Stupid Shot Load Questions

[Potsy]

Soooooo,

A friend and I are about to start rolling our own snake loads. We'll be loading for .38 Special, .44 Magnum, and .45 Colt.

The plan is to order the kits from Sage's Outdoors with the wads and gas checks, and a sack of #12 from Ballistic Products.

I have Unique on hand, Sage's recommends using Speer's shot capsule data.

Questions:

1. How far down to push the wad? Leave an airspace? Press down to the top of the powder (mildly compressed)? Full on compression?

2. Do we need to weigh out a specific charge in grains? Or just fill the case up with whatever size shot (#12 in our case, which will be the heaviest for the volume) and party on?

Thanks!!!

[Minerat]

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?77286-Revolver-shot-loads-that-WORK!

This might answer some of your questions.

[besk]

Push wad down to powder. Don't leave air space.

[challenger_i]

Fill shot capsule, install cap. Thump it a couple times and see if you have shot movement. If so, add a couple pellets and repeat.
You will find that #12 will weigh a bit more than what Speer lists, as they specify #9. As far as powder charge, start with the recommended load, and if the shot pattern at 10ft is more of a circle than a pattern, reduce powder charge until you have a uniform pattern.

P.S: #12 makes for a fairly dense pattern! :) Best wishes finding the Speer capsules! :)

[HWooldridge]

I load 45 Colt as follows: 4.0 gr Red Dot (or any similar fast powder), then seat a 44 gas check on top of the powder. Fill the case with #9 or #12 shot. Cover the shot with a 45 gas check (cup side down) and crimp to retain the GC in place. No plastic shot cup necessary and kills snakes like nobody’s business…

[racepres]

OK... Michigan snakes are pretty easy to Kill...any recipe above will be effective... these aint Florida Snakes... for those... The old CCI capsules are the Bomb!!! IMO... the equivalent of a 1/2 oz 410 is required for Large snakes...and Mid Michigan Hog House Rats!!! The Rats being the toughest ..

[Adam Helmer]

Potsy,
I have my best results on PA Copperheads and Rattlers with #7.5 shot. ALWAYS wear eye protection when shooting shot loads! Pellets BOUNCE BACK from hard target frame backboards or rocks on the ground. You will NOT get a second chance to save your eyesight!

Asam

[firefly1957]

When I started converting .303 Brit cases for 44 magnum shot I found the loads really leaded the rifling badly.
So I seated a thick card wad on powder then put two wraps of wax paper around a dowel with some folded over the end of the dowel . Then that was pushed in case and held while dowel was removed shot was poured in pushed down to expand wax paper then remaining wax paper folded on shot . A thin cardboard wad wad added over that . I found the loads had an even pattern about like Speer shot capsules and the wax paper was shredded by the rifling . My loads got 180 grains of #9 shot and could go though a steel coffee can at 15 feet.


P.S. I am wondering if it would be worth making rimless shot shells from trimmed .223 cases for .357 Magnum? I do know I would need to push them from the cylinder with a rod .

P.S.2 I had the Taurus model 608 out shooting yesterday and looked at a .223 case in it the case is only about .2" longer then the cylinder and the cases would probably split if fireformed . Now the .350 legend case may just work if shortened then run into a .357 mag crimping die .... I wonder if it would be possible to add a rim to the case for shot shells?

[Ed_Shot]

I load 45 Colt as follows: 4.0 gr Red Dot (or any similar fast powder), then seat a 44 gas check on top of the powder. Fill the case with #9 or #12 shot. Cover the shot with a 45 gas check (cup side down) and crimp to retain the GC in place. No plastic shot cup necessary and kills snakes like nobody’s business…

+1...no plastic shot cup necessary. I use a 45 ACP case with the primer removed to punch out over-powder cards form paper plates, or 3x5 cards, or manila folders using a hammer on the end grain of a 2x4 block. Seat the over-power card with a dowel. It's cheaper than using an over-powder GC and I believe gives you more room for shot.

[CastingFool]

For 45 colt, I cut out wads from Styrofoam meat trays. One over the powder, and one over the shot. The wads are thick, so you don't have much room for shot. Resulting patterns will kill a chipmunk at 5 feet

[trapper9260]

All I use is cards I make from cracker boxes that I cut with a gasket hole punch and put 2 over the powder and then the shot then one over the shot and crimp or glue . With the 2 cards it builds up the pressure better . Some cartridges it works better then just one card over the powder. Use what ever shot size you like. It works for me and I save my GC for the boolits I need them on .

[salty dog]

Now the .350 legend case may just work if shortened then run into a .357 mag crimping die .... I wonder if it would be possible to add a rim to the case for shot shells?

If you can find some the 357 Max case would be exactly what you're looking for.

[Alferd Packer]

Read George Nontes stuff on cartridge conversions.
Tells how to add a rim to a rimless case.
And much much more.

[JimB..]

If you can find some the 357 Max case would be exactly what you're looking for.

360DW would probably do it too.

I never thought about 303 to 44.

[Texas by God]

I’ve used my last Speer shot capsules and I’m down to ten loaded rounds.
So I cut some discs from an old Hornady bullet box, used 2grs of AA#2. One disc over the powder, fill with #12 shot, one disc over shot then roll crimp. Any small primer will work.
I spread an old rag flat on the ground and shot the imaginary snake once at ten feet.
I won’t buy shot capsules again - https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230825/7b85457e63bef453a9b8843ebc4f350e.jpg
unless they are very cheap!


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[45DUDE]

They don't have to be fast. I use bb's or shell shot. Just stand back and test your loads for the distance. 12-15 feet is about max. You can get more shot in using a fast powder like Clay's-Win231- or Bullseye.

[firefly1957]

Salty Dog you are correct on the .357 MAX cases but I think I have only picked up two from any range in all the years it has been out!

Thinking it over I may have some OLD 38 shot shells on a high shelf with things I rarely use???? Or did I give them to my son??