44 magnum shot shells

[Bucksnort1]

I've searched the Firing Line and can't find what I need and, I searched another blog and couldn't find information.

Do any of you have recipes for loading 44 mag shot shells. I did learn Cabela's sells Speer shot cups, which seems to be the way to go because you can use the size shot you want.

I did read where the Speer #13 manual has recipes. Will some one provide recipes from this manual? Thanks.

 

[Nick_C_S]

Speer #14 has 44 Mag shot data too:

W231 - 7.3gns; 1133 f/s
700-X - 5.7gns; 1105 f/s
Bullseye - 6.0gns; 1101 f/s
Unique - 6.8gns; 1097 f/s
HP-38 - 6.0gns; 1061 f/s

W231 & HP-38 are the same powder. Go figure.
Note that they don't give a powder charge range - just a set amount.
They also mention to not use in firearms with ported barrels.

I have 44 Special data too if you need it.

 

[Will-j]

.44 shotshells

Nick: the different charges for 231/HP-38 probably stem from the use of different lots of the powders.

That's how it has been explained to me in the past.

WILL.

 

[Will-j]

.44 mag.shotshells

POGY: I've used the Speer shotshell capsules, and they work pretty well. I've also done the following:

You can reduce the loads in the post under yours by 1 to 1.5gr.and up to 2.0 gr. With rifling, the higher the velocity the wider the spray of shot; Doesn't sound right, but that's the way it works in my guns. 500-600 FPS+/- is plenty good for snakes/pests.

After priming and charging the case, load and seat a .44 cal. gas check [cup up] down on the powder. Compression not necessary.

Fill the case with shot (I've used everything from #4 to #12) to just shy of the mouth, place another gas check [cup down] on the shot and crimp in place.
A slight flare of the case mouth facilitates easier loading and a seating die with a wide semi wadcutter stem cup adjusted further in will seat the gas check properly for crimping. Just a slight crimp will do.

I've loaded cases which were fully sized, partially sized, and unsized (they were fired in the same SBH and deprimed/reprimed with a LEE LOADER kit.) The rest of the steps were with a press. For me, the unsized cases were the easiest to load, and being from the same SBH, they rechambered easily.

The choice is yours. The gas checks are somewhere in the $40s for 1k Hornadys, last I checked, and the shot capsules are really not that cheap either. Good Luck.

WILL.

 

[Salmoneye]

Yup...

I too find that the faster the shot, the more it doughnuts...

I do not use the shot capsules, as in my experience, they add to the spin...

I use over-powder and over-shot cards that I cut from styrofoam take-out boxes, and Red Dot powder...

I will not give specific loads, as it is not 'published' data...

 

[Will-j]

I've used the same foam wads too, but found they (the thin ones) tear apart easily sometimes and I got holes in the pattern. Now, I just use them for reduced loads with plainbased cast bullets.

Sometimes I use them with the harder cast bullets too. They help with reducing leading by keeping the flame front from the bullet base.

Can't get them any cheaper either. I use the trays used for meats and veggies from the supermarket.

WILL.

 

[Bucksnort1]

Will-j,

Thanks for the data. I found a dude on line who explained, complete with photos, how he does it with thin Styrofoam. He uses Elmer's glue to seal the foam on top of the shot. I have all the components.

 

[TimSr]

Loaded lots of the Speer shot caps in .44 and .38. keep velocity down they work better. I liked #9 shot. I can't remember how much more of #9 than #8 shot I could get in there, but it was enough to influence my decision. My buddy shot a lot of Texas snakes with these with his 6" 357.

 

[madmo44mag]

Pistol Shot Shells

Pistol shot shells are easy to make
The great thing about homemade shot is you can tailor it to you needs.
If you need shot for scaring a stray dog off and not harm the dog you down load the chg. If you need stopping power you can up load the chg.

