Soft weights write up (with pictures)

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Where do you find the "reclaimed lead shot"? I'm assuming you have a local source since shipping would cost a fortune. I don't know what kind of business / industry I could purchase that from.

+1 Where do you find recovered lead shot?
 
Any gun store or gun range. I went to a local gun shop and picked up 50 pounds for $50. I wouldn't recommend fabric because the lead really craps up the water. The ones you buy in the store are tumbled in graphite to prevent this. Regular lead shot never really rinses clean. I am not an ultra conservationist, but I am not going to pollute if I can help it. The plastic bags keep all the lead from leaking into the ocean and lakes.
 
Out here in CA where they have been slowly outlawing fun for the last 50 years it is nearly impossible to find lead shot. I checked gun stores, gun clubs, and even a local specialty ammo place. The closest store I found was 1.5 hours away and wanted more for the shot then rotometals. It's a bum deal.


On an unrelated note. I dropped a weight on a boat deck this weekend and punctured the plastic bag. All of the water drained out so now I need to repackage the weight. This got me thinking that I might want some abrasion resistance. I think I might make some outer bags out of something tough and mildew resistant (probably sunbrella).
 
Rotometals sounds like a good deal, I just went local because I could. If you don't have the option, then that is a great deal. I also was considering sewing a canvas liner on the outside of them to keep them from puncturing.
 
I'm just thinking out loud here, could you fill the bags with a rtv silicone instead of water? It would keep the weights flexible but wouldn't be a huge problem on a liveaboard because it would remain diveable (if handled gently).
 
you can probably buy new shot at walmart. Check your local gun shop, too.
 
I've been thinking about "soft" weights myself, but along the lines of fabric pouches and stainless steel ball bearings instead of "dirty" lead shot.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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