Scrap lead smelting for finished ingot trade value?

[websterz]

I just don't understand the replies so far. The labor is far and away the most valuable part of range scrap ingots. I wouldn't give you more than 15 cents a pound for the raw material.

Some of us older, retired guys have more free time than we know what to do with I guess. If I were close enough I'd do a 50/50 ingot split.

[RP]

May be able to help you out about a hour away and have everything needed to smelt the scrap PM sent.

[triggerhappy243]

awesome RP.

[Sasquatch-1]

See if you can sell it for 30 to 40 cents a pound delivered, Use the money to buy ingots.

If you don't have time to smelt when will you find the time to cast?

[6622729]

I'd agree you have to stay local. I'd also say it's probably a 2:1 exchange. 2lbs of splatter for a 1lb clean ingot.

[richhodg66]

Keep collecting it. I've gone to using mostly pistol range salvage myself and the stuff I get isn't nearly as clean as that stuff is.

Figure this; you're going to that range to shoot anyway, the lead isn't eating anything and never goes bad, keep collecting in every five gallon bucket you can find until you're ready. Lead is getting harder to find for free and it looks like you have a good source.

[mold maker]

If you find someone to clean up and pour your ingots, ask to stay and help so you learn how. The knowledge of doing it safely will be worth more than the ingots.
As stated above you haven't made casting a priority YET. Finding time is a farce, you make it. When you realize you're not getting to shoot when you want to, because of ammo price or empty shelves, you suddenly will wish for the needed materials and experience.
Find a mentor and spend the time. The reward will pay you in the long run, or show that you're not interested enough to do the work. Either way, it's a win-win situation.
Unless the 9mm is all you have, learning to cast/reload it is not the way to start.

[dave33]

I really appreciate all the feedback I have received so far. Was mainly looking to find out if this sounded like a reasonable idea, more so than looking for a partner to do this with, and still got a couple fairly local guys that I can probably make this idea work with.

Also appreciate the feedback on the difficulty of casting 9mm boolits, however that is what I need. Im a competitive pistol shooter and go through tons of ammo and 9mm is what I mainly shoot. Ive been reloading for years using commercially cast, coated lead, and jacketed boolits, so if I can cast boolits good enough to use for practice and only have to buy commercially for match ammo I will be tons of money ahead. And if somehow Im able to cast match quality boolits thats all the better too.

Worse case scenario, I cant cast boolits to save my life, I can still trade/sell the lead Im able to get to offset the cost of components Im going to buy anyway. But something tells me as generous as folks are here with their knowledge I will get it figured out. Ive never been shy of a difficult challenge. Thanks all.

[6622729]

I really appreciate all the feedback I have received so far. Was mainly looking to find out if this sounded like a reasonable idea, more so than looking for a partner to do this with, and still got a couple fairly local guys that I can probably make this idea work with.

Also appreciate the feedback on the difficulty of casting 9mm boolits, however that is what I need. Im a competitive pistol shooter and go through tons of ammo and 9mm is what I mainly shoot. Ive been reloading for years using commercially cast, coated lead, and jacketed boolits, so if I can cast boolits good enough to use for practice and only have to buy commercially for match ammo I will be tons of money ahead. And if somehow Im able to cast match quality boolits thats all the better too.

Worse case scenario, I cant cast boolits to save my life, I can still trade/sell the lead Im able to get to offset the cost of components Im going to buy anyway. But something tells me as generous as folks are here with their knowledge I will get it figured out. Ive never been shy of a difficult challenge. Thanks all.

I see no reason why you can't cast for 9mm. It's a piece of cake. Between this website and Youtube, if you pay attention at all you'll understand what's involved in no time. I started casting by casting 9mm before I was casting for 300AAC. You can do it.

[lightman]

If you have questions please feel free to start up a thread and ask. Theres lots of knowledge on this site and most members are more than happy to share what they know. As for Youtube, I've seen lots of things there that I don't agree with. Check it out if you want, just take it as a grain of salt. I'm not trying to start an argument here, as its not all bad. Just watch with an open mind. And Welcome to the casting addiction!

