Wasp/Hornet rounds

[snowwolfe]

Any of you ever try loading up either 44 mag or 45 Colt rounds to use for close range insect control? Looking for something to use off the back porch or in the workshop effective out to maybe 4-5 feet. Was thinking maybe 1 grain of Bullseye topped with a wad then filling the case with cream of wheat and capping the case mouth end with wax.

[Thin Man]

Speer shot caps loaded with #12 shot. I load these in 44 Special for snakes, and they are equally effective on anything else in the smaller size varmint category. This is probably excessive for your search, just offering an alternative.

Thin Man

[snowwolfe]

To excessive. If I wanted to use shot would just use my S&W Governor.

[Nueces]

http://bugasalt.com

I love mine. Amazon has 'em. Google 'bug a salt'

I don't believe I'd try it out at 5 feet, though. Much better inside 18". However, I've found that flies will most often remain in place as I bring the muzzle up close. Follow up shots are quickly taken if the first shot has to be taken at 'long range.'

If rock salt can take down Beatrix Kiddo in a leather jacket, it will do fine execution on drosophila and cousins.

[Tom W.]

I just use my pellet gun without a pellet.

[snowwolfe]

http://bugasalt.com

I love mine. Amazon has 'em. Google 'bug a salt'

I don't believe I'd try it out at 5 feet, though. Much better inside 18". However, I've found that flies will most often remain in place as I bring the muzzle up close. Follow up shots are quickly taken if the first shot has to be taken at 'long range.'

If rock salt can take down Beatrix Kiddo in a leather jacket, it will do fine execution on drosophila and cousins.

Great idea!

[Blackwater]

Seems to me river sand would provide the size projectile you need plus "pellet count" to get your range out to maybe 5' or so, but you'd have to figure out how to keep it away from your bore and rifling. Speer shot caps would do it handily, but they're probably more spendy than you'd probably want for such purposes, unless you take your recreation pretty seriously. Cork wads punched out with a ctg. case that's been sharpened with a chamferring tool would likely do for those. Cork sheeting isn't too spendy, and would make a decent wad, or if something more substantial is needed, try cardboard or pasteboard for wadding. Then anything that would protect the bore, like simple rolled up newspaper with a lil' wax to "lube" it down the bore would probably do, and maybe extend your range a little to boot. In a .44, it may take 2 gr. of fast powder to get the best results. Let us know what you find out, will ya'. This could get interesting.

[jcren]

I am working on wasp loads using walnut shell media.

[JSnover]

I am working on wasp loads using walnut shell media.
Used media! That's what I like about this site: There's always a cheaper way.

[snowwolfe]

I was thinking of using used dried coffee grounds but used media sounds like a good choice as well

[JSnover]

I was thinking of using used dried coffee grounds …
I have heard of spreading them around the outside of the house to control ants.

[Doc1]

I do a variation of this with great success. I make up light 12 Gauge loads with dried lentils and fire them out of an H&R single shot. I have a shotshell press, but you don't need that to make up these loads. Just open the crimp on a light field load, dump the birdshot and replace it with lentils.

Now, a couple of warnings are in order. At close range the lentils leave the muzzle with authority, so do NOT play around with these loads: Treat them as potentially deadly and give them the respect you would accord any firearm. The lentils, being so light, can tend to ricochet, so wear shooting glasses. If you fire these loads at close range straight on at something like vinyl siding, they will punch a hole in it, so be careful.

The trick is to use them to blast wasps out of the air or use them to shoot wasp nests off of high walls and fascia boards. The trick to the latter is to fire at an extremely oblique angle to the wall or fascia board, not straight at it. In doing this countless times - and firing from five to seven feet or so away - I have never damaged the exterior of my house.

These loads are extremely effective and will positively shred wasp nests and their occupants.

Best regards
Doc

[jcren]

Finally got to test a few ,and the walnut shell went 2 for 2 on red wasp out of a 38 snub! Might be a little hot at 2gr red dot because it did pepper the paint on the house from 10 feet.

[jcren]

Fyi for anyone trying this, I discovered that some primers will push out and wedge a revolver at these reduced loads. Drilling flash holes to 3/32" solved this problem.

[jcren]

145873

Final product! My lee 38 bullet seater pushes the overshot in nicely and the roll crimp locked it in.

[WilliamDahl]

Put a grain or two of powder in the case and then a wad of paper towel over the powder. Tamp it down snugly and fill the rest up with wax. At that velocity, the wax is likely to become wax powder and will work well on insects.

[altheating]

Pastina (very fine macaroni) works well for boring bees with a ruger 77/357. Use 357 cases so we can get more pastina in them. We use the foam trays that meat is packaged in from Wally World. Use a case to cut the wads from the foam try. One wad over the powder, another on top of the "shot", a bit of crimp holds it all in place. We shoot em at 10-12 feet.