So from the files titled, "And then, for no particular reason..." I thought I would make up a rather silly thing: a 444 case with a 125 grs Barry's flat nose plated .358 bullet in a Ballistic Products 1/2oz short shot cup.
Components were:
Remington 444 Marlin brass
CCI Large pistol primers
11.5 grs Alliant 410
3 Circle Fly over powder cards .430"
Ballistic Products short shot cup 1/2 oz
Barry's plated .358 125 grs (0.26 oz) bullet
Circle Fly over shot card
The powder was well compressed and the 3 over powder cards were a compressed right fit. The shot cup with gas check are a loose fit.
Results were:
Disappointing!
Primer ignited, bullet and overshot card slid out the end of the barrel, shot cup remained stuck in barrel about 3/4 of the way down, and seemingly all sunburned powder dropped out of the breech.
Sooooo,
I have very successfully made up 444 shot shells using these components with #9 shot, but as I recall, I will have used Win LR primers.
My guess is that the column is so light that the primer igniting pushed everything down the barrel before the powder could ignite and the pistol primer, with no pressure and the powder halfway down the barrel, couldn't ignite the powder.
That sound about right?
Before filing this in the "Well, that was stupid" rack (a not inconsiderable volume of files at our house I might point out), I was thinking that a 200 Grains .358 Hirnady FTX at .46 oz might do the trick. Would a LR primer be better, or just offset the higher weight "slug"?
It doesn't really matter; it was a what can I do with the kids' old Rossi single shot .410. It's so incredibly light.
Anyway, thoughts on my theory, proposals for a more effective 444/410 slug load (despite the ready availability of ready made, well functioning for what they are factory slugs), and even disparaging commentary on the uselessness of such an idea anyway (recognized) all welcome