# iron ore pellets for ammo



## northern lights (Oct 31, 2010)

I see e-bay has iron ore pellets 40# for $25.00 shipped pellets are 3/8 inch in size not perfect round anybody shoot these before. What do you think the weight would be on them.


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

funny i saw the same ones and was gonna ask about them too. Good question.


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## ERdept (Jun 10, 2010)

I shot rock and pebbles when i first started. i think they fly true enough for slingshot distances. Though similar round ammo such as bearings and marbles, just fly more consistently.

Any link?


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## Devoman (Oct 15, 2010)

When I was a kid we would walk the train tracks and pick these things up. It was standard ammo for years, made many a good kill shot with these. I was planing a trip back home and thought about picking some up for nostalgic reasons.


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## Darb (Sep 14, 2010)

northern lights said:


> I see e-bay has iron ore pellets 40# for $25.00 shipped pellets are 3/8 inch in size not perfect round anybody shoot these before. What do you think the weight would be on them.


The math is fairly straight forward, and uses standard geometry and algebra:

* The volume of a 3/8" diameter sphere is 0.02712 CI (cubic inches) or 0.4444 ccm (cubic centimeters).

* The density of iron is 7.9 gr/ccm (steel is generally around 7.8).

Thus, a perfect sphere of 3/8" diameter iron should weigh 0.4444 x 7.9 = 3.46632 grams at average sea level Earth normal gravity (1.0g).

Given that there are 454 gr/lb, these should come 131 shots/lb.

Now, if I could just find tungsten-carbide-cobalt pellets (density 17.5+ gr/ccm) in the same size, at a reasonable price, I'd be a happy camper.


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## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

I have heard of these being used in the past with excellent results. I can't offer anything past this, but there are a lot of people out there who have used them (including devoman in this post).

I can hit a soda can regularly at 8-10 yards using crushed limestone that would turn most of your stomachs.....I think these would work pretty well as they are far better than what I am using some of the time. Also, watch the Rufus Hussey videos and look at what he used. I think these would work but again I haven't tried them personally.


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

I have had a few of them in the past that a friend sent me and I did not care for them. They did not shoot as well than acorns and not as good as rocks. I would have to have a sample of these before I would spend $25 on them. I would rather spend $30 for 15pounds of steel shot. -- Tex-shooter


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## Rayshot (Feb 1, 2010)

Darb, I am sure you have looked for the tungsten-carbide-cobalt before, but is this what you mean. This link says they are cemented?

My link


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

taconite pellets.

"To process taconite, the ore is ground into a fine powder, the magnetite is separated from the waste rock by strong magnets, the powdered iron concentrate is combined with a binder such as bentonite clay and limestone as a flux, and rolled into pellets about one centimeter in diameter containing approximately 65% iron. The pellets are fired at a very high temperatures to harden and make them durable. This is necessary to ensure that the blast furnace charge remains porous to allow heated gas to pass through and react with the pelletized ore. Firing the pellet oxidizes the magnetite (Fe[sub]3[/sub]O[sub]4[/sub]) to hematite (Fe[sub]2[/sub]O[sub]3[/sub]), an exothermic reaction which reduces the energy cost of pelletizing the concentrate. E.W. Davis of the University of Minnesota Mines Experiment Station is credited with developing the pelletizing process. Since the commercial development of this process in the Lake Superior region in the 1950s, the term taconite has been used globally to refer to iron ores usable for upgrading by similar processes."

I've used taconite pellets, if you live in an area where you can get them for free, (railroad yards) etc. it is well worth it but i wouldn't buy them, might as well spend your money on steel balls or make your own clay balls.


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

Thanks to the Golden Gopher for a very good reply on this subject! I could not remember the proper name for for the Taconites. -- Tex-shooter


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## Darb (Sep 14, 2010)

Rayshot said:


> Darb, I am sure you have looked for the tungsten-carbide-cobalt before, but is this what you mean. This link says they are cemented?
> 
> My link


That's one of the links I'm waiting for a quote from, yes (I'm having e-mail issues).

In this instance, "cemented" means that the tungsten-carbon compound (which is a dense heavy powder that's technically falls into the "ceramic" family of materials) is bound into a metallic matrix of either nickel-iron, or cobalt, to make it workable, depending on the properties desired. The resulting alloy is a metal-ceramic hybrid of extreme density and hardness.


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## Rayshot (Feb 1, 2010)

Darb said:


> Darb, I am sure you have looked for the tungsten-carbide-cobalt before, but is this what you mean. This link says they are cemented?
> 
> My link


That's one of the links I'm waiting for a quote from, yes (I'm having e-mail issues).

In this instance, "cemented" means that the tungsten-carbon compound (which is a dense heavy powder that's technically falls into the "ceramic" family of materials) is bound into a metallic matrix of either nickel-iron, or cobalt, to make it workable, depending on the properties desired. The resulting alloy is a metal-ceramic hybrid of extreme density and hardness.
[/quote]

I am always curious about new things so I would be happy to here what they are quoting. Minimum quantities and price. Perhaps a few people interested may make a more attractive deal.


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## Darb (Sep 14, 2010)

For those curious about "cemented" carbide: http://slingshotforu...5791#entry35791


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

The ore would be fine for an xtra slow moving slingshot.


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

i hope i didn't mislead people with my post, I think taconite pellets are great ammo...i just wouldn't pay for them. if i were spending money on ammo i would just get something better. but if you have access to free taconite pellets, it is good.


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## Nico (Sep 10, 2010)

Taconites are ok for target shooting but dont try and use them past 20 meters.


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## bikermikearchery (Sep 30, 2010)

I got a small box of the iron ore pellets. After spending a week camping with the family and everyone shooting my slingshots. It seemed that the scarcest thing in camp was a fairly consistent small stone. I have another weekend with friends coming up where I'll be arming quite a few shooters. The iron ore pellets will be great ammo for this event.


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## northern lights (Oct 31, 2010)

My thoughts on the iron ore was would it be good plinking ammo in the woods instead of shooting up steel ammo for target. Works out to less then 1/2 cent per shot. hard to find same size rocks . I think the ore was sorted by size.


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## bushcraftkid (Jan 27, 2013)

Darb said:


> 'northern lights' said:
> 
> 
> > I see e-bay has iron ore pellets 40# for $25.00 shipped pellets are 3/8 inch in size not perfect round anybody shoot these before. What do you think the weight would be on them.
> ...


i know this is a really old post but that last part about tungsten carbide caught my attention, several years ago my uncle gave me a couple pounds of 5/16 inch tungsten carbide bearings that were rejects from the engineering plant were he works, i think back to that a lot because it was before i had the sense to use a catch box and before i had good slingshots (i was using marksman bands on my own pine board cuts, ugh) honestly kinda makes my sad to think i wasted all that amazing ammo...


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