Where to get cheap lead shot?

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karlkuehn

karlkuehn

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I need to get some lead shot for my tool handle counterweight, where's the best place to buy it cheap?

I'm looking around the net and everyone's got all this super-duper chilled, copper plated steel magnum wonder alloy crap.

I just need some run of the mill lead.

Any of you out there know of cheap online reloading supplies? Cheapest I've found is a little over $2/pound. Ugh!

Thanks in advance for any info. I need about 10 pounds worth I guess. :)
 
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I don't know if they even make plain old lead shot any more. Feds have outlawed it for hunting migratory birds because too many birds were dying from eating the pure lead shot. Standard bag of shot from a reloading shop is 25 lbs. Shipping on an Internet purchase will hurt.

I'd look in the yellow pages and see if there is a shop that sells reloading supplies nearby. If there is a hunting club nearby, maybe one of their members will sell just what you need.

I needed some a while ago to make a weight for a wooden gear clock I wanted to build and never could find a good source. I ended up going to the local Wal-Mart and buying some big containers of BB's. I think they were about 6 pounds containers and cost about $8.50; but don't remember for sure.
 
lead shot is commonly available for shotgun reloaders but the price is much higher these days, any gun shop selling reloading supplies should have bags....if you google shotshell reloading you will see the variety of shot available including bismuth "non-toxic" shot and some of the coper plated stuff comes in 10-pound bags...depending on how much you need, a few shotgun shells can be disassembled as they contain between 1-2 ounces each depending on Gauge and load...amen to the cost of shipping too, find it locally
 
Karl, go by a tire store and ask them for a few handfuls of used wheel weights. Then melt them down and make your own shot. Just pour (very gently and slowly) the molten lead into a bucket of water. It will help if the container has a spout-like lip.
 
What Billy said, I cast fishing sinkers and even lead ingots are a dollar a pound last time I saw them. my nephew reloads shells for trap shooting. I will ask him where he gets his shot as I think it is lead. I have a cabelas about 10 minutes drive from me. I have been there a couple of times looking for bullets and casing for penmaking. have walked away with sticker shock both times. If you let me know how many pounds you need I might be able to get that from my nephew and mail it to you. e-mial me as I don't always check back on these threads and will be out of town tomorrow.
 
Good advice given so far. Main point is, cheap you won't find. Casting your own is an option. Easier, is just melt the wheel weights and pour directly into the handle. Being very careful, of course. It's an old gunsmiths trick for nosecaps and stock weights.
 
Check to see if there is a local trap/skeet club in your area.
A lot reload for their members or at least buy quantities of reloading supplies for them. You probably would be able to buy a small quantity from them at a reasonable price.
 
I know a stained-glass artist that has a few hundred pounds of lead cut-offs. She would part with some, reluctantly, of course, for the cost of shipping.

Send PM if interested to me or PR-Princess.
 
Originally posted by ed4copies

I know a stained-glass artist that has a few hundred pounds of lead cut-offs. She would part with some, reluctantly, of course, for the cost of shipping.

Send PM if interested to me or PR-Princess.
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Perfect for the USPS FLAT RATE boxes :D[}:)] LOL
 
Karl go to walmart and buy a box of cheap bird shot. I know you can find some of that under five dollars a box. Cut ths shell casing and poor out the lead. Discard the rest.
 
Just a word of caution if you decide to make your own.

Melting down wheel weights is a risky operation and requires care. Inhaling the lead fumes that are created when lead is melted is very unhealthy. Additionally, wheel weight material can contain arsenic and zinc which are both dangerous to inhale as well.

Adequate ventilation is a must for this operation and the best procedure would probably be to carry out the process outdoors. A face shield and protective clothing would be prudent as the molten lead is very hot......around 600°F.

If you choose to go this route, please be careful!!!
 
I have just made a couple of wooden mallets and obtained my lead shot from a lighting shop, yes a lighting shop!

They use the lead shot in counterweights for lights suspended from the ceiling. We had purchased one of these lights some time ago and I went to ask them if they had some to spare, no problem.
 
I use "ball bearings" spheres to add additional weight to tool handles. I purchase the balls from a bearings house(Toronto Bearings in my case). Very affordable, nice and clean.
 
Peter;

Tell us what you mean by affordable. I would expect ball bearings to be much more expensive than lead shot; but there are probably still a few surprises left in the world.:D
 
I advise against not opening a live round, being a reloader myself i would not want to disassemble ammunition if i didn't have to, if you know a reloader he may have the pots to melt lead already and can do the pouring for you, check at a local gun club, IIRC they will clean out the hills and melt down the lead and sell it at a low price per pound(jeeze I think my dad alone has 400 pounds sitting downstairs, or more)
 
Lots of guys cast sinkers and bullets and are careful and not exposed to lead fumes.....you would have to heat lead alloy quite hot to create lead fumes.....common sense hygiene practices prevents any outrageous exposure risk...I'll bet the CA finish we read lots about generates more hazardous fumes....:D Price of lead shot has more than doubled in a year as has most metal items (brass cartridge cases and bullets included) Blame it on the war and the Chinese sucking up the supply. Bottom line? Bag of shot $40-50 for 25 pounds, available everywhere, pick your shot size and go for it.....
 
