Raw lead?

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Panzerschwein

Panzerschwein

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Hello!

I am getting into casting bullets for my black powder guns. I need to find a source of pure soft lead because I want to save money, but, I don't have time (work, school etc.) to go around the country and find pure lead scrap to cast with.

Is there a source online where I can order pure lead ingots or something?? Any places that you cast boolit guys use to order lead? If so, would shipping for it be so miserably expensive that it would negate the cost savings vs. buying pre made bullets?

I shoot .58 caliber Minnie balls in a Springfield rifled musket, that weigh about 460 grains each. From the place I get them from (Track of the Wolf) they cost about 65 cents per round after shipping.

Is there any way I can buy pure lead ingots and get them shipped to me, and still come out ahead?? Is this a lost cause??

Also, I live in Kansas near Topeka (Eastern Kansas) and also travel regularly to St. Louis, MO so if there are any places to buy lead that would not make me pay shipping, that might work well to.
 
rotometals.com is what I use. It is not cheap though. I know you don't want to go hunting for lead but I can always find roof sheeting at the junkyard which is almost always nearly pure lead. It is in thin sheets that are often rolled up. It is easy to melt and will cost about 1/3 of rotometals.
 
I've never ordered lead online but rotometals has a lot of satisfied customers. I've never heard complaints about them. However, if I had to pay that much, I'd just buy ready made balls from Hornady or Speer.

Most scrap yards should have scrap lead from time to time. Most of the lead pipe you find there will be pure or close to it. The last time I bought from the scrap yard I paid 0.45/pound.
 
+1

Lead roof valley sheeting.
Lead shower stall floor pans.
Lead pipe from older home roof vent pipes.
Lead cable sheathing from buried wire.

There used to be a big salvage yard a block or two west of US-75/Topeka Blvd, just north of the river bridge.
Don't know if it is still there or not?


But it would be one-stop shopping for that stuff if it is.

rc
 
Last edited:
^ Man.

I'll have to check that out! It's just so expensive to shoot my musket with ball/powder/and cap costing about $1 per round.
 
You won't get $2 a pound, I assure you.
I sell it from time to time at $1.25/lb when I want something I don't have the funds for. Sometimes it sits a while at that. On the castboolits site you can find wheel weight ingots and range lead ingots at $1/lb shipped fairly regularly.
 
Shipping rates are determined by weight, the size of the package and distance. Buying components on-line usually costs more than buying locally.
55 pounds will give you 6417 460 grain bullets for about $200 shipping included. You have the time to cast 'em? Knowing it doesn't have to be done all at once.
This might matter too though.
"Re-delivery fees due to no one being at delivery site during standard hours of 8am-5pm..."
 
Shipping rates are determined by weight, the size of the package and distance.
Click to expand...

If you buy from individuals on forums it isn't an issue because you can use flat rate boxes from the USPS. I've shipped 60 pounds of lead for $12 and some change.

I don't know if businesses can use that though so it may be expensive to ship through them.
 
You think $2/lb is bad? What if you were in CA and had to use lead free alloy for muzzleloaders? They are selling 97% Bismuth 7% Tin alloy and it's a whopping $7/lb!!!
 
A few years back there was an outfit in Quinter Ks, that sold certified alloy. So you may want to check the Yellowpages on that one.
Buffalo Arms is generally cheaper than rotometals when ordering 50+ lb orders, both use the USPS flat rate boxes , 13$ up to 70 lbs.
Also look on Ebay there are folks that sell lead of various kinds there. Some cheap , some not so much.
 
Call around your area to local Demolition , plumbing ,and roofing contractors.
They all come across lead sheeting for Roof Jacks, old Lead pipe joints and even sometimes lead sheeting from X Ray rooms that they tear out in Hospitals.
I am sure they eventually sell the stuff to scrap yards, so just see if they will sell it to you.
And No , the X ray lead sheeting does not glow in the dark.

Just last year, my friends and I aquired over 200 pounds that way.
Did I mention , For Free.
 
I completely agree with all the posts above suggesting going to the local scrap yard. Lead sheets are what you're looking for and can be bought for a few cents over melt.
 
ArchAngelCD said:
That alloy is rated similar to Lyman #2 alloy which is ~16 BHN. Hardly appropriate for casting soft round ball meant for muzzle-loaders.
Click to expand...
I agree. It was mentioned in reference to a poster who wondered if companies could mail lead via flat rate shipping.
 
Thanks gang, I'm going to try and hit up the local scrap yards and also see about prices from Buffalo Arms and Rotometals!
 
I get all my soft lead (lead pipe and sheeting) at my local scrap yard for $.65 a pound. The only thing I order online is solder and high antimony lead to mix with my soft lead to make suitable alloys.

Don
 
^ Dang.

Now THAT would stop me from complaining and would get me to the range more often!!!

I'm going to have to look around the local metal yards and see what's there...
 
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