Roto Metals alloys.
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- Senior Levergunner
- Posts: 1521
- Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2007 12:52 am
- Location: Leverland, U.S.A.
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Roto Metals alloys.
Ladies & gents,
I have tried to find a local source of used wheel weights, but to no avail. I want to get into bullet casting, so I have been looking at getting my lead from Roto Metals:
www.rotometals.com
I want to reload for .44 Magnum, and for .38 Special & .357 Magnum, for my leverguns & my .38 Special revolvers. I see a few alloys, for casting, but I am uncertain which one I should buy. Can any of you recommend a good, all-around alloy for me to start with?
Thanks,
Shawn
I have tried to find a local source of used wheel weights, but to no avail. I want to get into bullet casting, so I have been looking at getting my lead from Roto Metals:
www.rotometals.com
I want to reload for .44 Magnum, and for .38 Special & .357 Magnum, for my leverguns & my .38 Special revolvers. I see a few alloys, for casting, but I am uncertain which one I should buy. Can any of you recommend a good, all-around alloy for me to start with?
Thanks,
Shawn
"That's right, Billy, I'm good with it. I hit what I shoot at, and I'm fast!"-Lucas McCain, c1882.
Re: Roto Metals alloys.
Howdy,
I know that the frustrating part is that they ,WW, used to be free and plentiful. In looking for a source around here for a friend, I have all I need , I found that some of the local auto wreckers will sell it for as low as $0.25/ lb.
Hope that help's some.
John
I know that the frustrating part is that they ,WW, used to be free and plentiful. In looking for a source around here for a friend, I have all I need , I found that some of the local auto wreckers will sell it for as low as $0.25/ lb.
Hope that help's some.
John
Gettin old ain't for sissies!
There just has to be dogs in heaven !
There just has to be dogs in heaven !
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- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 4736
- Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 5:00 am
- Location: North Coast of America-Ohio
Re: Roto Metals alloys.
They have made it pretty easy , this is the one I would buy.http://www.rotometals.com/product-p/lym ... tmetal.htm Good Luck, and have Fun.
Re: Roto Metals alloys.
John Walters in Moore, Oklahoma is a well respected source of lead, tin, and lead:tin alloy (and also fiber wads). He is a great guy to deal with, and his prices are generally a little bit better than Rotometal's "sale" prices.
You can reach him at thetinwadman@cox.net.
You can reach him at thetinwadman@cox.net.
Re: Roto Metals alloys.
Good question on the alloy. That's a whole field of study in itself, and I am clueless.
My benchmark is Marshall Stanton's alloy, a secret recipe I suppose. I can take his bullets and whack them with the 2 pound hammer against concrete. They deform without breaking and they stay together traveling thru doug fir firewood. Not all cast projectiles stay together this way, many do not, coming apart while penetrating wood. While all of my beartooth bullets are gas checked, and don't lead my gun bores, I think plain base bullets of his alloy would also not lead bores.
Most garden variety shotgun slugs self-destruct easily.
So the alloy question is very interesting and some info about how to get there would be useful.
Grizz
My benchmark is Marshall Stanton's alloy, a secret recipe I suppose. I can take his bullets and whack them with the 2 pound hammer against concrete. They deform without breaking and they stay together traveling thru doug fir firewood. Not all cast projectiles stay together this way, many do not, coming apart while penetrating wood. While all of my beartooth bullets are gas checked, and don't lead my gun bores, I think plain base bullets of his alloy would also not lead bores.
Most garden variety shotgun slugs self-destruct easily.
So the alloy question is very interesting and some info about how to get there would be useful.
Grizz
Re: Roto Metals alloys.
I think that what would suit you is Lyman's #2 alloy. Rotometal's good folks with whom to deal but the prices might be beaten.
Sincerely,
Hobie
"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend." Robert Louis Stevenson
Hobie
"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend." Robert Louis Stevenson
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- Senior Levergunner
- Posts: 1406
- Joined: Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:33 pm
- Location: West central Montana
Re: Roto Metals alloys.
I bought lead from these guys many years ago, you might give'em a ring to see what their prices are,
http://louisianalead.com/
http://louisianalead.com/
Trump 2024
All responses have been cleared by the law firm of "Elmer and Fudd."
All responses have been cleared by the law firm of "Elmer and Fudd."
Re: Roto Metals alloys.
#2 alloy is what you're looking for.
Buffalo Arms, has usually better prices than Roto, and check on Ebay you can find it there from time to time.
Also at one time Missouri Bullets sold casting ingots. Watch out for Midway's alloy tho, it's closer to gold prices than bullet metal.
And don't overlook cast bullets at yardsales and gunshows, and lead shot, those can be sleeper deals when you stumble into them.
Buffalo Arms, has usually better prices than Roto, and check on Ebay you can find it there from time to time.
Also at one time Missouri Bullets sold casting ingots. Watch out for Midway's alloy tho, it's closer to gold prices than bullet metal.
