Snake shot pistol caliber??
- Thread starter rms65
- Start date
I am curious, how do you know your load does not spin? Perhaps it does spin, just not enough to cause the "pinwheel" or "donut" patterns??
Seems to me that if you're getting 1,000fps from a pistol then there must be a gas seal between at least some part of the projectile (shot capsule) and the bore.
I can see where it could be possible that between the fact that the shot capsule is plastic, and its contact with the rifling could be very small, no where near the amount of bearing surface that a bullet has, this could create less spin than a bullet gets. It's also possible that there's enough contact to create a gas seal but the rifling is "stripping through" the plastic of the capsule, and so, not imparting the normal amount of spin.
I think its likely that your shot load does get some spin from the rifling, but not enough to cause noticable issues at the ranges your using it.
Could be ? All I know is when I went to that load It became a tight pattern . About a 6 inch circle at 10 feet . I am using a teflon pad behind the capsule , it seals and the capsule just rides the top of the lands . Since it worked so well and solved all my problems , I did not high speed film it to see just how .
I'll second that. My old beater 637 (loaded with two CCI shot shells up first) is the mowing and garden gun.
There might be some spin, but inside of about 25 feet, I can't see any evidence of it on the targets. I have used .357 capsules, but most of my better pistol shot loads don't utilize capsules.
I do know, from shooting birdshot 12g in rifled bores that the donut starts to show up at about 10 yards or so, which is further than I'd use pistol shot.
I use a Bug-A-Salt for Flys. But I think the .22LR stuff might be okay for Wasps. The BAS won't kill those little devils.
Awhile back read an article in Handloading magazine by Venturino. In preparation for making some "snake" loads following his procedure, bought some #12 shot and 44 gas checks to use in 45 LC cases. If memory serves, his underwad was an upright gas check seated just over a mild load of fast powder, and his overwad was an upside down gas check lightly crimped over. Never actually tried this, and the #12 shot was difficult to find at the time. But apparently alot of #12 shot fits in a 45 LC case , which he used at extremely close range.
The gas checks to make those can be bought at Sage's, which I posted above. They also have shot. That is how I make most of my snake shot loads now. I've been using mostly #9, but I did try some #12 with #6 and it upped the payload a good bit. Just not sure it's necessary to use anything but 9 for actual snake shot.
thanks
North Central Texas, private range. I’m on property several times a week. Those of us who do maintenance in the trees and weeds wear/carry a pistol with snake shot. Personally I switch my gun out to avoid changing ammo. When I unlock the gate I swap to a Colt Commander loaded with shot. I know it will empty the magazine because I tested it. (my Wilson will also). The important thing to understand is your POI will be much lower at point blank range. To understand how much use a LARGE piece of cardboard. Draw a snake on it.
Stand away safely about 6 feet (or so) and shoot your drawn snake. Now you understand why this exercise might be valuable. Anything beyond that distance your threat is lower as is your hit/ kill odds. Don’t forget your ammo is also expensive and hard to find.
Stand away safely about 6 feet (or so) and shoot your drawn snake. Now you understand why this exercise might be valuable. Anything beyond that distance your threat is lower as is your hit/ kill odds. Don’t forget your ammo is also expensive and hard to find.