Source for Lead Shot

[gold40]

Since the cost of shot has increased from $15 per 25 lb. bag several years ago, up to the current $40 to $50/bag, another alternative source has arisen. Today, there are more than a dozen “amateur shot-makers” around the country. They use scrap lead, mostly wheel-weights, old pipe, linotype, etc. to produce #7-1/2 or #9 shot.

Many of them offer a special barter arrangement, whereby you bring them 100 lbs. of scrap lead, and they will trade it for 50 lbs. of their home-made shot. (Sometimes the ratio differs.) Some fellows also do this via mail, and there is some special economy postage rate involved for 60 lb. boxes – but I’m not sure of those details.

The machine used is called a “Littleton Shotmaker” which melts the lead and dribbles tiny droplets into water, forming round pellets. Its kind of fascinating to watch, and processes about 90 lbs. per hour. The pellets are then screened for size and uniformity, and then tumbled in a coating (graphite-like?). The end product may not be ideal for serious competition, but is well suited to practice loads and informal clay bird shooting.

I recently did an in-person swap of lead for shot with Tim Lindstrom in Beatrice, Nebraska and am very pleased with the quality of his home-made # 7-1/2 shot. Instead of bags, his shot comes in plastic jugs that look like quart milk cartons, and hold 25 lbs. of shot. Tim can be reached at “timlind_2000@yahoo.com”. As mentioned earlier, there are other similar shot producers, perhaps located closer to where you reside.

I had a bunch of old lead ingots in the basement, left over from the days when I cast my own pistol bullets. Now they have been recycled into birdshot.

JERRY

[skeet]

Don't think I am trashing homemade but I have made shot in the past. It really does work..BUT. It can be a very dangerous business. Do it in a WELL ventilated place. It is also time consuming. The shot out of a Littleton is usually pretty good. As for me I just bought a 55 gal drum of recycled shot..70 cents a lb. It'll last me for a while i guess. I also have about a ton and a half of Mag 8 8 1/2 and 9 and about 10 bags of 7 1/2 which I really don't use too much. I also have 20 cases of 12 ga I bought at an auction(STS Rem) for 35 bucks a case and at least that many of each of the small gauges. I just bought an old 20 box case of Remington skeet loads from a guy for 50 bucks but I doubt I will shoot 'em and I ran up on 3 cases(20 bx) of Fed Paper 20 ga skeet loads... cost me 3 bucks a box. Should I shoot them??