Suggestions for Homemade Sand Bags Needed

[Green Frog]

Plus 1 on the little plastic spheres (regardless of source.) While they may cost a bit more than robbing sand from the kids’ sand box out back, the leakage factor is eliminated, and getting the bag wet doesn’t matter... it will dry. Also the bag will shape nicely under your gun, it weighs much less, etc, etc.

I use “official” sand filled leather bags for formal matches where they are required, but they are much more expensive and don’t do well with getting wet!

Froggie

[wnc435]

Have to start posting somewhere so here is my sand bag concoction I used shot bags and filled them with the colored gravel from the fish tank. Dried of course then sprayed the bags with camp dry silicone.

[Jjed]

If you know anyone who works in a hospital and has access to empty IV bags. ( they through them away) they make great sand bags. this one I made 25 years ago and it has held up well. I don't leave it in the sun light. I put two small nails into the edge of my work bench to hang the bag from and used a small funnel to fill it with sand, took some time. i would fill the funnel with sand then work on something else, coming back from time to time to refill the funnel. then fill the tube with caulking.

[RedHawk357Mag]

What I do, legs of old denim jeans, bag of kid play sand, Paracord. Turn legs of denim inside out, cut denim at approximately Daisey Duke level. Roll cuff tightly length wise, tie a Constrictor knot next to pant leg cuff. Constrictor knot is a variation of the Clove Hitch, You Tube it. Turn pant leg back out to the right side with knot inside bag. Fill pant leg bag with your desired level of sand for your application. Tighten to your desired level of firmness, tie second Constrictor knot leaving tails some what long for adjustment at later dates. Firm bags are always firm, loose bags are adjustable firmness. Bags should probably be stored in a Lowe's bucket with lid when not in use due to spiders and scorpions absolute admiration for the perfect nest. Buckets keep bags clean, and dry reducing rot of material as well as your vehicle while transporting. Also it's possible to double the material thickness if your bags if pant legs are long enough and fill is small enough. If left outside in elements bags will last only a few months if exposed to direct sunlight. Also will become homes for stinging variety of bugs. Friends will also find ways to cut bags with muzzle blast or barrel cylinder gap location. Just rebag with another pant leg.

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[375RUGER]

I've been using the legs of my worn out jeans and carhartts for a long time. I don't remember when I made my first denim sandbag. Instead of sand though, I've switched to popcorn. Yeees, unpopped. Those dollar stores where everything is a buck, is a cheap source sometimes.
good thing about denim jean legs, you can make them into custom shapes like "store bought" bags.

[Walks]

Shot bags, filled with cat litter and sewn closed with harness thread. I sharpened the needles on a grinder.
They are a Lot lighter then the sand filled ones My Dad made me lug around when I was a Kid.
Leather sleeve to slip over top bag for Revolver use.

[GregLaROCHE]

My club has several made from canvas(not very thick) with three sides sewn. The fourth is tied with wire or cord. Within six months they are leaking from the closure and fines are coming through the fabric. Hi hate getting that stuff on my guns. The idea of a plastic bag inside makes a lot of sense and I think they should be sewn shut too.

[alamogunr]

I love all the suggestions. The ones about using plastic bread bags inside really struck a chord. I only eat whole wheat bread and the local grocery stocks a whole wheat loaf that has a particularly heavy bag compared to other brands. I've save up several and may double them.

Also liked the suggestion to use either soy beans or pop corn. I missed the soybean harvest so going for the popcorn. I'm curious about the longevity of the popcorn. Also liked the suggestions on methods to close the bags. I think a combination of sealing with hot glue and sewing should work well for one end and the other end secured with plastic zip ties. Would make it easy to open and adjust filling.

[GregLaROCHE]

I think something like aquarium gravel would be more stable than popcorn.

[alamogunr]

We'll see.

[Herb in Pa]

I use shot bags filled with crushed walnut shell, the kind used in sand blasters and brass tumblers. Light weight and cleaner than sand.

Go to the pet store and get Lizard Litter, it's made from finely crushed walnut shells and a lot cheaper then the tumbling media. It's also great in the tumbler as the size of the crushed material won't get stuck in the cartridge flash holes.

[country gent]

Popcorn soybeans wheat and other Grains / seeds if not "killed" first may sprout if the bags get wet. I have seen macaroni used but when they got wet the macaroni swelled and burst the bag.

When we put the bread bags in we filled then pulled the bag down rolled the top of the bread bag and taped ( the wide clear book binding tape works good here) it to seal, Plastic may not seal around the thread and leak. we then sewed the bags shut with a fine monofiliment fishing line.

[40-82 hiker]

Going back into the late 60s I always made my "sand bags" with shot bags and pinto beans or other dried beans as I had on hand or bought outright for the "sand bags". They were handy at the range and to take into the field shooting gophers, marmots, and prairie dogs, as they were very light. Just took one so I could pad my rifle on a rock, etc.

[sniper]

Regular size jeans legs, what ever they may be...Men's, women's kids' double stitch the bottom, then 3/4 of the top. Get some Kitty Litter..non-clumping, and it is lighter, fill thru the unsewn part, hand sew the remainder, and go shooting!

[GregLaROCHE]

A good strong thread to sew with is dental floss. Many of my sled dogs have been stitched up with it aft a fight.

[Wolfer]

I generally use artificial sinew I get from Tandy leather. I keep a 1000’ spool on hand for leather work.
+1 on the dental floss for strong sutures. 10 lb or stronger fishing line is also good. A hair out of a horses tail will work if nothing else is available. Livestock can be rough on sutures.
Whoops, I didn’t mean to get off topic, sorry.

[richhodg66]

A good strong thread to sew with is dental floss. Many of my sled dogs have been stitched up with it aft a fight.

I used some of that Spider Wire fishing line to do the stitching on an old motorcycle seat a recovered. That is some seriously strong stuff.

[Old Coot]

Cut the legs off of old Levis, or cut the arms off of heavy work shirts, and sew them up fill with sand.

[samari46]

Go to Good Will,Salvation Army or any other place that has older jeans for sale. ten bucks should get you enough material to make up your sand bags. And find a few of the contractor trash bags which are slightly thicker than your standard trash bags. stick your sand in them first tape closed and insert them in the bags before sewing them shut. I had some old bank coin bags sitting around and a buddy wanted something cheap to make sand bags. Gave him the bags and off he went. Frank

[Tazlaw]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xvxqtc8thRg

How to sew basic stitches. You can use wallyworld bags as interior bag.