Soft Weights?

[glenn bradley]

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.

[Mike Cutler]

Glenn

There must be some Trap and Skeet ranges, and clubs still around????

Try and some finds some bags of #9, skeet shot, or anything smaller than #7 shot. The shot comes in canvas bags, and can be transferred to any soft bag you would like.

[Jon Lanier]

Try using small sand bags.

[Gary Herrmann]

Another option might be shooting rest bags used in bench shooting.

[Bill Huber]

Do you have any indoor shooting ranges around, if so go get a bag or two from the target stop. Put it in a heavy plastic bag (loose) and then in small gunny sacks, used to use this all the time for holding parts when welding.

[David Epperson]

Glenn
In the game of benchrest shooting the bags cannot be filled with anything metallic, so even they don't use shot to fill the bags. So instead the preferred material is zirconium sand. Many places sell this as reptile sand (or so I'm told), you may also find it as a heavier grade of sandblasting sand. Might just be a lot easier to find this on the west coast than anything shooting related. Not sure what the purpose of your weighting ism but you might also look at someplace that does automotive brake work, as the steel chips from turning brake drums and rotors is approximately "sand sized" as well.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

sand is cheap. water is flexible, steel balls are cheap too.

You can get all the lead you want by going to the Auto Tire places and asking for the old cast off weights. I know a guy who smelted down a 1500 pound boat ballast after a couple years of collecting lead tire weights that way.

[glenn bradley]

Glenn
In the game of benchrest shooting the bags cannot be filled with anything metallic, so even they don't use shot to fill the bags. So instead the preferred material is zirconium sand. Many places sell this as reptile sand (or so I'm told), you may also find it as a heavier grade of sandblasting sand. Might just be a lot easier to find this on the west coast than anything shooting related. Not sure what the purpose of your weighting ism but you might also look at someplace that does automotive brake work, as the steel chips from turning brake drums and rotors is approximately "sand sized" as well.

Dave I think you've got it. One of the main Crystal Silica quarreys is just down the street from my dad. When I lived in that area we would get our sandblasting material there. Thanks.

[Grant Wilkinson]

I dive, and use my soft weights for all kinds of things in my shop.

You can go to any dive shop and gets soft weights in sizes from 2 lbs to 16 lbs.

[Stan Welborn]

I shoot regularly, or did until recent changes in my life. I've made several sand bags over the years out of the legs of wore out jeans. Cut to whatever size you want, sew one end, fill to desired consistancy and sew the other closed. Never thought about using it for weights in the shop. Should work good. Thanks for the idea.

[Bill Neely]

There is a type of lead weight used for drift fishing big water called 'pencil lead' and also some hollow lead weight that might be something you can use. Both come in rolls and is easily cut, twisted, etc. Cabellas sells 1lb rolls of the hollow lead weight in three diameters.