less than lethal bean bags

[mwohlenhaus]

at the police range the other day and found some bean bags (fired from 12 ga. police shotguns) a fellow student was taking one apart and found a darker black tinted BB inside, knowing I am collecting lead he showed me, we picked up all the bags and I cut them open, the bb's are dark on the outside, but silver on the inside, and they are easily squished with a vise grips. Does anybody have any experience or advise on this. I collected around 20 lbs of it and don't want to waste it. I guess I could do a smelt with the pellets alone and see what temp they melt at. any suggestions are appreciated.

[Blammer]

leave the bags in tact and reload some for yourself!

[runfiverun]

they can't be lead?

[mwohlenhaus]

I don't understand your post runfiverun.

[TCLouis]

try melting some down in something disposable.
I would suggest outside also.

Let us know what happens.

[cbrick]

Never fired any bean bags but a SWAG would be that its lead with just enough added for momentum to get the bean bags to fly a bit better.

[runfiverun]

if they were lead how could they be less lethal?
i mean even #2 lead at 900 fps is definately still lethal
maybe plastic coated zinc, or tin?

[richbug]

I cleaned up 50 at our range a few weeks back. they looked like a heavy duty Nylon stocking, and were filled with regular #12 shot. Gonna load the shot in pistol capsules for Voles.

[Scrounger]

I cleaned up 50 at our range a few weeks back. they looked like a heavy duty Nylon stocking, and were filled with regular #12 shot. Gonna load the shot in pistol capsules for Voles.

If you got too much of that #12 shot, you could probably sell it here.
(I haven't forgotten that 4 inch S&W 617 from Tim that you beat me on by 4 minutes. I got a 6 inch from him but I really wanted that 4")

[JayinAZ]

if they were lead how could they be less lethal?
i mean even #2 lead at 900 fps is definately still lethal
maybe plastic coated zinc, or tin?


They don't come out that fast, more like 300 fps. And they call them "less lethal" rather than "less than lethal". Important difference in wording, it's lawyerese that means it's not supposed to kill someone, but it still can if used improperly or the recipient is out of luck for that day. Our agency has policy that defines minimum and max range it's to be used, as well as defining vulnerable areas of the body to avoid targeting. It's pretty accurate out 75 feet or so. If you've never seen one, the shot is sewed into a sock like bag, with a tail that keeps it going straight and causes it to decelerate pretty quickly too.

[runfiverun]

300 fps would definately get your attention at 25' or so
thats what a paint ball does ,497 gr at 300fps. that would get the cows back
on the right side of the fence