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350 lbs of soft lead, ok for casting?

Sn3aKyGuY

Sn3aKyGuY

.30-06
I have a guy in my area that is looking to get rid of "350 lbs of soft lead for casting sinkers or for molding". I'm not sure what it is exactly as it's posted on CraigsList with no pictures, but what should I look for to make sure this is something I can smelt down for boolits? Also, what is a fair price for this kind of weight as he's just listed the price as "make offer"?

ScrapMonster.com says $.40/lb ...?
 
Try PM'ing Nitesite. He seems pretty knowedgable about this type thing.
 
If I were making an offer on "unknown" lead that couldn't be verified I would maybe offer $20/100 pounds. If it's already in ingot form it's worth more because the impurities and other dross is presumed to have already been fluxed and removed.

PURE lead has a Brinnell hardness Number (BHN) of around 5, and wheelweights are somewhere around 9-12 BHN. Wheelweights make suitable bullets for just about any pistol round.

PURE lead is perfect (actually mandatory) for Black Powder guns and it also makes a great pistol bullet as long as it isn't a magnum or clocks much over 800-fps. By casting a bullet that is meant for an added copper gas check seated on the bullet base, pure lead can go faster up to maybe 1200-fps if the bullet-to-bore diameter fit is matching. A lot of soft lead swaged bullets that are commercially produced are almost pure (5~8 BHN) and are widely used by target shooters shooting puffball loads for NRA Bullseye etc. The almost pure soft lead expands at the base from even the slightest powder charge which helps seal the bore.

If you get the pure lead and want to harden it up for faster bullets like 9mm and .40 and .357 etc you can melt in some linotype or wheel weights to get the BHN up higher.

I'd consider 350 pounds a smart purchase for the future. It's always going to be good trading material as environmentalal laws become stricter and tighter and the use of lead dwindles. Many states already outlaw wheel weights made of lead, which constituted about 95% of what most bullet casters used for the past 50-years!

If it's loose and varied scrap I'd start with $60, even go to $75 and I'd offer $100 tops and hope that brings it home with you.
 
BTW, if you examine this lead and are not positive it's as advertised you can do the "tink test".

Lead, even wheel weights, when rapped against concrete or iron will make a dull "thud" sound.

Zinc, ferrous, and other crap metals always make a "tink" sound.

Also, lead struck with a hammer easily indents. If you hit something that doesn't it's questionable.
 
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