Handgun Shot Loads.

[Adam Helmer]

Hangun shot loads are effective within their limited range. I have loaded .38 Special, .357, .41M, .44 Special and .44M shot loads for 50 years. I abandoned shot capsules early on and use gas checks over powder and over #6 or #7.5 shot and a slight roll crimp in all my shot cartridges.

My IMPORTANT advice is to ALWAYS wear eye protection when shooting shot loads! My first experience with shot loads was in 1973 on my local club range. I was 5 yards from a B-27 silhouette target stapled onto a hard board frame. I fired my 6-inch M19 .357 and #6 shot on the X ring of the target. INSTANTLY both lenses of my shooting glasses had a dozen pock marks! My glasses were ruined, but my eyes were safe. Be safe and wear eye protection.

Adam

[smoked turkey]

Adam, thanks for the safety reminder about wearing safety glasses. I need to do better than I do. I wear glasses normally for near vision correction. I wonder if I should invest in a pair of safety glasses that are cut to my prescription for when I am shooting. I tend to think that my normal lenses are adequate for protection, but that may not be true. I just wonder what other folks normally do when shooting.

[ReloaderFred]

My optometrist made me a set of shooting glasses for my prescription. She had me hold my hand out as if shooting a handgun, and adjusted the focal length of the glasses so that when my head is in the shooting position, the sights are in focus. I never shoot without eye protection, period.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[BNE]

Never shoot without “eyes and ears”.

[Adam Helmer]

smoked turkey and Moderator Fred,

My optometrist made me up prescription shooting glasses with Chemically Hardened lenses which I was wearing that day. My shooting glasses are my constant companion when I shoot.

Shot loads in handguns have a use; I always have a few at hand. Every snake I ever shot tied itself up in knots as it died. In several cases the hard ground, or nearby rocks, caused some shot to BOUNCE Back into my face and my safety glasses. I think I am on my 5th or 6th pair of glasses that keep my vision protected.

I must add an aside to BNE's post about "eyes and ears." Several years ago a fellow club member and I were the only shooters on our range at the benches. The posted sign above each bench said, "Eye and Ear protection required." I complied, but the fellow on the next bench was not as he shot his 7MM RM. I offered him a pair of spongy ear plugs as I carry a half dozen in my shooting bag. The guy thanked me and put the little plastic baggie of Ear Plugs in his shirt pocket and continued to shoot under our roofed 6 bench firing point! Say Wot? Huh!

Adam

[smoked turkey]

Adam, a couple of additional questions if I might. Does your custom made safety glasses look like regular glasses? What about side shields? Just wondered if your glasses include them.
On the subject of wearing ear protection..My left ear is almost deaf from loud equipment and shooting. My right ear is some better. But its no fun saying Huh? all the time. My wife, bless her heart, is pretty patient with me. I do wear hearing aids too. A few years back my neighbor asked if he and his nephews could come over and sight in their deer rifles. I agreed. When they came they had no hearing protection. I asked them about it, they said oh no we are old school and don't use ear protection. They got a lecture from me and some hearing protection before they shot. I hope they take my council to heart. Otherwise they will end up like me. Huh?

[Adam Helmer]

smoked,

My safety glasses are photocromatic and look like aviator's sunglasses when worn in sunlight. No side shields are included. My safety glasses I wear when casting DO have side shields.

Adam