Reloading pistol cartridges using buckshot not bullets
- Thread starter dajowi
- Start date
madmo44mag
New member
I've loaded #8 shot in 44mag sealed with wax for snakes and such.
Works good but ya have to work load up depending on barrel length.
Used mag primer, powder, topped with a piece of cardboard followed by shot and wax plug to seal the round.
Works good but ya have to work load up depending on barrel length.
Used mag primer, powder, topped with a piece of cardboard followed by shot and wax plug to seal the round.
Round Ball loads
My old Speer #10 manual has RB loads for some pistol calibers,you can find several here.
http://www.castpics.net/LoadData/Round Ball Loads.pdf
My old Speer #10 manual has RB loads for some pistol calibers,you can find several here.
http://www.castpics.net/LoadData/Round Ball Loads.pdf
If I understand what you are looking for, you're wondering if you can use commercial buckshot instead of a bullet. The problem is the biggest size you can get is 000 (triple ought) and that's only about .350 inches in diameter. So it's really just a hair undersized for even a 9mm.
I've used buckshot in rifles for close range plinking. I think it was #4 buck that ran about .240 inches. They worked OK in a 243 when loaded about to 22LR speeds, but you end up with a finicky round.
Your best bet if you are looking for the cheapest thing to buy that can be used as a bullet is to find roundballs made for muzzleloading.
I've used buckshot in rifles for close range plinking. I think it was #4 buck that ran about .240 inches. They worked OK in a 243 when loaded about to 22LR speeds, but you end up with a finicky round.
Your best bet if you are looking for the cheapest thing to buy that can be used as a bullet is to find roundballs made for muzzleloading.
If I put a round Lead ball in a 45acp with no powder, it is still a loud bang.
If I put a round Lead ball in a 45acp case mouth with no powder, it will bounce off cardboard and still makes a loud bang.
If I put a round Lead ball in a 45acp case, seated so deep it touches the case web, it will go through 3 layers of cardboard, but still makes the same loud bang.
If I put a 38 Super +P load with 158 gr JHP in an antique 38 S&W break top revolver, the latch will stretch and make the action loose.
If I put a 2 gr Unique and a round lead ball in an antique 38 S&W break top revolver, the latch will NOT stretch.
If I put a round Lead ball in a 45acp case mouth with no powder, it will bounce off cardboard and still makes a loud bang.
If I put a round Lead ball in a 45acp case, seated so deep it touches the case web, it will go through 3 layers of cardboard, but still makes the same loud bang.
If I put a 38 Super +P load with 158 gr JHP in an antique 38 S&W break top revolver, the latch will stretch and make the action loose.
If I put a 2 gr Unique and a round lead ball in an antique 38 S&W break top revolver, the latch will NOT stretch.
Attachments
You must be looking for this one
http://hunters-supply.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=971
-TL
http://hunters-supply.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=971
-TL
FrankenMauser
New member
I've done it with .32 S&W, .32 Auto, .32 S&W Long, .327 Federal (double ball) .44 Mag (single and double ball), and .30-30 Win (and maybe .444 Marlin). Others in my family have done it with .32 S&W Long, .38 Special, and .41 Mag.
I haven't really chased after impressive velocities, though. I've done it for 'pip squeak' loads.
Seating depth and powder charge (if any) may require some experimentation.
'Pip squeak' loads often don't respond in the way you may expect. In my experience, the smaller the case, the more temperamental it will be.
As Clark mentioned -
Small differences in the load can cause a substantial change in performance. With one of the .32 S&W Long experiments, we had round balls bouncing off corrugated cardboard, with standard small pistol primers, the ball seated with the 'ogive' just inside the case mouth, and a mild crimp. (.32 S&W, with the same 'load', just kept squibbing.)
Increasing the crimp, with no other changes, yielded penetration through 6 layers of cardboard.
Adding a 1 gr powder charge (may have been Bullseye) gave us squibs and bore obstructions.
No powder charge and magnum primers yielded no penetration.