.
Things you need.
2-3 stryrofoam flats. (these are the flats you get in the meat department that meat is packaged on)
Clean, re-size and prime the brass.
A LB of you fastest burning powder. Win 231, Greendot, Bluedot. The faster the better.
One box of #8 shotgun shells or # 7or #8 shot.
1 Hot glue gun.

As for powder chg this is something you need to work up.
Make a few test rounds starting at 3gr working up.
The more damage and longer range require more powder.

1st cut open the shot gun shell and dump the shot out. Some folks also use the powder in the shotgun shell but you never know what it was loaded with so I use powder I know the burn rate of.
2nd using a un-sized piece of brass punch out some disks from the styrofoam flats.
This will ensure the disks are slightly larger than the inside diameter of the re-sized brass.
It take 2 disks per round.
3rd chg the brass with the desired powder chg and press in one of the styrofoam disks.
Next fill the brass almost to the top with shot leaving enough room to push the second styrofoam disk on top and add a drop of hot glue to seal the disk in place.

There you have it, homemade shot.
Tailored to your needs.

It takes a little tinkering with but once you find the chg weight you need for the caliber and damage level you want you have cheap and easy shot shell recipe.

I hoe I did not leave anything out as I was doing this from memory but the process is straight forward and easy to figure out.

 

[Bucksnort1]

Madmo44mag,

Thanks for the instructions. The one I found on the internet is identical to yours except the loader used Elmer's glue in place of the hot glue gun. I like the idea of the glue gun because the glue will set way quicker than Elmer's. I will use #4 shot because I have 25 pounds of it.

 

[Will-j]

shotshells

TIM; MADMO; POGY:

Everything you all have related, I have tried at least once, and that which worked..I used again. The following is something I am simply relating and NOT advising anyone to undertake. However, it is educational....And fun:

Speer .44 capsules will hold 9MM bullets, .35cal. buckshot (Triple Ought)
in most shells; Those pellets over .355/.356 cal. can be sized through a
proper sizer die. Some .38/.357 lighter-weight bullets (110-125gr)
can be run through the sizers also and loaded in the capsules also.

The .38/.357 capsules will hold (3).30 cal. BS pellets and .308 cal. bullets.
I've loaded 100gr. thru 170gr. FP bullets in the capsules to be loaded in .
.357 Mag. guns only.

Weigh the loaded capsules first and decide which powder/velocity you
want, and load accordingly. Be careful of the crimp on these loads-- the
recoil has a tendency to break the capsules. I weigh the capsules and
select the closest weight bullet/quickest burning powder to give me at
least 1050-1150 FPS in the middle-weight caps.

One thing to remember is [that] there is NO RIFLING on the projectile
after firing due to the capsule. I single-load the shells--depending on
the load and have gotten some pretty high velocities with the lighter
weight caps. with B'EYE, Green Dot, 700X and W231/HP-38.

A load I am quite fond of uses a 148gr HBWC [inverted] in the .44 cap.
That huge, open hollowpoint at 1000-1100+/- FPS and possibly more...
depending on your firearm/load is devastating. Works down to 750-800
FPS too on feral dogs, threatening canines and other threatening animals
in rural areas; Both four and/or two legged. I'm looking for some lead
HBWCs for a .32 S&W to try in the .38 caps. Might need to size them too
but it's just a thought at present.

To lessen/alleviate the fouling from the plastic capsule at the higher
velocities, I run a bore mop with some dry molybdenum powder down
the barrel when shooting them. I sometimes add a little mineral oil to
moly and it lasts for 10-12 rounds with no fouling/plastic residue in the
barrel. At 10-15 yds. it is fairly accurate too; There are fewer
troublesome canines in my area now than before. I will NOT allow any
mangy, snarling animal around me when I'm out walking my dog; Es-
pecially those animals that are nocturnal and out roaming around humans
during daytime. I take NO chances...Period.


