Ideas on items as scrap lead and where to buy? For slug reloading
 

Hey guys,

I'm trying to get into slug reloading. I bought a lee 4-20 smelter, moulds and etc. Also watched youtube videos about casting slugs.

However, the one thing about slug reloading that keeps eluding me is: what items constitute as scrap lead? And what type establishments should I visit to find scrap lead to buy?

As for my location: I'm in Edmonton.

I'll appreciate any input on your guys' part

:):):)

Tire shops for wheel weights

If you ever come by Calgary or Cochrane hit me up. I have lots

Mine the berm at the local range for free lead.

lead
 

Plumbing shops at one time had 25lb blocks of pure lead I used it for black powder shooting,that was awhile ago, one phone call will settle it.

Dental offices that still use film X-rays instead of digital. We used to give all ours away to a local reloader until we made the switch to digital.


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If slug casting is like Muzzleloader casting you will need pure lead so it shrinks properly and then upsets on firing to properly seal the bore

if for whatever reason you find yourself in the consort area i can get you a pile of pure lead.

I'm just outside Edmonton, send a quick PM and I can help you out. I get used wheel weights from tire shops and sort them out, I've got extra stick-ons that would be good for slugs.

Check your local trap club. Our local, has ants making hills with the lead pellets. strong ants! Just have to go out and harvest the ant hills.

Really?! Wow that is incredible!
Cat

Take a picture of that next time you're out there.
(Please and thanks)

Soft lead
 

I found stick on wheel weights (dark ones) and x-ray sheets are the purest/softest.

it's not. slugs need a heavy duty wad to seal the bore and keep the slug off the barrel before it exits the barrel. best option is getting a rifled slug barrel for your shotgun. other option is factory original shot type barrel, but test wad/slug combo by inserting in breech and push completely through the barrel to make sure it can pass through choke.

I'll send you guys a shout out ahead of time if I'm ever near your guys' area

Also, thanks for the ideas to where I can get lead. I really appreciate it :sHa_shakeshout:

Lead
 

Those of you who smelt lead are you aware of the long term cumulative effects of lead poisoning? Proper handling and PPE are required in the smelting process.

that deserves at least an LOL. :D I always keep an eye out for old plumbing flashing, pure lead and a lot of it.

Grizz

It's amazing in England how much lead is used for roofing flashings. They still have lead water pipes too, might help explain some of their behaviour at sporting events ;)

I’ve dealt with lead flashings and lead toilet stubs but one building I was in had something unique when I was in for some renovations, it was a commercial office tower and in the ceiling surrounding the boardroom there was a thinner sheet lead that had been installed as soundproofing, it was perhaps 1/4 the thickness of roof flashing sheet lead. I had to remove some during the course of my work and gave it to my Dad as he likes weighing-down cast iron microphone stand bases by pouring molten lead into them when they are inverted.

Anyways, raid the ceilings above 1970’s and early 1980’s boardrooms :)

I know they say you should only use pure lead for casting bullets as wheel weights have harder alloys added(zinc??) but.......that said,I've cast hundreds of muzzleloader bullets from wheel weights which shot and grouped every bit as well as any pure lead conical @100y,and I put a dozen or so deer in the freezer that couldn't tell any difference in performance when they got smoked with a 250-325 grain chunk of wheel weight.....they were just as dead.

Round balls and Minies generally work best with pure lead so rifling grabs the patch or the Minie skirt grabs the rifling but I know a few guys who cast them harder .
With Maxi style bullets however a harder alloy is preferred .
My cartridge rifle bullets are all had cast as well
Cat

Wheel weights are easy to sort. The lead ones melt first, the zinc ones are usually marked, but will float when the lead is melted, along with the clips. Steel ones are easy to spot, they won't melt at lead temps either, and they bounce. If you run the smelting pot at 600-650 you won't have an issue with zinc.
Babbit can be problematic, as who knows what else is in it, never know for sure if it is even suitable for bullets. Often a waste of time.