Nobody in this group said the obvious yet: Just jump the wrong fence and someone will send you some airmail!:D Sorry, could not resist.

We have been melting wheelweights for years for sinkers.
 
My very first real job was at a slug factory that one of my friends father owned. Spent a whole summer melting, carrying, casting, extracting, breathing, spilling, sorting and boxing lead and copper-plated ammo for him. Needless to say, I've NO intention of melting my own. Ever. heh...I don't even want to touch it to put it in the handles.

Don't even get me started on the copper plating process and dealing with acid holes in every thing I owned, although back in the mid-eighties, I was REALLY in style, aside from the perpetual splatter blisters all over my arms. heh :)[:p]

Back in the 60's, my grandfather was contracted to tear down one of the old dirigible hangers at the local navy base, and he saved all of the lead pipes that he tore out of there. When he died some 35 years later, he was still melting that lead down into every sinker you could imagine. I still have some in my tackle box. That man made money off every piece of junk he could find. I miss visiting him in his workshop. [V]
 
Originally posted by Randy_

Peter;

Tell us what you mean by affordable. I would expect ball bearings to be much more expensive than lead shot; but there are probably still a few surprises left in the world.:D
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Well in my case, I get them for free as "surplus". Can't beat that price I guess.:D There are plenty of low cost "opportunities" and I just mentioned bearings as a possible alternative to lead shots.
 
Even though I have added to this thread, I'm thinking it has gone on longer than necessary. He wants affordable weight. But he hasn't said how many handles he wants to add weight to. One handle, even with the most expensive lead or shot will be less than $1.00.

As for casting, the advice given, so far, is very good. I do a lot of lead casting and understand the dangers. I'm waiting for the weather to clear so I can get started on more. I do all mine outdoors for ventilation. What has not been mentioned for safety is: stay away from water. If there is a potential for rain, find another job for the day. A drop of water falling into a pot of molten lead will, literally, cause an explosion with resulting serious consequences. Molten lead is, at least, 600 degrees. Do not lean over the pot as sweat can drop, very bad, bad, bad if that happens. Be careful not to put fingers into mouth or eyes while working and wash thoroughly after the job is done. Anyone who may be thinking of casting for the first time that wants advice, please don't hesitate to contact me. Like any avocation, done right, it can be a productive pastime. Done wrong.....we don't want to think about it.
 
What ever you do be sure to use lead in the handle of your tools. Solid pieces don't allow for adjustment. Steal will give you viberation. I drill a 3/8" hole in the handle and insert a 3/8 brass thread insert and cap with a brass cap screw so ajustments can be made.
 
Originally posted by Rifleman1776

Even though I have added to this thread, I'm thinking it has gone on longer than necessary. He wants affordable weight. But he hasn't said how many handles he wants to add weight to. One handle, even with the most expensive lead or shot will be less than $1.00.

As for casting, the advice given, so far, is very good. I do a lot of lead casting and understand the dangers. I'm waiting for the weather to clear so I can get started on more. I do all mine outdoors for ventilation. What has not been mentioned for safety is: stay away from water. If there is a potential for rain, find another job for the day. A drop of water falling into a pot of molten lead will, literally, cause an explosion with resulting serious consequences. Molten lead is, at least, 600 degrees. Do not lean over the pot as sweat can drop, very bad, bad, bad if that happens. Be careful not to put fingers into mouth or eyes while working and wash thoroughly after the job is done. Anyone who may be thinking of casting for the first time that wants advice, please don't hesitate to contact me. Like any avocation, done right, it can be a productive pastime. Done wrong.....we don't want to think about it.
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I have 16 handles at this point that need weight added. I have 6" x 5/8" holes drilled, and I'm looking to add about a pound and a half. At $2+/lb. that gets spendy, so I'm still looking around, but I've got enough to go on. I really appreciate all of the feedback you guys, and advice. :)

For the record, loose fill (sand, bb's, shot, etc.) is far and away better than solid or poured inserts for reducing vibration. I'm going to use lead shot and play sand filled in around it, much like a dead blow mallet.

As far as water goes around molten lead, heed the above warnings. We used to melt off 2000 pounds a day in the vat that we kept in the covered section of a 20' tall pole building, and when firing up every morning, the condensation from the night before would be settled on the tools and such - we used a steel handled shovel for mixing. We used to see some tremendous popping and splatter when first sticking the shovel in every day.

Being 15 and invincible (read: stupid), we used to stand way back and throw handfuls of water towards the vat. I imagine that there's still a decent layer of lead on the underside of that 20' metal roof. I don't know how kids survive being kids. I watch my 15 year old son do stuff sometimes that just amazes me. heh
 
BTW, Karl, I get my lead from a recycling yard in the county. They get old electrical cables that are lead shielded. Lot of work, but I cut it off and melt. It is pure, dead soft, just what I need and they charge me less than current market for lead.
 
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