RepackboxLoad DataWidenersPBcastco
MidSouth Shooters SupplyRotoMetals2Reloading EverythingInline Fabrication
Titan Reloading Lee Precision
Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast
Results 21 to 40 of 64

Thread: Suggestions for Homemade Sand Bags Needed

  1. #21
    Boolit Master BigEyeBob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    South of the Equator and North of Capricorn
    Posts
    508
    Quote Originally Posted by alamogunr View Post
    I'm getting ready to dispose of several pairs of denim jeans that became surplus when I lost weight. I've been thinking that cutting the legs off and having them made into sandbags would be a good use. I've occasionally seen posts of others doing this but I'm hopeless with the search function here. Also, I'll have to find someone that can sew up several for me. I don't sew and neither does my wife.

    Any suggestions how to go about this or what size, features(zipper?), etc would be appreciated.
    I use vermiculite in my rest bags ,its very light wieght and doesn't crumble (it comes in a crumble form already )or create dust .Its used as an insulation medium and Iv seen it used as a packing material for aircraft parts .The foam beads used in bean furniture also works but with flatten out with time .

  2. #22
    Boolit Grand Master
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Posts
    5,271
    BigEyeBob beat me to it. vermiculite or cat litter as a stuffing for shot bags or pant legs. Seal 'em up in a sturdy plastic to prevent dust on the bench.

  3. #23
    Boolit Master
    elk hunter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Central Oregon
    Posts
    1,538
    I use shot bags filled with crushed walnut shell, the kind used in sand blasters and brass tumblers. Light weight and cleaner than sand.
    BIG OR SMALL I LIKE THEM ALL, 577 TO 22 HORNET.

  4. #24
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Bloomfield, Nebraska
    Posts
    6,073
    I fill mine with soy beans, during harvest you can find spilled beans at about every intersection. Works well lighter and if you get stranded at the range you can eat them.

  5. #25
    Boolit Buddy Rapidrob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    Thunder Mountain,NM
    Posts
    322
    I use shredded car tires from Home Depot gardening dept. Light weight, never seeps out of the bag and indestructible. If the bag gets oily/greasy it can be washed. I do use old shot bags but any tough bag can bee used as mentioned.
    The shredded car tires are so tough I use it in my bullet trap to tear the fired bullet to shreds and the tires work 100%.
    The steel belt cords have been removed so no hand punctures.

  6. #26
    Boolit Master

    fiberoptik's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Was Mid-Michigan, 2 Orlando, 2 Jacksonville, Fl.
    Posts
    1,364
    Dog food bags. Cat litter bags. Made of same stuff as tarps.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  7. #27
    Banned
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Posts
    3,409
    I buy cheap nylons at the dollar tree (to contain the small pieces) and use plastic beads/BB's/chips .... then put the filled nylons in old socks (I have big feet )

  8. #28
    Boolit Master



    skeettx's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Location
    Amarillo, Texas
    Posts
    4,102
    Use bank bags from your credit union or bank.
    Get some wheat from the local co-op
    Put plastic zip lock bags in the bank bags
    Add wheat to desired amount.
    Zip lock, and zipper
    DONE

    Mike
    NRA Benefactor 2004 USAF RET 1971-95

  9. #29
    Banned



    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Kansas
    Posts
    7,068
    My Dad made a set he sewed pieces of suede and filled with spent primers.

  10. #30
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Northwest Ohio
    Posts
    14,420
    One thing to do is if your using bread sack or bag liner is to fill it first and seal the end down with strong tape. I use the clear book binding / packaging tapes 2" wide. This will secure the media in the bags and seal them better from moisture. Then slide into the pants leg bags and stitch the bags ends closed. One method that hasnt been mentioned is using fabric glue to glue the ends closed glue legs end together for 2-3" wide section coat with glue and fold over 2-3 times. Makes a nice seam and should hold seal well. I have done this then stitched thru the glued seam for added strength.

