[genesis]

I finally used up what I thought would be my lifetime supply of lead. I cast bullets for my 44 Mag and 38/357. In my entire life, I've never shot a jacketed bullet through any of my guns (rifles or handguns). I did order some linotype from MidwayUSA awhile back. But it was expensive, $5.71 per pound, delivered. Does anyone have an on-line source of lead for bullet casting?

Thanks guys,

Don <><

 

[hiwall]

I would try locally for wheel weights. I've cast with wheel weight lead for years.

 

[robocop10mm]

Locally available wheel weights are darn good. Try tire shops and scrap metal dealers. Typically I pay $.40/lb at the scrap yard.

Blending the Linotype 1-5 to the wheel weights will yield very good bullets.

Try Rotometals on line. I buy 50/50 bar solder from them to add tin to my wheel weights.

 

[almostgem]

If you're patient, you can sometimes get some decent deals on Ebay. Get yourself an auction sniper tool for your phone or computer and look for lynotype or monotype lead. You can also get "bhn tested" lead on ebay, but you never really know whats in it till you start casting.

An auction snipping tool is a program that wil place a bid for you automatically, with only seconds left in the auction. you basically enter your action amount, set it and forget it.

My only comment though, is don't go overboard. You are expected to pay for anything you win. There have been times when I've bid on 3 or 4 different auctions, not expecting to win the item, based on past winning amounts, and have won all of them. There are sites that will let you set up bidding groups where you enter your bid amounts for individual auctions in the group, but set the rule to only win any number you set of an item. When/If that number is reached, the sniping software no longer places bids.

 

[locutus]

Get wheel weights from your local scrap yard. (or better yet, mooch them from a truck stop!)

 

[Silvertip 44]

Been using wheelweights for 30 or more years. They make excellent bullets.

 

[stick_man]

Rotometals.com is a good place to get known alloy from. Also, there are other forums that deal extensively with casting metals. Not sure if I can post a link here to another forum, but I'd be happy to provide you with the information through PM. On one such forum, the common selling price for ingots made from either wheel weights or pure lead is barely over $1/lb shipped. Linotype can often be found on ebay for less than $1.50/lb but be sure to buy it in raw type form so you know exactly what you are getting.

 

[Durangokid]

I use WW, Linotype, Sterotype, Foundry metal etc. For most handgun use WW metal is close to Lyman #2 most of the time and works just fine. Most casters use harder bullets than needed in handguns. There is no standard for the alloys in WWs so you never know for sure if they are hard or soft. You should invest in a Lee Hardness Tester and check the BHN of any lead before you bring it home. A BHN of 11 or 12 will work just fine if you match you bullet sizes to you forcing cone chamber throats and bore. Bullet to bore and throat is more important in leading than a BHN #22. I would also use the Lee Factory Crimper with cast bullets. Crimp is most important when shooting cast bullets in magnum handguns. good luck.

 

[W. C. Quantrill]

The stick on wheel weights are almost pure lead, the clip ons are the alloy.

 

[robocop10mm]

Very true there Quantrill. When I refer to wheel weights, I refer to the clip on ones. They are generally about 3% Antimony. Stick on weights are virgin (soft) lead. They make darn good shotgun slugs or minnie balls when blended 20-1 with Tin.

 

[stick_man]

Durangokid, the problem with using the FCD on cast loads is if it is not adjusted just right it will swage the boolit down to where it is the bore diameter, not the groove diameter. This WILL result in severe leading of your barrel. If using the FCD, you should set it to just touch the brass enough to barely remove the flare put in it for seating the boolits.

 

[Chandler51]

I pick up frags from the cowboy action range at my local outdoor range. Right around the steel target plates....those guys put a LOT of lead downrange. I get several "handfuls" every time I go.

Wheel weights also, as everybody has mentioned.

 

[Rick1967]

Wheel Weights have become pretty much impossible to get in my area. I used to get them for free. You can't even buy them now. The tire stores wont let them go. Something to do with the EPA. Maybe a Colorado thing. I'm not sure. But I have been shooting pure lead for quite a while now. I does lead the barrel. But a cut up chore boy wraped around a worn out cleaning brucs will pull it right out. Less than 30 seconds and the barrel is as good as new. Chore boys are copper. I figure no way can I do any worse to the barrel with a cleaning rod and a copper pot scrubber than a copper jacketed bullet would do.

