Soft Weights?

glenn bradley

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I sometimes come across the need for some weight that will conform to odd shapes. I'm after something like a tube sock full of BB's but more shop appropriate. Do any of you use something like this or have a method that you use.

Thanks to gun-friendly California laws it is almost impossible to find anyone who will sell you bulk buckshot. Even if they did, I'm trying to decide what would be best to contain it in? I'd like it to be softer (more conforming) than old fire hose although that was my first thought.
 
We make shooting pads (which is similar to what you are discribing, ) with old jeans and sand. Take a pant leg from a pair of old jeans or heavy duty pants, sew up one end and fill with sand to the weight and stiffness you want, cut off the leg and sew the other end.

We use these pads as a steady rest to sight in rifles and such. (shooting is OK in Kentucky)

A while back a friend got ahold of some Bank Money Bags (legit, no Bonnie & Clide activity) he filled his with sand to make some canvas bags to add weight for his truck.

How big you want? Locally HD sells reinforced sandbags as traction weights during the winter months (oops, sorry, I forgot you are living in the promised land and are not customed to ill winter weather :dunno:)

Fire hose is pretty stiff stuff. I wouldn't think it would be too flexible.
 
Sakrete sells tubes of sand for mixing with cement. You can have shotgun shot shipped to you. It isn't ammunition and should present no mail problems. Two 25 lb. sacks will fit into an $8.90 USPS flat rate priority box.
 
HD sells Pea Gravel that you could use.

It should be located with their ready mix concrete bags (Kwik Krete etc...)




Edited by Sean to remove implied political commentary. No one prompted me on this, just decided to error on the side of caution.
 
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Glenn,
Bags of lead shot work well, a 10lb bag should run about $25 or so. Smaller shot works better as it forms to your project better and is a bit denser. Try midwayUSA for reloading supplies, thy should ship to CA with no problem as long as it's only shot. Another option is to check out the local dive shops. Dive weights can be had as solid blocks or as shot bags which are about 3"X4" or so. They're pricey compared to the shot, but it might be an option for you. As others have said, sand or gravel will work, but it's no were near as dense as lead so it takes a bigger package to get the same weight. That might be a consideration, maybe not.

Mike
 
Glenn,
Bags of lead shot work well, a 10lb bag should run about $25 or so. Smaller shot works better as it forms to your project better and is a bit denser. Try midwayUSA for reloading supplies, thy should ship to CA with no problem as long as it's only shot. Another option is to check out the local dive shops. Dive weights can be had as solid blocks or as shot bags which are about 3"X4" or so. They're pricey compared to the shot, but it might be an option for you. As others have said, sand or gravel will work, but it's no were near as dense as lead so it takes a bigger package to get the same weight. That might be a consideration, maybe not.

Mike

Thanks. I'm a diver and have some old 2 1/2 and 5 lb bags I had considered. I'm light so I don't have any large bags and it didn't seem worth it. You're right, new they are a bit pricey for my needs. I'll look into some shot. My buddy just drove back form visiting relatives in Oregon. If I'd thought of it sooner he could have brought me some out of his brothers supply. Thanks for the tips.
 
Not sure how wide you can have the weight but I have used a bag of lawn fertilizer and a bag of de-icer. These products come in plastic bags and are often 30 -40 lbs.

Jake
 
Glenn, I used to have a need for those, and I made a lot of them over the years, always using lead shot, and I've sewed them up using denim, canvas ducking, chamois skin and even scrap leather, but the ones I liked the best were the ones I made from scrap cloth backed naugahyde upholstery material that I got at various auto and aircraft upholstery shops cheap, (and most times free). I like them because they are flexible enough, wear well, and are easy to keep clean. Tip: Don't fill them "too" full with the shot so they will be more flexible.
 
I pour my own lead weights using a bit of heat, tin cans and plenty of lead. Its very easy to work with as it melts around 900 degrees.
 
Glen, check and make sure they have shot in them, some are just the leather bag. Sorry I didn't look close. The one in the book doesn't say anything about not having shot in it.
Bob
 
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