Home-made 44 shot-shells

[BC38]

I picked up a handful of what I suspect are meant to be cardboard 410 shotgun wads today with the idea of loading up some shot-shells in 44 mag cases.

The little cardboard disks just slip perfectly into a 44 mag case and appear to have been punched out of non-corrugated cardboard about 5/32" or maybe 3/16" thick.

I'm thinking of "salvaging" some shot from a few old 20-guage shotgun shells I have lying around.

I'm thinking I'll put a full-thickness wad on top of the powder, then fill the case with shot, and cap it off with a second wad (maybe split to be only 1/2 thickness). I'll keep that second wad in place with a really heavy roll crimp over the top of it to secure it in place - and then maybe seal it with a little wax or silicone.

What I am looking for is feedback on this idea and suggestions on powder - both type and number of grains.

I really don't think there is going to be any reason to be concerned about the fact that there will be basically no empty space in the casing - is there? My logic is that the weight of the shot charge will be so much lighter than pretty much any bullet available in 44 caliber, it shouldn't even be able to build dangerous levels of pressure, should it?

Anybody got any suggestions?

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

You may not need a very thick over the powder wad.
Because 32 caliber shot capsules are not available, I've done something similar with the 32 S&W Long.
Made over powder and over shot wads by using a 5/16 hollow hole punch die on a shirt box or similar non-corrugated card board material. Used a roll crimp to hold the over the powder wads in place. Used light loads of Bullseye IIRC. Even tried it with the shorter 32 S&W and it worked though it was a little tough getting things put together. I seated the over the powder wads by using the eraser end of a pencil as a ramrod.
Thought about sealing the top with melted candle wax candle but never got around to it.
Speer makes 38, 44 and 45 caliber plastic shot capsules. You may be able to find powder loads in one of their newer reloading manuals.

John

 

[rwsmith]

Watch the powder charge.....

An optimum shot charge is in the medium range and if you pile the powder on too much the pattern deteriorates. I'd like to do some .44/.45 shot shells. I didn't some .38 and between the smaller round and the snub barrel I didn't think the results were worth it all. I haven't messed with it since. Maybe my 6" .357 magnum would do better.... hmmmmmmm...

PS Definitely make you own. I remember the prices of loaded shot shells was ungodly. I suppose that hasn't changed but it's been many, many, many moons that I was into it.

 

[bigedp51]

Many reloaders use a cast bullet gas check for the mouth of the case and crimp. I always used the Speer shot capsules and the load data from the Speer manual.

Speer Empty Shot Capsules 44 Caliber Box of 25
Speer Empty Shot Capsules 44 Cal Box of 25 - MPN: 8782

 

[4barrel]

You can even use copper bbs. These are max loads. Snakes are easy to kill so about 1/2 of the data with a mag primer works good. The pattern starts going away at about 15 feet. Seems like they hold about 100 #8s. Don't ROLL crimp them or the plastic will crack.

 

[primersp]

A gas check crimp to finish the cartrige à piece of lunch box like macdo for wad under
Powder

 

[292]

I don't have my notes in front of me but I use wads cut from beer cartons, Unique powder and 7 1/2 shot. Chuck a empty casing in a drill press, spin it and sharpen the mouth with a file. Drill out the primer hole so you can push out the wads. A dead blow hammer works best for cutting wads. Only cut about 8 before pushing them out, much easier. I seal the over shot wad with Lee Liquid Alox.

 

[silentflyer]

Always had good luck with the Speer capsules.

 

[JohnK]

#11, or #12 shot, improves the performance of factory, or home made shotshells.

 

[Drm50]

I have been loading a few shot shells in 45-44-357 for years.
No card wad. Gas check on top powder, shot, gas check upside
down on top and crimp. I would not use steel BBs in any type
load where they contact the barrel directly. I have Speer shot
capsules too. The home made ones do the trick.

 

[Daver7]

I've also done the double gas check shot shells with some success.
They work for me with in 10 feet or so. I did kill a rattler that scared the **** out of me. 2 shot shells followed by 4 255 gr. out of a 45, I stopped shooting because I needed to reload and my buddies were laughing so loud.
I've looked at the shot capsules but never did try them I was concerned that part of the capsule might stay in the bore, never heard of it happening but thats why I never tried them.

 

[Protocall_Design]

I wonder if the powder they show on the Speer box as 230 is supposed to be 231? Does anyone know?

 

[arjay]

Googling around a few years ago found some articles on this.Made some in 44,45 colt and 38.Used styrofoam plates for the wads cut with sharpened shells, a moderate charge of BE or unique,a wad,#9s another wad and silicone caulk.Still haven't shot em lol.Let us know how they work

 

[2152hq]

Lots of info here for making up pistol shotshells.

Shot Shell Loads For Pistols

 

[LostintheOzone]

Nothing to add. I build 38 spl shot cartridges for myself and the neighbor. 357 cases work here as they fit in a 38 spl cyl. The case isn't longer than the cyl.

I cut my cards from cereal boxes or beer cartons using an empty case as described above. I fill the case to about 1/16" from the mouth with shot. Shot card over that, light roll crimp and candle wax to seal. I use #7 1/2 shot because that's what's on hand, #9 would probably be better.

No need to buy shot capsules unless you just want to spend the money.

I have an old Taurus revolver that I use to trains dogs and kill rats. I wouldn't be shooting a lot of shot thru a nice revolver. They weren't made for shot.