 

[Durangokid]

The problem is not with crimp dies it is with users. Any crimp die can be set too tight. Most handloaders do not know the cast diameter needed for the chambers and throats of the guns they are loading for. A cast .429 bullet works fine in S&W Mdl. 29. That same .429 will be too small for a .44 Cal. B-92 Browning. The Winchester Micro rifled barrels need a .433 bullet to upset in the overly large bore. It is not just a matter of using a crimp die. Thats the easy answer.

 

[robocop10mm]

The problem is not with crimp dies it is with users. Any crimp die can be set too tight. Most handloaders do not know the cast diameter needed for the chambers and throats of the guns they are loading for. A cast .429 bullet works fine in S&W Mdl. 29. That same .429 will be too small for a .44 Cal. B-92 Browning. The Winchester Micro rifled barrels need a .433 bullet to upset in the overly large bore. It is not just a matter of using a crimp die. Thats the easy answer.

What Winchester uses "micro rifled barrels"? Micro groove rifling is a Marlin trade mark.

 

[ktmboyz]

Tons on ebay if you are looking to buy

 

[Durangokid]

Robo you are behind the curve. Marlins patents expired back in the 90s. Winchester tried making Micros for a while. Browning started making
the B 92 carbines in Japan. The B 92 was produced in .44 Mag and .357
Mag. Browning bought the Winchester barrels for these rifles. This is common knowledge among advanced gun collectors. Ranch Dog makes a
special bullet mold for this Browning Winchester Micro barreled rifle. I hope this advances your knowledge on collectable Brownings.

 

[stick_man]

The problem is not with crimp dies it is with users. Any crimp die can be set too tight. Most handloaders do not know the cast diameter needed for the chambers and throats of the guns they are loading for. A cast .429 bullet works fine in S&W Mdl. 29. That same .429 will be too small for a .44 Cal. B-92 Browning. The Winchester Micro rifled barrels need a .433 bullet to upset in the overly large bore. It is not just a matter of using a crimp die. Thats the easy answer.

I agree with most of what you have said here. However, my point was that the Lee Factory Crimp Die (FCD) if used as the instructions indicate, will effectively swage the boolit down to where you won't get good bore seal. If you have a boolit that you sized down to .429 for your Model 29, then apply the FCD as per instructions, the boolit will end up around .4275 or so before it is fired. If you adjust the die to simply remove the flare from the case mouth, it won't swage the boolit down and you will be fine.

The best thing to do is slug the barrel to get a measurement of what YOUR gun needs for proper fit. I have seen Model 29s that are very happy with .429 boolits and others that lead like crazy with anything under .430. Each gun is unique in their preferences. A lot depends on size from the factory or even how it has been treated.

 

[genesis]

I'm the OP. After checking around, used wheel weights just aren't available in my area like they use to be. I may have to do the evil-bay thing.

As for cast bullets, I've always used the Lee liquid Alox on unsized bullets (both micro band and regular, for 44 mag and 357) at velocities up to 1000 FPS. Never had any problems or leading. Some say it makes the bullet sticky and gums up their dies. I think they're using to much Alox. I just apply a very light coat and let it dry thoroughly. For magnum velocities, I use gas checked bullets, run through my lube/sizer. But I don't shoot many of these anymore. 100 will last me quite a few years. I have a shooting range on my property and recycle all my lead from my sand trap. This really keeps reloading costs down. My only recurring costs are for primers and powder. So it costs me around $2.00 to reload a box of 38's. The reason I need more lead is we just got my girlfriend a Ruger LCR 38 Special. So I'm doing twice as much reloading as before. That LCR is one sweet puppy ! ! ! ! !

Don <><

 

[Durangokid]

Have you tried salvage yards? Some one is buying up that lead. The Lee commercial molds throw right on the money with a #2 alloy. As you said no sizing and tumble light in Alox works great.