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I was doing some research on the internet for lead. The lead ingots go for almost 5 bucks a pound. Now I also saw that some people have bought lead at a salvage yard. Now I have read that you should use the purist lead you can find. If I get lead from a salvage yard or other sources, how do know how pure the lead is. I have enough jig heads now, but looking for something to do when it's too damn cold during the winter to do anything else.
Sheets of lead from xray booths are definitely pure, as would roofing and plumbers lead. Any round ingots displaying a number is old style plumbers lead and good stuff. Sometimes you just have to roll the dice and hope for the best. Wheel weights will do OK down to 1/16 but smaller works better with pure. I keep mine separate from each other and do the big stuff from WW with no problems. You can mix it to stretch it some also.
Based on some of the prices out there where you can't know where it's pure I've looked at Roto Metals and this is a 5 lb. block for $2.39 a lb.
Lead Ingot Pure 99.9%
Another one is Buffalo Arms 9 lb. block of pure lead $1.91, $17.19 +shipping
Pure Lead Bullet Casting Alloy|Bullet Alloy
Roto I know is good several friends on other boards have ordered from them. Buffalo Arms price seems ok.
Luckily I've never had to buy lead!! The smallest I've poured is with a 2-1 mix of tire/pure down to 1/48th pony head. Any lower than that I'd stick with the pure. Salvage yards have to keep records of what they've bought - so you should be okay - but usually they'll sell by market rate.
Check around for muzzle loading groups - they prefer pure lead and might be able to point you in the right direction. I go on Cast Boolits and they have one girl on there that sells lead and lots of folks buy from her. Their lead molding section is also excellent!!!
Fatman is giving you some great advice! Check for a metallic cartridge black powder silhouette group in your area, they can get you to the right person. It will be local and you won't have to hassle with freight!
If you have a salvage place like I do you can strike up a friendship with them...maybe and have them call you when some re-claimed lead is brought in. The X-ray room lead is fantastic except for,the glue,on the back. I pay .72 a pound..it's great!
I delivered to a plumbing supply this past week and checked on the price of plumbers lead. Comes in 5lb ingots and sells for $3.90 per pound. It isn't cheap but it is pure. Thought someone might need some to mix with wheel weights and this would do, though it seems a bit pricey. Gas money finding some cheaper lead still ups the cost.
$.78 lb. for clean pure isn't all that bad Skeet!!!!
I checked at the local scrap yard. Wheel weights are $1.05 per pound. Molded pure lead is $1.10 per pound.
I carried my wife's car to have 2 rear tires replaced, rear wheel alignment and oil changed. The manager told me to check the trunk when I got home. I found a full 5 gallon bucket of ww, I couldn't pick it up out of the trunk. I got some smaller buckets and started dividing the stuff out. 1 3 gallon bucket of wheel weights. 1 2 gallon bucket of zinc ww, valve stems and other metals, 1 for trash. The rubber on the valve stems will be burnt off and added to my other scrap brass to be sold when I get a 5 gallon bucket full. The other metals will be added to my monthly sell to the scrap dealer.