Learn how to get Lead and what it can be used for
Bullets in 7 Days to Die are a precious resource. By the time you reach your third or fourth blood moon, chances are you’ll be going through more bullets than you can scavenge. While there are several different types of bullets in the game, they all have one thing in common: They’re all made of Lead.
This guide will teach you everything you need to know about how to scavenge, salvage, and mine for Lead in 7 Days to Die and explain a couple of ways it can be utilized.
How to find Lead in 7 Days to Die
Lead can be found in trash piles and loot containers, scrapped or smelted from junk, or even mined. While all of these are valid methods of acquiring the metal, mining it is by far the most efficient way to farm it.
Scavenging
While looting houses and other locations, players will often come across small amounts of Lead, lead trophies, and fishing weights. There’s no way to fish in the game (yet), so you’re better off scrapping that junk or melting it down in a Forge. This kind of junk is relatively common and worth picking up if you need metal for your bullets.
Salvaging
Another excellent way to get your hands on this resource is by dismantling cars with a wrench, ratchet, or impact driver. While the cars themselves aren’t made of Lead, their batteries are! Melting down or scrapping car batteries can create a hefty pile of metal in a rather short amount of time.
Mining
By far the most efficient route for farming Lead and making bullets. Mining deposits with a pickaxe or auger will score you a lot more resources for your efforts. Lead deposits can be found in any biome but spawn somewhat uncommonly.
Building a Lead Mine
Building a mine is the best way to dig for Lead in 7 Days to Die. Deposits of this metal can be found uncommonly in any biome. Keep your eyes peeled for the square, metallic boulders that indicate an ore vein.
Once you’ve located a deposit, dig underneath the boulder on the surface to reveal the vein.
You may want to place a hatch or other defensive measures on the surface of your mine, as the sound of your digging may attract unwanted visitors. Depending on your biome, you will likely need to construct supports to keep your mine from collapsing.
Lead deposits form in spherical clusters and can often be found among other resources. Constructing catwalks between your mine supports is prudent to allow you to reach minerals at different heights. Just make sure not to dig out too much of the ceiling accidentally, or you might cause a portion of your mine to cave in.
Tips and tricks for using Lead
Lead’s main utility is found in the forging of bullet tips and buckshot, but you may not know about a few other uses for this insulating metal.
Ammunition
Crafting bullet tips and buckshot is most likely what you will be using the majority of your Lead for. With some clay and the proper tools, you can begin forming the projectiles that will keep your guns fed and the zombies off your fence. Raw Lead can also be crafted into rocket tips at a Workbench if you’re interested in something a little more flashy. You’ll need other materials, too, like Gun Powder and Brass, but without bullets, you’ll just be making blanks.
Batteries
If you’re tired of trying to find a decent battery for your vehicle or Battery Bank, you can craft your own with Lead. You’ll also need a bottle of acid, some Scrap Polymers, and the grease monkey perk. Crafting batteries at a Chemistry Station lets you use your perks to determine the quality of the battery and takes the guesswork out of finding a decent one.
Glass
For the more decoratively inclined players, Lead can be used to produce glass panes at a forge when combined with sand and clay. Want something sturdier that you can still see through? Bulletproof glass can also be forged with the addition of some Iron and stone.
FAQs
Lead appears at about the same rate in each biome but may be easier to locate in the Snow or Desert biomes where there is less foliage.
Yes. However, a specialized tool such as a pickaxe or auger is much more efficient.
Lead can be collected into stacks of up to 6000 units.
Final thoughts on getting Lead in 7 Days to Die
You won’t be turning it into gold anytime soon, but bullets are the next best thing in the apocalypse. Keeping a steady Lead supply is key if you don’t want to run out of ammo.
The uses for Lead are somewhat limited for now, but The Fun Pimps regularly put out new updates, so that might change in the near future. If you’re looking for more tips to make your life in the apocalypse easier, check out our 10 Tips for Getting Started.