 

[BC38]

Good info guys. Keep it coming.

I've seen the loaded Speer shot rounds but never realized the shot capsules were so long - and went so far into the case. I guess that further puts my concern to rest about there being no space left inside the case - and that possibly causing excessive pressure.

I looked at the wads again and they are actually more like 1/8" thick - they just seem thicker due to being such a little circle of cardboard - the diameter to thickness ratio makes them seem extra thick.

I've thought about the gas check idea, and it sounds like it works just fine, but I want to shoot a load of shot - not a load of shot AND a couple of metal disks.

Do the gas checks affect the shot pattern? Seems like they might possibly disrupt the pattern....

 

[BC38]

Lots of info here for making up pistol shotshells.

Shot Shell Loads For Pistols

Good resource - thanks for the link

This guy did pretty close to the same thing I have in mind with a little different wad materials and glue instead of a crimp and/or wax.
44 Magnum Shotshells

 

[elpac3]

Good info guys. Keep it coming.

I've seen the loaded Speer shot rounds but never realized the shot capsules were so long - and went so far into the case. I guess that further puts my concern to rest about there being no space left inside the case - and that possibly causing excessive pressure.

I looked at the wads again and they are actually more like 1/8" thick - they just seem thicker due to being such a little circle of cardboard - the diameter to thickness ratio makes them seem extra thick.

I've thought about the gas check idea, and it sounds like it works just fine, but I want to shoot a load of shot - not a load of shot AND a couple of metal disks.

Do the gas checks affect the shot pattern? Seems like they might possibly disrupt the pattern....

The short pistol barrel and the rifling will kill your pattern. Kind of hard to over pressure a shot load with the plastic capsules as they shatter and provide a little extra "frag" .

Have used the Speer shot capsules in the past. Easy to use / load. Pretty poor pattern past about 10 feet though.

 

[Malamute]

Ive made shot loads in several cases, they worked fine at close range, like 10 feet or less. The rifling makes the shot spread fast and gives a pattern with a hole in the middle.

I used felt "Wonder Wads" meant for percussion revolvers as an over powder wad in 45 Colt and 45-70, and a cardboard wad over the shot cut from milk carton material with a case sharpened with a deburring tool. I put shellac on the over shot wad to seal it, and a sort of star crimp on some with a small screw driver with 4 crimp points over the over shot wad. Gas checks also work well, and give another projectile, but it may be more hazardous than other types of wads if collateral damage is an issue, or ricocheting things may be problematic around dogs, people or other animals, windows, etc. Im fairly confident using the shot loads in limited spaces if theres perhaps 20 or more feet free space past what Im shooting on the ground. That may be overcautious, I used one Speer shot capsule in 44 mag inside the house once when a rattlesnake made its way in. It was hard on the floor, but no other problems noted, besides totally ruined snake.

The Speer load date should be fine for what you want to do.

You DO need to crimp the plastic Speer capsules, but need to work out the amount so you dont crack the capsule. Ive never cracked one (in maybe a 100 or so), but a friend didnt crimp much, and had a capsule in an adjoing chamber of his pistol move forward after firing one shot and it locked up his gun. It was one of those embarrasing moments when he really wanted to shoot again, a rather large rattler (in a place that had mohaves) was in his neighbors yard with dogs around.

Theres been some buzz about the larger shot available from Speer, supposedly for more range, but I question its practicality. The pattern density seems to be the limiting factor, rather than penetration, and larger shot just makes the pattern density worse. There may be something to it, but I remain unconvinced so far.

Some guys report using the foam trays that meat comes in for over powder wads, cutting them with sharpened cases. Seems to work fine.

The usefulness of pistol shot loads is pretty limited, but they do serve a valid niche, nothing else quite does what they do as well, within their range limitations. Some people report better range than others, but most Ive tried seem to get pretty poor patterns past about 10-15 feet at most. The are like the Hammer of Thor at 5 feet on the snakes Ive shot with them.

Ive used No 9 shot in all the shot loads Ive made from 38 spl up. A bullet box full of shot bummed off a shotshell reloader guy has lasted about 35 years so far.

The Speer capsules are the simplest and probably the most effective loads, they hold more shot than you can get in the case without the capsule. Ive not had any problems with plastic in the bore, the base wad/cap makes a fairly effective seal to blow anything out when fired. I have no qualms about using them, but being able to make your own is still nice to know how to do. The home made ones do work fine.

I seem to recall test results indicating that short barrels generally have better patterns than longer ones, less rifling putting spin on the shot I believe is the factor involved.

FWIW, 410 shells can be fired in 45-70 chambers, though they often swell off center and dont always extract well. In a Marlin, it was harder to get them out when the extractor didnt pull them clear, the 1886 was much simpler to remove them when they didnt extract. Patterns went to pot at about the same 15 ft mark as other shot loads, but they held more shot than pistol loads. The hole in the middle past about 10 ft was very pronounced when checking patterns. Lot more shot, still didnt work all that great with the big hole in the middle.

 

[292]

Good resource - thanks for the link

This guy did pretty close to the same thing I have in mind with a little different wad materials and glue instead of a crimp and/or wax.
44 Magnum Shotshells

If you want to shoot carpenter bees use 1 gr of Bullseye, a magnum primer and fill the case with grits. May need to drill the flash hole to 1/8".