And don't overlook cast bullets at yardsales and gunshows, and lead shot, those can be sleeper deals when you stumble into them.
- AJMD429
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Re: Roto Metals alloys.
Also lots of info on the LASC site. http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm
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- Senior Levergunner
- Posts: 1049
- Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:12 pm
- Location: Bushwhacker Capitol, Missouri
Re: Roto Metals alloys.
Most scrap yards will sell scrap lead if they have it.
You have to beat the spoonbill snaggers to it. What a waste of bullet metal!
I have found a lot of interesting things digging through the scrap barrel, decoy weights, military figures, athletic medals.
You have to beat the spoonbill snaggers to it. What a waste of bullet metal!
I have found a lot of interesting things digging through the scrap barrel, decoy weights, military figures, athletic medals.
- Sixgun
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Re: Roto Metals alloys.
If I had to buy lead, I would not be a happy camper.
In addition to scrap yards, you can always go to your gun club early in the am or Sunday am and prospect with 1/4" rat wire with a few 2 x 4's nailed up to make yourself a sifter.
The guy who buys my house after I buy the farm will be able to get a couple of lifetimes worth of lead just by prospecting in the usual places,.----6
In addition to scrap yards, you can always go to your gun club early in the am or Sunday am and prospect with 1/4" rat wire with a few 2 x 4's nailed up to make yourself a sifter.
The guy who buys my house after I buy the farm will be able to get a couple of lifetimes worth of lead just by prospecting in the usual places,.----6
- Sixgun
- Posting leader...
- Posts: 18725
- Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:17 pm
- Location: S.E. Pa. Where The Finest Winchesters & Colts Reside
Re: Roto Metals alloys.
If I had to buy lead, I would not be a happy camper.
In addition to scrap yards, you can always go to your gun club early in the am or Sunday am and prospect with 1/4" rat wire with a few 2 x 4's nailed up to make yourself a sifter.
The guy who buys my house after I buy the farm will be able to get a couple of lifetimes worth of lead just by prospecting in the usual places,.----6
In addition to scrap yards, you can always go to your gun club early in the am or Sunday am and prospect with 1/4" rat wire with a few 2 x 4's nailed up to make yourself a sifter.
The guy who buys my house after I buy the farm will be able to get a couple of lifetimes worth of lead just by prospecting in the usual places,.----6
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- Advanced Levergunner
- Posts: 2004
- Joined: Sat Dec 15, 2007 2:29 pm
- Location: Deep South Texas
Re: Roto Metals alloys.
For 44 Mag, 357 Mag to be fired from a rifle, I would go with No. 2 as suggested.
For handgun loads I would prefer something softer and would go with 1-20.
If I could only buy just one, it would be No. 2
For handgun loads I would prefer something softer and would go with 1-20.
If I could only buy just one, it would be No. 2
Re: Roto Metals alloys.
Rotometal's #2 or 16-1 alloys will work pretty well for all around bullet casting...
Mike
Vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit...
I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...
Vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit...
I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...
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- Senior Levergunner
- Posts: 1521
- Joined: Sun Apr 15, 2007 12:52 am
- Location: Leverland, U.S.A.
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Re: Roto Metals alloys.
Thanks, everybody.
I found a local scrap dealer that said that I could "pick through" their stuff, to find scrap lead. They quoted me 75 cents/ pound. I will take a look at what they have. I guess that I should see if they have tin & antimony, too. Is there anything, in particular, that I should look for?
Thanks,
Shawn
I found a local scrap dealer that said that I could "pick through" their stuff, to find scrap lead. They quoted me 75 cents/ pound. I will take a look at what they have. I guess that I should see if they have tin & antimony, too. Is there anything, in particular, that I should look for?
Thanks,
Shawn
"That's right, Billy, I'm good with it. I hit what I shoot at, and I'm fast!"-Lucas McCain, c1882.
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- Senior Levergunner
- Posts: 1049
- Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:12 pm
- Location: Bushwhacker Capitol, Missouri
Re: Roto Metals alloys.
For soft lead, look for sheet-lead, roof jacks, and old lead water pipe.Hagler wrote:Thanks, everybody.
I found a local scrap dealer that said that I could "pick through" their stuff, to find scrap lead. They quoted me 75 cents/ pound. I will take a look at what they have. I guess that I should see if they have tin & antimony, too. Is there anything, in particular, that I should look for?
Thanks,
Shawn
For harder lead, look for wheel weights, old fishing sinkers will probably also have been cast from wheel weights.
You will also find battery terminals.
If you are lucky you may find bar solder and spools of solder that are marked with their content.
For odd pieces of lead, you can make a good guess about hardness by comparing the impression made by an automatic center punch with the impression in known pure lead.
The melting point of tin is 449 degrees Fahrenheit, lead 621 and zinc 787.
Place a piece of known pure lead in the bottom of your melting pot, (I use a store bought ML ball) and a similar size piece of unknown metal and compare melting times to find pure tin.