I reload most everything I own but I have never casted a single one. Ya'll got some nice looking casts.
I'm curious what you guys think about casting pure copper bullets. Is it the same process as lead?
One source to keep a check on is estate sales. If you see an auction that has reloading stuff, there is always a chance there could be some lead there.I started casting back in 2019 for a small model cannon and I've expanded to casting for a whole bunch of calibers.
.380, 9mm, .45 ACP, .45 LC, .300 BLK, .45-70, 11mm Chassepot, 11mm Mauser, 11x59R Gras, .577 Snider, 450/577 Martini, .54 Burnside, .58 Minié ball, .69 round ball (both .648 and .662), and of course, 2" 2 pound projectiles for my Whitworth cannon.
I powder coat all the rounds I'm loading for smokeless powder (just lard/beeswax grease for the blackpowder bullets).
But definitely finding lead is difficult. When I started, I lucked out and bought a bunch of ingots from a guy getting out of casting. Since then, I've just bought ingots from other scrapper/casters on eBay generally.
I've called a bunch of the scrap yards/recyclers around Indianapolis and none I talked to will sell to the public. The tire shops I've talked to said they aren't seeing lead wheel weights anymore. Even the roofers I've talked to seemed to have no idea what I was talking about when I asked about roofing lead (which is weird, since I'm pretty sure it's still heavily used).
It's definitely a tough hobby to pick up now a days.
I do blacksmithing and my forge can get up to 2000F. I've seen guys make pure copper hammers with sand molds, but yeah a forge is needed to smelt the metal.You're talking about 700⁰ for lead vs almost 2000⁰ for copper.
I've thought about buying a lathe and turning copper bullets from bar stock. This is probably the proper way to make them.
Just scrapped 250 lbs worth of already cast into Lyman ingots.
Too many tire kickers or folks not following through. Done messin w the stuff.
I think that polymer coating would work well for rifle bullets.How do you lube your rifle bullets?
I have around 200 lbs of lead, and I don't want to take it to the recycling center. Any suggestions or persons I can sell it to?The answer is "it depends". Mainly on how much the lead costs you. If you pay $2/ lb, and are casting 158 gr bullets for 38/357, you get 44 bullets per pound, so just under 5 cents per bullet in that scenario. At $4 / lb, it's 10 cents. I think even at that cost, it's still economical in today's market.
Lead / powder coated bullets are also less wear on your barrel.
have around 200 lbs of lead, and I don't want to take it to the recycling center. Any suggestions or persons I can sell it to?One source to keep a check on is estate sales. If you see an auction that has reloading stuff, there is always a chance there could be some lead there.
have around 200 lbs of lead, and I don't want to take it to the recycling center. Any suggestions or persons I can sell it to?Been casting for a while. Anyone else?
have around 200 lbs of lead, and I don't want to take it to the recycling center. Any suggestions or persons I can sell it to?
I heard $2 a pound was a fair price, but that was on this forum. It also said $4/lb so idk I was thinking meet half way at $3 a pound. What do you think? You were the first person to replyPrice?
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Somewhere in this forum it said from 2 to $4 a pound but I don't know anything about this so maybe meet halfway at $3 a pound. You're the first to reply so I guess you have privilege so let me know what you're going to do because my mailbox is getting hit hardPrice?
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I heard $2 a pound was a fair price, but that was on this forum. It also said $4/lb so idk I was thinking meet half way at $3 a pound. What do you think? You were the first person to reply
Somewhere in this forum it said from 2 to $4 a pound but I don't know anything about this so maybe meet halfway at $3 a pound. You're the first to reply so I guess you have privilege so let me know what you're going to do because my mailbox is getting hit hard
Good Luck with selling for those prices. This spring bought 700+ lbs of wheel weights for $65.00 from an Indiana scrapyard.I heard $2 a pound was a fair price, but that was on this forum. It also said $4/lb so idk I was thinking meet half way at $3 a pound. What do you think? You were the first person to reply
Somewhere in this forum it said from 2 to $4 a pound but I don't know anything about this so maybe meet halfway at $3 a pound. You're the first to reply so I guess you have privilege so let me know what you're going to do because my mailbox is getting hit hard
I heard $2 a pound was a fair price, but that was on this forum. It also said $4/lb so idk I was thinking meet half way at $3 a pound. What do you think? You were the first person to reply
Somewhere in this forum it said from 2 to $4 a pound but I don't know anything about this so maybe meet halfway at $3 a pound. You're the first to reply so I guess you have privilege so let me know what you're going to do because my mailbox is getting hit hard