One other thing I have done with shotshells for snakes: I carry a TAURUS
2 1/2" Mod.85 SS. I removed the single-action notch and bobbed the
hammer for [double-action-only pocket carry]. When out in the "Back 15"
acres--that is, it's what I have carried in my back pocket , or sometimes
in a leather holster I made for it and it has neutralized more of [Jake's
kinfolk] than I have fingers and toes ten times over. Also, with this
TAURUS and the 148gr HBWC inverted over 4.0gr B'Eye, or 4.5gr
Unique, in .38 Spl. cases @ 1.310" have shown a couple feral dogs the
error of their way. One shot@ 7-10 yds. is a very effective prescription
for those animals

I had a close friend [who recently passed away] ask me to make him
some snake shot caps. he had a DAN WESSON .357 Mod.14 with a
2 1/2" barrel. Somehow, he had a 'smith thread a 3/8' pipe 3" long for
his barrel muzzle, a thin nut threaded for the frame end of the barrel
and screwed the barrel into the frame 'til it just slightly touched the
cylinder face, tightened the nut and left the shroud off. He said it high-
pressure black gas pipe with straight rifling to keep the shot consolidated
much like a shotgun. I think there were 5 deep and wide lands and
grooves. I can tell you [that] it held a tight pattern out to 12-15 yds.
I wanted it badly, but his son kept for himself when his Dad died.
If I ever get a DW for myself, I'm gonna have he same setup made for it.
Came to find out, he had [2] six" barrels for it and one barrel shroud was
set up with scope and mounts. I had loaded some 180gr Rem.SJHPs and
Hor. 180 XTPs for his hog and deer hunting. I'm gonna keep after his
son to sell me the gun. I remember his father carried the gun set up for
snakes in a 6" barrel holster carried cross-chest. The gun looked gaudy
as hell but it did the job on Jake and Co.

I think I'm gonna get out of here for now and give you folks a break.
I'll catch you later. As I said in the beginning, the above is for info only.

Just Sayin'.

WILL.

 

[Will-j]

POGY: If you can get a proper-sized punch, the cardboard backing of some tablets work well also and preclude the need for any glue.. Even one or two thin manila folder wads under the foam will work.
WILL.

 

[Bucksnort1]

Will-J,

Thanks for the tips. I will use the tablet cardboard instead of Styrofoam and I like you idea of weighing the shot before loading.

One loader, can't remember where I read this - maybe this blog - uses 44 super mag cases. He cuts them to the proper length so they will fit in the 44 mag cylinder then loads. You get more shot capacity.

Am I correct in saying that, regardless of the method used in any of these suggestions, pressure is likely to not be a problem?

 

[madmo44mag]

PSI is not a problem because there is nothing to build psi against.
When the bullet is held in place by a crimp or tapper crimp psi will build until the crimp or taper is over come.
In the case of shot there is nothing really holding the shot back but styrofoam or paper and a little bit of glue.
Secondly the shot is not a solid object in front of the chg. PSI will push past the shot and out the barrel ahead of the shot.
Think shotgun blast with a open shot shell.

 

[madmo44mag]

Another tid-bit I wanted to share.
If you need more range and a harder hit; mix some corn starch with water to a thick paste.
Mix that with your shot and load it in the brass.
This will help hold the shot together kinda like a exploding slug.

 

[Bucksnort1]

I must be having a senior moment. I would swear I posted either a new thread or made a comment on this one about whether shot should not be used in ported guns.

 

[madmo44mag]

WOW Pogybait that is a great point.
I would think shot in a ported barrel would be a bad idea.

 

[Bucksnort1]

Madmo44mag,

But why? Is it possible shot could exit through the ports?

 

[FrankenMauser]

For 'extended' .44 Mag, I use .303 British and .30-40 Krag cases.

One of my brothers uses .30-30 Win for his 'extended' .41 Mag cases.

Rim modification required...

 

[Bucksnort1]

FrankenMauser,

Do you have a comment about my question of why bird shot should not be used in a ported revolver?