where to buy lead?

[Anand]

Hi,
Where can I buy lead for bullet casting? I have written to the MLAGB but have not received any replies. I have tried my local garage and tyre shops and they are no help whatsoever.

Also, is the mixing of tin with lead essential for bullet casting and if so, where does one get tin from?

Regards,
Krish

[AWOL]

not sure were to buy it but i now that you got to mix old lead with tin and and new lead it tells you in the box when you buy a bullet mould try a gun shop in pudsey north yorkshire called HENRY CRANK think thats how you spell it they might have a web site

[robinghewitt]

Tin? What are you casting bullets for? Not for Minies or patched ball obviously

You might add antimony if you were making lead shot, but otherwise lead, as pure as possible. Tin will make it light and hard.

If you can't find old water pipe (cut any wiped joints out) the most convenient is usually lead flashing from your local builders merchant.

If you must add tin, how about 60/40 bar solder?

PS: Kranks is best spelt with a K when web searching

[robsmyth]

Go to your local scrap yard

[Simon G]

For muzzle loaders, you want to use pure lead. You are going to need a metal merchants that will sell small amounts or, as been suggested, a plumbers merchant for flashing.

For bullets in cartridges, again, depending on what your loading for, really depends on what to make your bullet metal from.

For me, the easiest way to get hold of the base lead, bullet alloy is wheel weights. To every 9lbs of wheel weights I add a one pound bar of 50/50 solder, which is lead and tin. This gives a casting alloy known as Number 2 alloy. When mold manfacturers give the eemension and weight that a particular mold will throw, it's based on No 2.

If you want a harder alloy, you can add more tin, or simply drop the bullet straight from the mold into a bucket of water.

[snock]

I have 6 blocks of lead which weigh at least 10lb each, plus I have just over half of a 5 ltr container of size 8 shot.

I will get it weighed accurately and give you an accurate weight/price. It's currently about 40p per pound
should you be interested.

[joffy]

try a roofing suppliers (lead flashing)