Magnum primers, no powder charge, and a really heavy crimp penetrated something like 12 layers of cardboard, before before ricocheting off the backstop and around the walls of the concrete test facility ...hitting me in the chest, behind the shooter.
(It didn't hurt much. )
Using primers alone, there are a lot of different performance levels that can be found just by varying crimp and seating depth.
Adding powder just complicates things.
There's a point where the powder will act as a cushion, and slow the projectile's acceleration (from the primer), without burning much. With a little more powder, they turn to squibs. The squibs will actually get worse and worse, until you reach the threshold where the powder can maintain enough pressure for a proper burn. Then, you suddenly jump from squibs to the equivalent of turn-of-the-century police loads.
I haven't really chased after impressive velocities, though. I've done it for 'pip squeak' loads.
Seating depth and powder charge (if any) may require some experimentation.
'Pip squeak' loads often don't respond in the way you may expect. In my experience, the smaller the case, the more temperamental it will be.
As Clark mentioned -
Small differences in the load can cause a substantial change in performance. With one of the .32 S&W Long experiments, we had round balls bouncing off corrugated cardboard, with standard small pistol primers, the ball seated with the 'ogive' just inside the case mouth, and a mild crimp. (.32 S&W, with the same 'load', just kept squibbing.)
Increasing the crimp, with no other changes, yielded penetration through 6 layers of cardboard.
Adding a 1 gr powder charge (may have been Bullseye) gave us squibs and bore obstructions.
No powder charge and magnum primers yielded no penetration.
Magnum primers, no powder charge, and a really heavy crimp penetrated something like 12 layers of cardboard, before before ricocheting off the backstop and around the walls of the concrete test facility ...hitting me in the chest, behind the shooter.
(It didn't hurt much. )Using primers alone, there are a lot of different performance levels that can be found just by varying crimp and seating depth.
Adding powder just complicates things.
There's a point where the powder will act as a cushion, and slow the projectile's acceleration (from the primer), without burning much. With a little more powder, they turn to squibs. The squibs will actually get worse and worse, until you reach the threshold where the powder can maintain enough pressure for a proper burn. Then, you suddenly jump from squibs to the equivalent of turn-of-the-century police loads.
Hammerhead
New member
I love .454" round balls in my .45 Colt carbine.
Seat them deep in the case over 3 grains of Trail Boss, makes for a very quiet load that shoots well out to 50 yards in my single shot carbine.
Seat them deep in the case over 3 grains of Trail Boss, makes for a very quiet load that shoots well out to 50 yards in my single shot carbine.
As pointed out, for round ball loads in .45 ACP you will need at least .452 round balls, but I suggest going .002" over groove diameter for accuracy...
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/127/2
I shoot a lot of .310" round balls in .30-30 and .30-06 with low doses of Red Dot...
I have also fired .360" in .357 mags, and .35 Rem...
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Lead-Buckshot/products/65/
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/127/2
I shoot a lot of .310" round balls in .30-30 and .30-06 with low doses of Red Dot...
I have also fired .360" in .357 mags, and .35 Rem...
http://www.ballisticproducts.com/Lead-Buckshot/products/65/
I'm not understanding if you are talking about a single ball or shot loads. I've shot both. Neither work well at magnum velocities.
I've shot .454 balls in 45LC. They are soft lead, and are accurrate enough for fun at very low velocities.
Speer used to make shot capsules for 38/44/45. I used them in .44 filled with #9. They work best at .44 spl target velocities. Same with the .38/357 ones. A guy bought several hundred 38s from me as he loved them for Texas snakes from a 6" barrel. The pattern spreads very quickly for each step away from your target though.
I've shot .454 balls in 45LC. They are soft lead, and are accurrate enough for fun at very low velocities.
Speer used to make shot capsules for 38/44/45. I used them in .44 filled with #9. They work best at .44 spl target velocities. Same with the .38/357 ones. A guy bought several hundred 38s from me as he loved them for Texas snakes from a 6" barrel. The pattern spreads very quickly for each step away from your target though.