Lead shot still available?

Don't want to reinvent the wheel, so hoping you could let me know what you've found out...what's the best deal going for lead shot, powder, or other non-abrasive, soft or round weight that has no ability to puncture it's container? Saw some plated shot at Cabelas for like $2/pound (whew!)

This site (http://www.metaltecsteel.com) has it for $30 for a 50 lb bag. Of course unless you live in the area, you're going to have to pay for shipping which won't be cheap!

Ah yes, remember someone else bringing up the bead blasting thing before. Saw this morning that lead is almost twice as dense as steel.

the metaltecsteel site is selling cast iron shot, not lead.

If you use steel shot, especially cast iron, better make sure it stays dry. If it gets wet it will rust. The rusty water will drain out and make a major rust stain where ever it goes.

Understand, Rod. Liked the idea of the lead shot (and to a lesser extent, steel/iron shot) because it's shape won't cause punctures. Then when I saw just how dense the lead was, I got all teary eyed:

Lead - 708 lbs./cu.ft.
Iron - 490 lbs./cu.ft.
Sand - 100 lbs./cu.ft.
Water - 62 lbs./cu.ft.
Beer - 63 lbs./cu.ft.

Goto a shooting range. I bought some for 50 cents per pound.

Derek:

Call a local gun shop. I know I can buy 25lb bags of regular lead shot for 18 dollars a bag in the Sacramento area. I would think its about the same down South.

Derek, Swing by Wakesports in Orange County and check out "pop products" they are easy to move around since they have a handle and the price is very reasonable.

The bags are 40lbs and I'm sure they would cut you a break on quantity.

I got some awesome bags like you describe, just looking to maybe replace the contents of them, and if I had some sacks of shot, I'd probably put a few of them semi-permanently in the very bow of the boat. Thanks for the tip though, don't think I've even been to that store.

Derek:

Lead will get you the most ballast for a given space, an important consideration if you want to save space to stow equipment or leave room for passengers. Although, the idea of a fat-sac full of beer does have a certain appeal to it.....

If you are not too paticular about the shape of the lead but want to put it in bags you can simply make an arrangment at your local shooting range to pick up their spend bullets. I picked up a few hundred pounds of lead for free that way, they were glad to get rid of it. The lead is all funny shaped, but lead is way too soft to hold a sharp edge so it isn't likely to cut the bags.

I used sand bags that I bought at the hardware store. They have two seasons on them now and have done fine, although I haven't moved them around at all.

A couple of months ago I took one of the bags and melted it down a made a 50 pound bar out of it. The bar takes up a lot less space than the bag did.

Rod

More info in this thread:
http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/3183/194563.html?1097898647

Thanks Mike, I do remember reading through these lead threads before and pretty much seeing either bars, bullets or balancing weights. All of it made me long for the old fabric 25-pound backs of shot my dad and I used to reload with. Soft, heavy and small. Went to look to see what they were going for nowadays and ran into some notices saying like lead shot was outlawed. Then the coated shot showed its head, and not much after that I posted here.

Will talk with dad and spend a little more time looking for real life lead shot in the reloading circles. Somebody's gotta have the low-low rock bottom price on good ole number 9.