Smelting Wheel weight for bullet casting | Homestead Security | Forums

I have found its getting hard to find good quality wheel weights in my area. Not sure if its just a Maine thing or nationwide, but here the law states tire retailers have to use tungsten wheel weights as of this year. But several places started using them a long time ago. So the stuff I have been getting has more and more tungsten in it. I recently purchased 300 lbs of soft sheet lead from the scrap yard to pack away for a rainy day.

I have an agreement with the local tire shop. I get one bucket every two months. I have to share with others. Several states have went to steel or zinc wheel weights due to pressure from the EPA. There was something in the works to make all states go to steel but I have not heard of the outcome. I know California is one of them.

Right now I buy all the lead that I can. I have some friends in the metal scraping and they usually give me a great deal.

Lead sheet, babbits, roofing sheets. Hospitals that are redoing their exray rooms will yield nearly a ton of pure lead. They use it for shielding.

Scrap metal yards yield quite a bit but be careful on wheel weight they will throw a lot of zinc and iron on ya. I have even gone to intersections and picked up wheel weights that were laying on the ground. Established firing ranges will often times allow you to sift the berms.