Threaded nose cone weight (lead or tungsten preferably)

[manixFan]

Lead poisoning is not as large risk as you might think. I have a large bullet collection from antique projectiles from 1800-1900. I have been tested quite a but. My lead levels have never gone up. The key is not eating them or licking them.

Things change though if you reload or shoot a lot. Reloading shot shells for trap shooting can cause a lot of dust that elevates blood levels. Same thing if you use a tumbler to clean brass. I also used to cast my own wadcutters, yet another potential source. And shooting indoors can also cause elevated blood levels caused by breathing lead vapor and dust. I knew a couple of guys who over their shooting careers had to take breaks to allow their lead levels to drop back down to normal levels. Pouring lead shot can be especially dangerous as it can raise a lot of dust that can then settle on surrounding areas and present a longer term exposure hazard.

Just FYI.


Tony

 

[Ez2cDave]

You’re right! No, I hadn’t. My thought was that it would be cheaper that tungsten which someone else had mentioned.
Tungsten shot (real tungsten, not alloyed) is over $100/lb.
Tungsten alloy shot sells for $34/lb.
Bismuth shot varies from $15/lb to $17/lb.

It seems to me that the most logical solution is to properly design rockets, so that they don't require large amounts of ballast to be stable.

Adding mass negatively affects virtually every area of the flight . . . Larger Recovery Devices, stronger Shock Cords, increased "opening shock", increased risk of zippering, and, most assuredly, increased risk if a separation occurs and a heavily-ballasted component "comes in hot" !

Dave F.