Non-Lead Soft Weights

[wjrussell]

Lead shot is impossible to find in central CA and the best price I have found for reclaimed is $35 per bag. Any ideas on other materials to use in DIY soft weights? Any ideas of a material as dense and flexible as lead shot???

Sources for cheap shot are welcome too!

 

[Jax]

Check with a tire shop for used wheel weights.

We have a guy that melts them down and makes lead shot for skeet reloading.

 

[fppf]

Mail order it.
Anything other then lead goes up in price by a LOT.

 

[elan]

Bismuth I believe is close to lead in density. Here sometimes people use SS rods on the doubles but SS is 1.5 times as less dense I believe

 

[wjrussell]

Wheel weights are out... CA made them illegal in 2009. There is strong talk about banning lead shot too.

I'm pretty sure one day this it will be illegal to exist in CA; that way no one hurts themselves or the environment!

The $35 per bag is a mail order price, the closest (physical) place I have found to buy shot is 100 miles away.

 

[fppf]

Well Bismuth is up near $10-$15 a lbs.
The other dense metals are even more $$$ and others are not as dense and will require upwards of twice the volume.

 

[inventor]

Good to know about the wheel weights being illegal in Cali.. I have some ready to be melted down to hard weights. Was going to just clean and use otherwise. As for the shot, you can get it online for about $35 for 25 lbs, and buy two bags get free shipping. Can't find the posts on my local site, undergoing updates. The mesh bags can be found cheaply on ebay. The figure I came up with was about $1.79 finished soft weights per pound. Beats $4+ lb at your LDS.

(Please remember to support your LDS.) Well, unless you can get it cheaper.

 

[inventor]

And by the way, aren't Bismuth a protected species? Can't imagine having to carry one, much less try to get it underwater. And I think they can swim. Good luck trying to smuggle one out of Yellowstone.

 

[Walter]

Gold is heavier than lead.




Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[spectrum]

Well Bismuth is up near $10-$15 a lbs.

Melts easier at 520 F. 120 degrees less than lead. That's gotta be worth something.