[Sasquatch-1]

+1 on this. If you use You Tube and something doesn't look right ask here. I have seen a lot of people who know absolutely nothing about what they are talking about.

I find it just as easy to for 9mm as I do for 357 and 429. The one I have the most difficulty with is round ball. I use dead soft lead with very little additives in the alloy. I could add some tin to the mix but for what I do it isn't worth the product. I don't hunt or shoot competitive.

If you have questions please feel free to start up a thread and ask. Theres lots of knowledge on this site and most members are more than happy to share what they know. As for Youtube, I've seen lots of things there that I don't agree with. Check it out if you want, just take it as a grain of salt. I'm not trying to start an argument here, as its not all bad. Just watch with an open mind. And Welcome to the casting addiction!

[richhodg66]

Everybody talks about how tough 9mm is to cast for. I haven't done it a lot, and it's been a long time so I was still a beginner, but I got one of these Egyptian copies of a Beretta 951 cheap and started loading it with one of those Lee Speed dies (remember those?). That thing shot them just fine and was as accurate as any service grade pistol I had shot at the time with them. It even fed semi wadcutters. I'm not a big fan of the cartridge itself, but it isn't harder to reload for than anything else. As plentiful as brass is, I'm thinking of buying a good one to shoot just because it would be so cheap.

[Dusty Bannister]

I do not think it is difficult to cast for, but with all the various brands of commercial and imported brass, new reloaders are not well aware of the variables in case construction and try to just mix and match and have failures. There is a great "sticky" on setting up for the 9MM that should be mandatory reading for individuals thinking about casting and reloading for semi-auto pistols.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...s-in-a-new-9mm

Sorry about the thread drift.

[mold maker]

No one intended to imply that 9mm was any harder to cast for.
The OP gave no indication of his experience reloading period.
Most here agree that 9mm is one of the harder calibers to start reloading with, cast boolits. Starting this adventure without having that advice, while asking here, would be amiss on our part.
He is obviously more advanced and well aware of the pitfalls he may encounter.
Dave, we intended no disrespect and were only trying to forewarn you of an issue that many new-comers get frustrated over, and give up. Ask away and try to be as specific as you can to get answers that are more pertinent.

[dave33]

No one intended to imply that 9mm was any harder to cast for.
The OP gave no indication of his experience reloading period.
Most here agree that 9mm is one of the harder calibers to start reloading with, cast boolits. Starting this adventure without having that advice, while asking here, would be amiss on our part.
He is obviously more advanced and well aware of the pitfalls he may encounter.
Dave, we intended no disrespect and were only trying to forewarn you of an issue that many new-comers get frustrated over, and give up. Ask away and try to be as specific as you can to get answers that are more pertinent.

Hey, I didnt take any comments as disrespectful in any way. Yes, I have tons of experience loading cast 9mm boolits, just never casted anything before, I took a few of the responses as meaning a 9mm boolit was harder to cast correctly than other calibers. No worries.

All I was originally interested in was finding out about the viability of trading scrap lead for finished lead and as threads often do, got diverted in a couple different directions. Part of the fun of reading these online forums is seeing how a conversation about one thing leads to discussions about others, and often learning a little something along the way. I appreciate all the feedback I have received so far. I also appreciate the overall civility of this forum, there are some online forums that are just plain not conducted well.

[triggerhappy243]

And on another note, if you mix in some oil and vinegar base salad dressing into pasta salad, flys will avoid it. SORRY, I COULD NOT HELP MYSELF. COOKING PASTA SINCE 9 THIS MORNING FOR A PICNIC FOR 200 PEOPLE.

[dave33]

And on another note, if you mix in some oil and vinegar base salad dressing into pasta salad, flys will avoid it. SORRY, I COULD NOT HELP MYSELF. COOKING PASTA SINCE 9 THIS MORNING FOR A PICNIC FOR 200 PEOPLE.

Thats good info to know. See what you can learn on these threads.