I have just became the owner of 830 lbs of pure lead, just told to load it and haul it away!
The company I work for heard the EPA would frown on this stuff being stored on a pallet outside and ask me if I would take it , hhmm I guess so.:D So now I need to get rigged up for bullet casting, just what do I need to alloy this stuff with for heavy loads in my 45/70, and where do I get it? What does this lead cost per lb now, has it gone up like the other metals I work with? Thanks Glenn

Lead is about $1.50 / lb. on large lots.
http://www.kitcometals.com/charts/lead_historical.html

The first question is, what kind of lead have you got? Pure lead, low alloy wheelweight equivalent, hard linotype, etc?

Bye
Jack

Jack I think it's pure but I'm not 100% sure of that. Most of it is in the form of bars but about 100 lbs is in a sheet of 3/16" thick lead.
I can easily scratch the bars or sheet with my fingernail, so I know it's not a hard alloy.
Does this help? Glenn

That sounds like pure lead. I'll let others suggest an alloy.

Bye
Jack

IF it's pure lead I keep some it and sell the rest if your going to mostly shoot mid range loads. pure lead is worth much more than wheel weight lead.The other thought on this is then you can buy wheel weight lead cheaper end up with more lead weight than you started out with and wont have to put so much antimony in it if any for mid range loads.
More lead less cost. The black powder boy's will suck that pure lead up.

20lead 1tin or 5lbs tin to 95lbs lead will do okay
elmer keith used 16/1 think he did okay with that

but if you can trade up go for it

Is antimony and linotype alloying agents or are they the finished product ready to pour? I often here references to these agents but I don't guess I understand exactly what it all means.
If these are alloying agents where can they be purchased? Thanks Glenn

I spent the day casting. Listened to the radio and made 38 special wadcutters, 8mm 175 grainers, 41 magnum tumble lube 210 grainers and a bunch of 255 grain 45 colt Kieth style bullets. Got to get them tumble lubed tomorrow and the colts and 38's loaded. Talk about a good day. Made near 800 by the time I was done, but my son helped me when I needed a brake.

It was a good day. You gotta get into this Glenn. A Lee 10 pound pot, a couple of Lee molds and your out very little for what you can make bullets for. I use a turkey fryer I got on sale at Walmart and an old cast iron dutch oven from the thrift store to melt down large lots and alloy them. A couple of ingot molds and a stainless dipper again from the thrift store to stir and fill the ingot molds and your set. I use Lee's sizers for the stuff that needs sized and the liquid alox and swirl lube takes care of the rest.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Reloading/Leemeltpotandmolds.jpg

Thanks Bob, thats the encouragement I need! I had allready decided to go with lee equipment as I'm sold on their products anyway.
I must learn about fluxing the lead and some other details before I jump in. I'm old enough to know that asking questions is far cheeper than screwing up, I just wish some of the young people I know would try this approach.

Is antimony and linotype alloying agents or are they the finished product ready to pour? . . .
Linotype is a metallic alloy that melts easily. It is often used as a hardening agent to be mixed with lead or wheelweights to produce bullets meant to be shot at higher velocities. It's getting more difficult to find linotype as the printing industry, which used a lot of it in the past, now uses other methods to set type.

Have never tried adding pure antimony, a white crystalline element and hardening agent, to my pot. I understand that antimony does not readily combine with casting alloys as it's melting temperature is about 1166 degrees F which is far greater than normal casting temperatures.

Most casters find the amount of antimony already alloyed in wheelweights is sufficient for their needs or will add linotype if more hardness is needed.

Glen, IMO, it would be to your advantage to convert your pure lead to wheelweights for casting bullets meant to be shot with smokeless powder. Pure lead is very popular with those who are into muzzle loaders and black powder.

here is something you might want to try and that is mix 50% ww with 50% soft lead then water quenching them when you cast the bullets out of it that will make the bullets harder but remember that water and liquid lead do not mix bad things happens when it does when water quenching it is best to put a piece of foam rubber in the bucket of water that way there is very little splashing and less of a problem then I hope this helps Forest Punch

I've found some linotype on ebay and it's marked LYMAN on the ingots but my e-mail hasn't been answered yet. I'm trying to see if it's ready for casting or intended as an alloying agent.
If it's an alloying agent how much would be required to properly harden pure lead for 2000 fps 45/70 bullets?
Bob, just what are the candles used for?
Thanks Glenn

I've found some linotype on ebay and it's marked LYMAN on the ingots but my e-mail hasn't been answered yet. I'm trying to see if it's ready for casting or intended as an alloying agent.
If it's an alloying agent how much would be required to properly harden pure lead for 2000 fps 45/70 bullets?
Bob, just what are the candles used for?
Thanks Glenn When I was casting 405gr bullets in my Lee Mold for my Rem RB in 45-70 I used pure linotype ,they were hard when I dug some out of the dirt berm they were dirty but unscathed so after cleaning they could've been reused.

I've found some linotype on ebay and it's marked LYMAN on the ingots but my e-mail hasn't been answered yet. I'm trying to see if it's ready for casting or intended as an alloying agent.
If it's an alloying agent how much would be required to properly harden pure lead for 2000 fps 45/70 bullets?
Bob, just what are the candles used for?
Thanks GlennI used candle smoke to coat the mold so bullets would fill out & release.