Where do you get WW for casting?

[Mdphotographer]

I went to several of the big Tire retailers to get some wheel wights so I can get back into casting and all of them said they cant give me any.Apparently they have contracts with scrap companies and have to dispose of the WW's in this manner for environmental reasons.The ones I checked were in Fairfax VA.Is this just a VA thing?Where can I get some WW's?

 

[GNLaFrance]

Good luck. The greenie weenies have p-whipped Congress into passing all sorts of idiotic laws based on the non-existent danger of lead getting into the ground water or some such nitwit thinking. Next time you talk to one of them, maybe after he's done crying over a dead tree, ask him whether the danger posed by lead in the ground means all the Civil War battlefields ought to be declared to be hazardous material sites.

 

[novus collectus]

Haven't done it in ages, but we used to go to the smaller garages or privately owned ones and usually there is someone there who is willing to give you some or all they have at the time.

 

[Capt.Link.]

I got a bunch from small gas stations I don't think its the law you need to out bid the scrap guy

 

[j8064]

I agree. I haven't had to scrounge for wheel weights in a while, but the smaller privately owned stores are more likely to work with you - especially if you get your vehicle serviced there and buy stuff from them like tires. They'll probably charge more than someplace like Jiffy Lube for an oil change so it's a trade off and a 'relationship building' opportunity.

Last year I bought 50 lb's or so of "wheel weight" ingots off a Flea Bay seller. Not my first choice of a source and who knows where the lead came from. It checked out OK and I've had no issues with bullets casted from it.

Another source of lead is to do some volunteer work on State Park ranges. You'd be amazed at how many big coffee cans you can fill with spent bullets when you rake and clean up the range's backstop berm. You have to work for it, but it has its rewards.

 

[Capt.Link.]

One of the other sources is if to know a electrician a line man in particular its used for RF shielding.

 

[LostSoul]

I get them from work, I'm a mechanic... We don't do a whole lot of tire work like a tire shop would, but I've got enough for my purposes. Don't bother trying our shop, it's spoken for!

 

[Mdphotographer]

I went to a couple local gas stations today and got 40lbs or so of ww's I have plenty of pure lead for my Sharp's.

 

[303_enfield]

Lead WW are banned 2012. Thanks to CA. Check your WW for Zinc (ZN) keep it out of your melt.

Go here to learn more:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/

 

[mikec]

I haven't priced them in a few years but scuba divers use lead weights to help offset the buoyancy of a wet suit. Call a scuba shop and ask what they cost.

BTW, there are solid weights and pouches filled with shot. Both are used for the same purpose.