Filling rest bags with fine steel shot?

[SND]

Has anyone tried the fine steel shot for shot blasting/peening to fill their rest bags?
Talking about the stuff that's under 1mm diameter that we can buy in 50lb bags. It would add a fair bit more weight than sand, probably still move around a bit and not really pack in/settle I hope, just not sure how desirable that is.

So, did anyone give that a try?
googled it up but nothing useful on there about it that I could find.

thanks

 

[blackacres]

I work in the industrial blast/painting industry. Many of the companies I work with use steel grit, which is made from steel shot that has been crushed and screened. Steel grit/shot is used in abrasive blast units that recycle and reuse the steel abrasive. As it wears, it is discarded by an air wash system and the steel abrasive is continously replenished.

You are correct, it is much heavier than sand and it would form in place fairly well.

However, if steel shot/grit are exposed to any moisture, even sitting in a humid location for some time, it will begin to rust. After it begins to rust and it is exposed to some more moisture, it will begin to bond together. If it gets wet, just once, after is dries it will become one rusty steel clump.

Due to the above, I would be reluctant to use it.

 

[noneck180]

Use decorative sand , no moisture, they are heavy enough.

 

[W/R]

Over the years I have used various materials to fill my (mostly) hand made shooting bags to varying degrees of success. Popcorn inside large balloons (very waterproof) placed inside desert socks actually worked quite well and I used those bags for about 5 years (I can't seem to find them right now).

Currently I have my Caldwell shooting bags filled with the plastic pellets that you find in higher end stuffed animals, I bought a few bags of them at Michaels craft supply. It was a little more expensive than popcorn but you get a fill that is relatively light, conforms well to your rifle without settling or clumping and is impervious to moisture.

Basically it should last as long as the shooting bag that it's in.

 

[SND]

Moisture/rust issues aside(they do make it in stainless) how would its properties be other wise ? can a bag be too heavy? I also wonder if it might shift around too much vs sand, and if that's good or bad.
I've not really shot with proper bags yet, but I have 5 protektor bags to fill, could try something different in each I suppose.

 

[Mystic Precision]

I use sand blasting grit. The black stuff. Heavy enough and conforms nicely

Jerry

 

[FTRRookie]

I use sand blasting grit. The black stuff. Heavy enough and conforms nicely

Jerry

Works great and it's cheap! Paid $12 for a 50lb bag.

 

[Dumptruck]

I had a little bit of a problem finding "blasting grit" and ended up with garnet. It is about as heavy as you can be and still be considered sand.

 

[LawrenceN]

I found a source here in Toronto that sells round stainless steel balls (3/16" dia.). As it's stainless, I was going to pick up a few pounds and sew up a leather bag for it to use as a butt riser when I'm shooting from a rest.

 

[Skullboy]

I use lead shot in my leather bags......filled them over 20 years ago.......works great, but heavy...............In the shooting bags we make we use recycled plastic pellets bought in bulk..............Micheals Crafts sells plastic pellets used for stuffed animals/dolls, but they are stupidly expensive..........They want like $15.00+ for a 2 lbs bag........

 

[jfarrell]

I used #9 lead shot in my rear bag with plastic pellets. Works fine but heavy

 

[SND]

Thanks for the info, ended up going with silica filter sand so they call it, about 1mm-1/16" dia grains, rear bags ended up at around 5lbs, seems to sit in there pretty good.