#3 buckshot in .25 ACP trick?

[David Sinko]

Ballistic Products finally had their #3 buckshot back in stock so I bought some for loading into the .25 ACP. I have read here and elsewhere that these are suitable (and cheap!) projectiles for this cartridge. I have been coating them with Rooster Jacket prior to loading them. The fit is not that tight so I don't flair the case mouth and simply press the ball in about halfway and crimp. There is still not enough tension and recoil will cause some of the balls in the loaded rounds to fall out while they are being fed through the magazine. One time the force of being chambered even caused the ball to launch out of the case, travel down the bore and then bounce off the target, all without actually being fired! All said and done, my Beretta 950BS chambers and fires the "good" ones flawlessly and if I can find a way to overcome this problem I'd like to stick with this load. Any suggestions?

Dave Sinko

 

[358156hp]

Try squashing the balls slightly in a vice to make the O.D. slightly larger. #2 buckshot might actually work slightly better, being .27 caliber instead of .25 caliber.

 

[2152hq]

Try F/L Size the case only. Don't use the expander plug inside the neck.
That pushes the mouth open a bit further.
Using them just as-FL sized, they should be a tighter fit. You'll have to de-prime the cases manually if the de-capper is attached to the expander plug.

I do this when loading 38S&W and use the slightly too small 38Spec bullets in them.
If I expand the cases as normally done the 38Spec bullets will drop right into the cases.
38Spl bullets seated in 38S&W cases just FL sized but not expanded, they are a perfect tight fit.

If that doesn't do it,,the vice squeeze or even just a gentle educated tap of a hammer on each pellet will flatten them enough to expand it for a tighter fit.

My brother shoots .310 round balls loaded in 30Carbine. I found a couple of boxes of Hornady swedged round ball in .310 for next to nothing so I gave them to him to try. Amazing accurate out to 50yrds.
Just seat/push the ball onto the mouth of the loaded case 1/2 depth. No lube. I think he uses GreenDot powder. I don't know the load. PipSqueek type though. Won't work the action of course, but manual function is fine.
He uses it to hunt squirrels and is succesful with it.

 

[David Sinko]

OK, I will try to flatten them slightly. If that doesn't work, I'll just load them in the 12 gauge and try the next bigger size. Thanks for the responses.

Dave Sinko