Light loads... Quiet?

[hogdogs]

Reloaders...
Theoretically speaking and all disclaimers need go un-mentioned...
Can a shell be opened and "eyeball" out some of the powder to make a drastically quieter, shorter range small bird killer? Would some of the shot need removed?
I am talking 25-30 feet on dove size birds on the ground or just above it on twigs.
So how much powder to remove and just have enuff power for this range? And how much shot needs removed and would a buffer be needed and would corn starch work?
Brent

 

[olddrum1]

No

 

[oneounceload]

If you really want quiet, get an air rifle - it they're that close, it will work well, (IF it's legal)

 

[Old Guard Dog]

If you want to try a quiet 12 ga. load, go to Ballistic Products. They have specs for loading a sub-sonic load (about 930 fps). It is slower than the speed of sound, which is what makes the most noise (shot breaking the speed of sound). Good load with #4 buck for HD, but not much range after that. But then again, your ears won't bleed after shooting in a hallway.

 

[hogdogs]

I have the air rifle and .22 covered. I want a "powder puff" load. My daughter who is 17 is just not willing to give the ol' thump pump a try. If I can develop a super soft "starter round" for her, I am sure she will scoot right up to real loads. Just gotta get her to bust a few rounds off and feeding "Bubby's Snake" is reason enuff for her to shoot. It is my desire to get her to try the 20ga. that provokes this desire.
Brent

 

[mwar410]

i can't think of the company, but i've seen those short ( maybe 1 3/4" ) shells. I think midway carries them.

 

[olddrum1]

Sorry

I want to apologize for such a short post. I was called away unexpectedly. Any load that you make up will have noise to it. I would not try to convert factory loads by opening them and adding corn starch as a filler. You do not know what this will do to the internal pressures. You can reload to the point of very little kick but you will have some noise to the load any way you do it. There are a number of 7/8 ounce 12 gauge loads that can be made which pretty much take care of the kick. I would definitely suggest a good pair of head phones coupled with ear plugs. Young ears are pretty special and you do not want to damage them.

Now about the birds, you may want to see what is leagal in your state to shoot. Here in Missouri you just proposed a pretty healthy fine if you get caught in many cases, especially if they are a song bird.

 

[jdscholer]

Brent, you're so---so--unique. You're gonna just have to get yourself a Lee Loader so you can customize up some loads like a lot of us did when we were kids. Just make sure you check the barrel after every shot for a stuck wad.

This might not be much help now, but when I was about 40 years younger, there actually was a CO2 powered shotgun. Can't remember if it was Daisy or Crossman.

Oh, and don't give up, I can't wait to here your next idea. jd

 

[RamSlammer]

Just "down-gauge". A light .410 or 28 ga. load will fill the need. Messing around with altering factory shotgun shells never works out in my experience.
Too many variables with powder volume vs. combustion space, wad and shot to make the effort successful.

 

[darkgael]

quiet

As already noted, "downloading" factory shotshells is not a good idea.
Try this, maybe......buy a chamber adapter (available on Ebay and from McAce) for your 12 ga. in a caliber, like .38 or .44, that allows you to buy Shot Cartridges. Then put the two together for short range shooting. Should be effective at the distance that you want. If you reload, loading the shot cartridges is a simple matter. Or...buy a gauge adapter that will allow you to shoot sub-gauges in your 12.
Also, Gamo makes an "air shotgun", the Viper Express, that uses little .22 cal shotshells (which ARE reloadable, though you may be told that they are not). There's not a lot of shot in them, maybe 18 #9 pellets. It is effective for very small game at the ranges that you are talking about, not beyond ten yards.....better at five.

 

[joh56usa]

I won't

It's a NO for me.

I've never open a factory round before in my life -- you never know what will happen to it.

 

[Death from Afar]

Dont mess withloaded ammo- particularly if you plan on haveing your child fire it!

IF you want to whack birds, use a super light trap load, or better yet, and airrifle. Or a .22 shotshell (pretty dodgy patterns in a rifled barrel mind you!)