Score! Two buckets of wheel weights!

[hunter63]

Was out doing some checking on wheel weights, couple of tire stores told me that they sell it to "someone", (beat me to it), some trade it in? and so forth.
Wasn't looking good.

Then I thought of the one just down the street, so close I didn't even think of it.
Stopped yesterday and the kid behind the counter say to stop today and talk to the owner.

So I did. Owner asked me what I was gonna do with them, so I told him pour bullets. (thinking oh, crap, this can't be good).

Guy says, "Good, you can have all I got, when you run out, stop back, I think it's cool, your building your own".

Then he says, "What up with ammo prices, if you can find it"?
So we discussed the ways of the world for a while, and I left thinking that this is a kindred spirit.

Said thank you, and left with my two 5 gal buckets of lead. (I split them into 4--1/2 buckets so I could carry them)

I think I'm gonna like this guy.

[oneokie]

Great score. Congrats

[Michael Kawalek]

I get funny responses too. What do you want it for, in a stern tone. As soon as I say I target shoot and make my own lead bullets the tone changes and they say "well sure, I'll give you all I've got".

Congratulations on your score.
Hope your back is still OK!
Michael

[zant]

Nice score,I've been saving buckets from local tire places for 2yrs now....Free is great..

[big rockpile]

Good Score.

I wish I could find some Pure Lead for Bullets for my Muzzleloader.I bought a bunch on Line that was suppose to be Pure Lead but it wasn't It was too hard.

big rockpile

[Macybaby]

Good find!

my DH got "lucky" this spring. The place he rented a room at was doing some remodeling. They were converting an old medical exam office into rooms for rent. While he was there they were removing the dead soft lead lining from the old X-ray room. He got about 50 lbs of lead sheeting, all rolled up in nice bundles. That wasn't much considering what was in the room, but he didn't want to seem greedy.

Cathy

[hunter63]

Pure lead seems hard to find, I still have a bunch left over from the factory where I used to work.
Only a couple of hundred lbs, so still looking for more.

Processed the two buckets that I picked up, lots of different kinds, have to be careful, some with zinc.
According to Lee's chapter on casting, zinc is bad.

After a while, you can kinda tell which one are O.K.,I use a "scratch test" with an awl, to tell how hard they are.
Some are even marked Zn for zinc, or Fe for iron.

Zinc melts at about 1400 degrees I think, the pot gets to 900 degrees, so I don't think I have had a problem, so far.

Some are marked "Micro" and seem very soft, some marked "M.C." and "AL-MC" don't know for sure, but they passed the "scratch test" so I melted them.
Some other marking are "T", seems hard, but melt, some marked "P" seem O.K.

Kinda make you wonder if there is a data base on markings?

Got my .357 6 cavity dies in the other day, didn't realize that they didn't come with handles, the round ball and the shot gun slug dies did, so had to reorder and wait.

Came in yesterday, so poured a few hundred .357's to day, not to many "culls" after I got the dies up to temp, and my technique down.

Coated with Lee's Alox and they are drying right now.
Since I paid about $60 bucks for 450 bullets last time around for the .357, I think I am already ahead of the game.

Found this site WOW, lots of detailed info
http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm

[oneokie]

Zinc melts at between 750° and 800°. Lead starts to vaporize at about 1050°, the fumes are bad news. Keep your melt at about 650° and anything that floats is either zinc or steel. A simple test for zinc contamination in your alloy is to use Muratic Acid. Apply a drop or 2 of Muratic Acid and look for bubbling/foaming. Do Not Breathe the Fumes.

The markings you refer to are Mfg.'s brand names.

Stick on ww's are nearly pure lead, but one needs to check them also for zinc.

Here is another good site for finding information on cast boolits;

www.castboolits.gunloads.com