I just purchased about 170 lbs. of roofing lead from a recycle outfit in Mesa, AZ. has anyone had any experience with lead like this. I've seen plenty of discussion on wheel weights. I would appreciate any comments as I'm a rookie when it comes to casting bullets.

I haven't tried it either but I would like to know how it works for you. I have used it on many occasions being a mason and making flashing around rock chimneys. It seems to be pretty soft but I would and probly will try it when I get my hands on it again.

That lead would be great for muzzle loaders since they use soft lead balls or bullets. It is way too soft for smokeless loads unless you alloy it with 50/50 bar solder to get it harder. Without alloying it you will get the worst case of leading you have ever seen. Hard cast bullets is the way to go for smokeless loads.

Hey bob thats great all around advice on wicked soft lead. Thanks!

A fellow posted on Castboolits forum about that type lead and it's not pure lead. It has other alloys in it and only seems soft because it's worked softened when manufactured. For example lead pipe was extruded. That works the metal thus softening it making it appear like it's pure lead. I also got a good amount of it and after I melted it into ingots and they set an aged they aren't as soft as when I got the material nor as soft as pure lead. I would take the advice not to use it straight for rifle cast at velocity, but it's excellent to blend with WW's and a good mixture is 50/50.

I smelted down 500 pounds of this 3-4 years ago, tar and all. It all came from the same building and was in long sheets, I cut it up with an ax and folded it to get in caldren. I use a Lee tester and it is too soft to get a bhn number off their chart, a .079 indent is an 8 bhn the lowest rtheir chart goes, this tested .098-.100 indent, I would call it pure or as close as possible. I use it for muzzleloader and alloyed with WW, 50/50 gives me and 8+-.

Based on what you fellows are saying I will need to get some tin and antimony to get this lead a little harder. Thanks for sharing your advise with me.

If not pure lead it is close to it.
In the sheet form and cast into ingots it reads 5 Brinnell or below with my LBT tester.
Due to the sheet form (a lot of exposed area per lb) it produces a lot of oxides when melted. I melted 40 lbs of it a year ago and got 3 lbs (nearly 10%) of skimmed off oxides.
For most casting use you might be better off swapping it for wheel weights depending on the velocities you are going to shoot.

The nearly pure lead requires only tin be added for BPCR and a BPCR shooter would appreciate getting it.

For other use you can mix it with wheel weights but you will never get it as hard as straight wheel weights.

I have been looking for WW so i had my buddy ask the local tire shop when he went to fix his tire and they told him that they have changed over to steel weights for recycling purposes. So I will go to a few more shops to look but I hope this isn't going to be a problem getting WW in the future.

Thanks for all your input guys. I'm a real novice at this so your advise will save me time and money. I will never live long enough to make all the mistakes myself. I have orderd enough tin and antimony to make alloy out of the pure lead. My next question is about the melting temp. Lead is approx 625 F and Tin 450 F, antimony is 1,160 F. Is the higher melting temp on the antimony going to be a problem?