What's easier to get soft or wheel weight lead?

[plmnnkoqaz]

I was recently able to purchase some dead soft plumbing lead. I've heard that the muzzle loader guys need the dead soft stuff. I'm wondering if I should bother with alloying or if I'm better off trying to trade someone for some wheel weight alloyed stuff. I have some solder and Linotype for alloying, but I'd like to save that for hard cast rifle ammo.

[7mm08]

if you have virgin lead, keep it that way. Most traditional muzzle loader shooters will swap you or pay you right away for it. Thats the best stuff for round ball.

[32-40win]

I like having plain clean lead , as the starting point. That way you can add what you need to, to make up what you want. The add-ons for alloying are easy enough to get, if you need them.

[catnthehat]

Pure lead is generally the most sought after stuff, because as was stated, for muzzle loading the patch has to engrave right into the ball to transfer te twist of the rifling.
In cartridge guns it is sought after as 32-40 said, because we like to be able to keep as consistent a mix as we can when making our bullets .
This has much to do with the accuracy, too soft is not good, neither is too hard, and a some bullet will have a different point of impact than a hard one, both in muzzle loaders and cartridge guns.
For casting shot, many shooters use straight wheel weights, but some like a bit harder alloy of pure lead shot added to the wheel weights.

So after all this, yes, pure led is the best to barter, sell, and trade with!!
Cat