what is the cheapest/ best ammo that you know of? i'm thinking lead fishing weights. any better/ cheaper sources? anybody manufacturing them? and does anybody know what the best shape is? besides all-natural rocks?

I would like to make rebar bullets.  I would make them 1.5 times as long as the diameter. I would then put a bushy yarn tail on it about 2.5 times as long as the diameter.

Anyways, here is a table that shows the relationship between rebar size and projectile mass. The mass of the projectile is based on the calculation that the projectile is 1.5 times as long as the diameter.

I would probably use 5/8 (.625) inch or 15.88 mm diameter rebar.  If these pieces are cut to a length that is 1.5 times the diameter, they would have a mass of 37 grams.  I might instead choose to make them twice as long at the diameter in which case they would be 49 grams.  I know this is on the light side, but I would like to carry a bunch of these to use for "plinking".

Weight            Weight            Nominal Diameter                        Grams
                                               
(lb⁄ft)            (kg/m)            (in)            (mm)            
0.376            0.561            0.375            9.525            8.015
0.668            0.996            0.500            12.70            18.97
1.04            1.556            0.625            15.88            37.05
1.50            2.240            0.750            19.05            64.0
2.04            3.049            0.875            22.23            101.6
2.67            3.982            1.000            25.40            151.7
3.40            5.071            1.128            28.65            217.9
4.30            6.418            1.270            32.26            310.6
5.31            7.924            1.410            35.81            425.6
7.65            11.4100            1.693            43.00            735.9
13.6            20.2840            2.257            57.33            1744

"Rebar"  =  "reinforcing bar"

It is steel rod, anywhere from around a quarter-inch to a couple of inches in diameter (depending on where it is going to be used).  You make a loose framework of rebar, and then pour concrete all around it.  The technique is called reinforced concrete construction.  Concrete itself is great under a compressive load, but just pulls apart under tension.  The rebar framework provides strength under tension.

There's a good article about

rebar

at Wikipedia.  In case anyone's interested, the article has also been translated into Arabic, Bulgarian, German, Esperanto, Norwegian, Polish, Russian, Swedish, and Thai.

Mild steel melts at around 1500 degrees Fahrenheit Celsius (around 810 Celsius 2730 Fahrenheit).  However, rebar is usually cut with a carbide saw.

No, the lead glandes were molded in the oblong shapes.  If they were deformed by impact, then the molded-in inscriptions would not be readable anymore.

As for finding (used) steel balls, you might look for a metal recycler, or perhaps a manufacturer that uses ball mills (a concrete place, or perhaps a sheet rock maker).  Ball mills are used to grind stuff up.  Eventually the balls are worn out and have to be replaced.  Seems to me like they would still be fine for slinging.  So far I have had no luck finding such a place, but I haven't been looking very hard.  Most of my slinging is done with tennis balls, and the few times I use something harder, I use landscaping rock.  River rock can be found very cheaply.

[quote]"Rebar"  =  "reinforcing bar"

[/quote]

Um, that's all I needed lol
weirdly I knew what reinforced concrete was. ;-)

Dale wrote on Jun 10^th, 2007 at 2:04am:

ummm thats 1500 celsius http://education.jlab.org/qa/meltingpoint_01.html but you don't have to take my word lol

Putting together some of the ideas already voiced here I'd like to hear your opinion of this solution. It isn't necessary to actually melt steel in order to reshape it. If one were to take a couple dozen 1/2"x 1.5" cut rebar pieces and place said rebar in the trough of a charcoal forge, bring it up to red hot.  Drop the red hot blank into a stamping die designed to taper both ends. Place the top on the die and give it a couple solid blows with a 20 lb sledge or drop hammer. Open the die and behold a chunk of rebar formed into an approximation of a football.

Use egg sinkers. You can buy a mold to cast them in the weight you want and they are the right shape. I have found out that 2 to 3oz. sinkers sling best. Much more weight than that is hard on you. The molds are about $30.00 US. You can get  used lead wheel weights at most tire shops for little or no cost. I use lead cable sheathing myself. It was free. Casting equipment is as simple as a cast iron lead pot and ladel for about $20.00 US. A simple heat source is a gas or propane camp stove. Its a extra plus if you fish and can cast your own sinkers too. I surf fish so I go through a lot of sinkers.

Just melt the wheel weights in your pot (the steel clips will float to the top) in a well vented area. Avoid water near your casting site like the plague, water in  molten lead will make it splatter. DO NOT have a cell phone on or other distractions (wife, kids, friends) around while casting.  Its a one-man show. You develop a rythem while casting and you will be surprised how much ammo you can make in an hour.

IMHO casting is the way to go as far as makeing consistant ammo. If you price  what a 2-3oz egg sinker costs your set up will pay for itself in no time. There is also the satisfaction of making something that works well yourself.