Lead for Minie Balls

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gyvel

New member
To you folks who shoot Civil War era muskets, and cast your own, where do you find your pure, soft lead? It didn't used to be too much of a hassle in years past, but lately, I have not been finding any good sources for it.

My Enfield replica performs admirably with Minies that are cast from pure lead, but I am running out of them.
 
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bedbugbilly

New member
you might check over in CastBoolits - Selling/Swapping section. There usually is some for sale or you can post an inquiry in the WTB section at the top.

Check at a local recycling company or scrap yard in your area as well. I used to be "lead cable sheathing" - nice and soft. Or, check with plumbers if you know any - sometimes they salvage it out of repair jobs - used to be used for caulking cast iron soil pipe. You just have to be persistent, ask others you know if they have any or know any who do.

eBay is another place. I have picked up 50 pound lots of soft lead on there at reasonable prices at times. Don't overpay though - some folks get carried away on bidding and pay much more than it's worth.

You will want to use as pure lead as possible - which you probably already know - it needs to be soft so the base of the minie can expand on firing.

Good luck. :)
 
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gyvel

New member
I've still got a pretty good supply of stick on wheel weights.
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Wheel weights are what we always called "ABA," or "average bullet alloy."

I've got a pretty good supply of wheel weights, too, but they are usually alloyed with tin and antimony and don't make good Minie balls; The skirts don't always open. I need to find a good source of really soft lead.
 
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Sure Shot Mc Gee

New member
If your looking for a reliable supplier. Rotometals. Otherwise I doubt anyone here has a private non-business source for soft lead anymore. So to speak were all in the same fix. Just that some of us are worse off than others. If I come across someone in the near future who has some lead available. I'd be happy to pass that info on to you gyvel._:)
 
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Hawg

New member
Wheel weight are what we always called "ABA," or "average bullet alloy.
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Clip on weights yes but they're too hard for muzzle loading use. Stick on weights are close to pure lead with a BHN of 6 where pure lead has a BHN of 5. I've used them for many years in muzzle loaders of all types. Just have to watch out for the zinc and steel ones nowadays. The clip on weights make great bullets for cartridge guns with bp and breech loaders with paper cartridges.
 
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maillemaker

New member
I usually pay less than $25 for 10 lbs. of pure lead shipped. Some of these I have purchased from many times.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...+lead&_sacat=0

You can cast a bunch of minies from 10 lbs.
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So about $2.50 a pound. A slightly better deal than Rotometals, but I'm always afraid that people who are selling supposed "pure lead" don't know what they are talking about.

I was at Brierfield Iron Works at a competition shoot last month. They had bricks of "pure lead" for sale in the gift shop. My daughter wanted a stuffed toy and their minimum sale with the debit card was $5 or something so I threw the ingot in with the purchase. She said it was "pure lead". I didn't bother with the fingernail scratch test as I was just looking for filler for the sale.

Got back to camp and my buddy told me that the site manager makes those ingots from range scrap mined out of the backstop. That is most definitely not "pure lead" and I scratched it and it is definitely not pure lead.

I shoot competitively, so consistency and accuracy is critical to me. I buy from Rotometals as it is 99.9% certified pure lead.

Steve
 
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Tidewater_Kid

New member
I see the point about pure lead. I test it when I get it and have yet to get burned. I cast rifle and pistol bullets that are harder. I usually buy from the same sellers. Last two batches I paid less than $22 for 10 lbs.

TK
 
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robhof

New member
robhof

If you have access to a public range, that will let you scavenge berms on closed days; jacketed bullets have a very soft to pure lead core. I've scavenged bullets from our gun club range, I usually bring a rake and if no others are shooting, I'll get 40 or so lbs in a few minutes, especially after a good rain, brings them to the surface. I sort at home on rainy days and jacketed is for B/p and cast is added to the hard cast pile.
 
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gyvel

New member
Wow! Great suggestions; I never thought of the dentist.

Not really any shooting ranges close by. The area where I live is more or less one big shooting range, as long as there are no stage 2 fire bans.:D
 
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DavidAGO

New member
Slamfire, I have a bunch of dental lead(I am a dentist), how much lead will you take in trade for the Coleman stove you are using in the pic?

David
 
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