[michmoe]

My supplier of homemade shot has raised his price to $32.00 for a twenty-five pound jug.Was just wondering how this compares with others buying homemade shot.

 

[Doug Mc]

I assume he is basing his price on the current market price for shot ... several factors in shot making ... is he getting his Lead free or is he buying it ... if he is buying it how much a pound is he paying for it ...propane, electricity and coolant cost ... I make my own shot and I don't think people realize just how much work it is ... everything from getting the lead to melting it and making the pucks to use in the shot maker ... making the shot and you can't walk away from it ... you have to stand right there and tend to it ... then you have to clean it ... dry it ... sort out the bad stuff ... tumble it in Graphite ... bag or bottle it ... it is all heavy work ... so is he charging to much ... I guess that is up to you to determine ... you can always buy the factory made stuff for $40 plus with tax ... today's market price

 

[shot410ga]

I keep 50% of what I make for my friends. They buy the scrap and give it to me. But,if I wasn't retired I wouldn't do it, it is a lot of busy work. But, I have the time, and don't mind making it. And I have more people wanting me to make it than I want to make.

 

[686]

dmm is right about all the work. he must be making shot. he left out after making the ingots you need to have to make the shot there is two roads you could take.
one is to have bought all the equipment, then make the shot, wash it, dry it, sift it, tumble in your cement mixer, bag it up, and hall it to the range to sale for $1.00 per lb.
the other road is to take that same ingot and sale it for $1.00 per lb.
what would you do?
i make shot for those that bring me ww. i could sale 1-2000 lbs. per mo if i had the lead and wanted to work for free. yes it is worth more than $25.00 per bag. if you want to buy there shot cheep, help him get the lead he needs.
it is hard work but fun. just another shot makers view.

 

[Unknown1]

$28 for 25# in my containers

MK

 

[GoldEx]

I keep mine at around $5 a bag below factory. Never had an issue at that price. That is using my lead. I know what I need to make to make it worth while to sell it. If my cost of lead gets too high, I just don't sell it. Simple economics. Getting $65 for 50 pound jug without a problem with new at $40 with tax out the door right now. Current quote from our target supplier is that that West Coast Magnum will be at $37.50 a bag/by the ton price delivered and that is now. Who knows in a month.

JK

 

[Jim Porter]

What are you willing to pay? I had an old guy that sold watermellons and I asked him once how he established the worth of a watermelon. He said take a price and keep going up until half the people griped.

I make shot too and it is labor intensive. I like to do it, I have time. Mine is not for sale. I will split with a friend if he will bring material or I will let him use my equipment at my house for free. Most wan't even do that. It's too much trouble for them to round up material. And I am amazed how many people on these threads who don't make shot talk about all those placed that will just beg you to take their weights away as a service to them. Smell the flowers, times have changed.

 

[len loma]

Between lead wheel weights being phased out by order of EPA and my lack of time I gave shot making up. I sold everything and purchased 1 ton of shot at the $24 rate. Sure glad I did that. Len

 

[DecalDude]

I just started makeing it myself and it isnt as easy as it sounds, people think I should sell it at my cost. NEWS flash lead is toxic I dont even want to sell what I have or the lead I bought. I am the guy in contact with the fumes and I am the guy who contacts with it in raw forms.

I have made some for a guy who brings me wheel weights(new and old) I get a third and he gets it back classified for size, not rinsed, not dried, not graphited. I keep the clips to sell back to scrap. Thats a deal we have and with the amounts of weights he claims he will be bringing me I wont have to touch my stash for a couple years.

But no $32 a bag is still cheap considering all that goes in it and current lead costs.


Jerry Lewis

 

[plinker611]

jerry,i reccomend a good resparator when making ingots,and do it outside,i installed a 400 cfm range hood (got a deal on a dented one on ebay)12 inches above shotmaker,and vented it outside,and gloves(welders and rubber)when handeling lead.get check'd for lead yearly,have run 5 ton so far and im still in safe zone, and as long as you respect it,youll be ok,mark

 

[Doug Mc]

From what I am told Lead doesn't generate any toxic fumes until it gets to 1100 degrees F ...I would not melt it indoors because of the stink and smoke when making the pucks ... but it only makes sense to be cautious ... the EPA has everyone scared ... and I think a lot of it is to put the fear factor into anything to do with shooting or hunting ... guns are bad so we will do what ever it takes to get the people thinking that we need to stop using "BAD" Lead ... the Shot makers certainly do not get up to 1100 degrees ... I make my Shot in the garage because of the mess ... don't handle food or get my hands anywhere near my eyes or in anyway where I would ingest lead ... SCRUB your hands be careful use common sense ... but I don't believe you have to handle it like you were in surgery ... Bustishooter when your "FRIENDS" want you to sell it for your cost ...ask them where they were when you put out your money to pay for all the stuff that is required to make shot and where is their sweat when it came to making the product or would they like to mow your grass ... wash you car ... clean the house ... I am sure you could come up with a trade for YOUR labor

 

[plinker611]

lead may have lead oxide dust(old weights,old shot)and that is a whole other element to protect your self from.i use 2- 8 qt cast dutch ovens as melting pots(almost 200 lbs a round) and the dirt you scrape off the bottom,and sides wouldnt be too healthy to breathe.plus a good resparator helps with the stink of burning painted w weights,grease,and brake dust.better safe than sorry,mark

 

[himark]

I make shot and sell it at 25 a bag. I frequently get asked if I will sell it all and I say no. There is way more demand than supply and we all know the law of economics there. Yes I can raise price but my price is relative to MY market and around here that is or bas been 30.00. When market goes to 40 I wili will goto 30 market goes to 50 I will be 40.00. So price is relevant to your market .