.

They banned lead and not diesel in Europe and now they have 4" of carcinogens in their soil... Pure genious.

[Shoney]

I can see future headlines reading:

Local handloader charged with smuggling a pickup truck load of lead. Street value was estimated at $$$$$$$$$

[ArchAngelCD]

I truly hate what's going on these days. Even though lead is a naturally occurring metal that is all over the world all of the sudden wheel weights and lead bullets are "hazardous materials."

BTW, so much for Global Warming! This winter in the NE PA has been the coldest in the past few decades. Last Winter was the coldest in the previous decade. Also, the so called sustained drought which was supposed to be caused by Global Warming seems to have disappeared in the past 2 to 3 years. Flooding tends to erase dry lands but I know there are exceptions. Places like Southern California are still very dry but then again, that was all desert before all the artificial irrigation was put in. You would think the environmentalists would be happy the Earth is healing itself... :D

This really has to stop!! :rolleyes: (sorry for the rant, I just had to!)

[GaryM]

Start making friends at the tire shop and get while the gettin' is good.
Lead will always be around but it will become harder to find.
I have somewhere around 300lbs in the garage now but wish I had more.

BTW, 300lbs with an average bullet weight of 150grs equals 14000 bullets.

[THe Dove]

Ain't no such thang as too much LEAD!

The Dove

[rfwobbly]

I used to work in a shop. Let me tell you the way to make friends. Those guys that load the buckets into your car for you.... give them each a $10 bill. You come back 2 or 3 times doing that and they'll start calling you at home to tell you when their bucket is full. :eek:

If their boss says, "Don't save those", then they'll stockpile them in the back room or under the bench. If the world goes to zinc, they'll still be removing lead wheel weights for the next 5 years. For any kind of regular tip they'll sort the lead ones out for you. They'll do anything for a tip of that magnitude. To them that's 2 free lunches.

Walk a mile in their shoes. All they hear is complaining customers with gone-bad tires, and flats making some woman late for hair appointments. You come in there being friendly and handing out tens, you'll have friends for life. They won't care what the law says. A ten speaks far louder.

Heck, for a 6-pack they'll, wash your dog, change the diaper on the kid, wax the entire car, and put the lead wheel weights in your trunk. You think that's something? You should see what they'll do for a bottle of Jack Daniels !!!

:D

[amlevin]

consider going to your local gun range. Indoor ranges collect the lead somewhat automatically from the traps and outdoor ranges can be "mined" for the lead. Right now the market price for lead is low (at least lower than the beginning of last year) and ranges are not recieving much money for either their lead or brass. Might be a good time to stock up.