20 years ago it was almost the same price at Cabelas and Big Five, even smaller gun shops. These places are selling to low volume users and not real hand loaders. Gun clubs, the better ones at least, sell to high volume users at a much cheaper price. 6 years ago I bought 300 pounds at $13.00 per 25 pound bag. People buying buck only load up a few rounds, there are only 9 pellets in a load, kind of special stuff. BP shot is special stuff for waterfowl hunters, non toxic, it's cheaper to just buy your duck loads then to hand load. Hevy Shot cost even more!!
Tire shops would be the best place to pick up your lead if they will give it to you. Today they sell it and make a pretty good bit of money for it. I'm still holding a couple hundred pounds of lead shot so I think I am OK for a few more modeling years. Brass BBs are too big and too light.