  11. #31
    Moderator


    Minerat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Jefferson County, CO
    Posts
    9,514
    I use squeegee (pea gravel) in old jean legs and use 30# braid fishing line to stitch them shut. Fill the section of leg about 2\3's full before stitching them.
    Steve,

    Life Member NRA
    Colorado Rifle Club member
    Rocky Mtn Gun Owners member
    NAGR member

  12. #32
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Wilmington NC
    Posts
    1,437
    Long ago, I bought a big bag of ground walnut shells (sold as litter in pet stores) for a tumbler. I don't use the tumbler any more, but I found that the ground walnut shells makes a great inert, dust free, medium weight shooting bag filler.

  13. #33
    Boolit Grand Master uscra112's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Switzerland of Ohio
    Posts
    6,308
    If you use cat litter, don't let it get wet. It will soon turn to mud.
    Cognitive Dissident

  14. #34
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    760
    To avoid leaving a sharp end on nylon tie wraps, don't cut them.
    After cinching a tie wrap down tight, grip the tie tail end wise with pliers up tight next to the locking collar and twist the tail in one direction, never letting go till it twists right off.
    This usually results in a smooth wisp of a tail left with no sharp edge to gouge you.

  15. #35
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Western Colorado
    Posts
    663
    denim jean legs+ plastic bags +sand or sawdust. cut off legs, flip inside out, sew one end closed , almost sew the other end closed flip back right side out , insert plastic bag fill with sand or sawdust tie off plastic bag and sew up remaning hole, made mine about 20 years ago and still going strong.

  16. #36
    Boolit Master murf205's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Dead center of Alabama
    Posts
    2,358
    I found some 25lb empty shot bags on ebay for a couple bucks apiece and used play sand in mine. Sew it like Omega's pic and then go find a raw piece of leather to lay over the bags when you are shooting handguns, especially revolvers. I tried rice but nothing stays put like play sand in a bag, for me anyway. I had an old welding jacket to cut up for my leather but check with a thrift store for a leather jacket. A revolver will split the cloth bag pretty quick, whether it is a pants leg or a shot bag without the leather protection. Magnum revolvers will also wreck the paint on the hood of a Ford Bronco!!
    IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us!

  17. #37
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    The Pacific NorthWet
    Posts
    3,877
    A sneaky trick for your shot bags or pant legs to water proof them, is the 'SilNylon' trick;

    DIY Tent and Hammock makers use this for their tent / hammock flys.

    You dissolve a fair bit of Silicone Caulk in Mineral Spirits and soak the cloth in that. Then let it dry. (It can drip etc. so I wouldn't suggest doing this on SWMBO's favorite couch or anything like that, outside would be wiser.)

    You can treat ripstop nylon with it, but I'd think any cloth would become more waterproof with this treatment, a very loosely woven cloth might require several coatings or very thick coatings (haven't tried that yet.)

  18. #38
    Boolit Master
    Czech_too's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    649
    For those bags I've made, I used a lighter medium than sand such as crushed walnut. Sewing isn't something I'm adept at so I opt to use a hot glue gun on all the seams.
    https://wbrpc.org/

    genealogy, another area of interest

    feedback - http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...9613-czech_too

  19. #39
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    N. IL. Kankakee County
    Posts
    806
    I have only made a few from jeans, need to make more.

    Be sure not to fill them too much, more is not better.
    Some of mine are more like bricks than sand bags.

    And thanks for the tip on beans/corn.
    I might have to throw a dust pan and bucket in the car, the elevator is only a few blocks away and all that spilled grain needs to be cleaned up.

    I want to use something other than sand this time, any thing lighter would be nice.

    I do have a bag of beans still in the plastic grocery bag that I have used for a few years as a top bag since my sand bags are mostly too full.

    Meant to use it in jeans, just never got around to it


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  20. #40
    Boolit Man
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Massachusetts, South Shore
    Posts
    94
    ++ for beans. Made one using denim pant leg and dried pinto beans. No liner needed, good weight and allows a rifle fore end to nestle right in.

Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check