Bought all the goodies to start casting my own round balls. Where do you guys come up with the lead? I’ve found some wheel weights but they seem kind of hard for lead. I’m assuming they aren’t the quality I need for consistent round balls? Looking to make 50,54,58, and 62 cal round balls. Any help in places to look would be appreciated. The local scrap yards don’t seem to have any lead.
Thanks,
slap
You are right about the wheel weights. They are too hard to use as ML roundballs. People use harder lead sometimes for heavy game, but they are picky about patch thickness and fouling. Also, you want as pure lead as you can find so they will form with the patch and expand on a game animal. I tried hard lead once and it was no fun. WWs are good for casting bullets for modern rifles in lower powered loads. Old plumbing pipes are pure lead, and dentists used to use it in X rays, but now they all have digital X ray cameras. You will just have to ask around and check out estate sales and yard sales. I have bought lead in junk shops, auctions, and estate sales. I have been know to buy roundballs on discount if they are cheap enough, and melt them down to cast my rifle's size. Good luck, it is getting harder to find.
