So you want to load Speer Shotshells??

[Rule3]

Beyond 10 ft I do not think they would be effective at killing much of anything. Also, in the Speer manual if they are loaded to hot the pattern will spread to fast and will not work well.

Apparently what I did on my test rounds was I had crimped them some but then when I came home and in haste I turned the crimp down to far like there was no crimp at all and that's how I cracked them. Next time I am loading 38 specials I will try some more. I only tried 38's as I figured it would be a good pocket carry. We have pygmy rattlers (there are some full sized Diamond backs but not common), Water Moccasins and Coral snakes. For actually trying to kill something a 44 or 45 shot shell would be a lot better.

Last summer up in Georgia I saw the biggest Rattlesnake I have ever seen, I would only attempt to kill that one with a 12 gauge!

 

[valcron]

I load these for my model 60 and 696. Use super glue to hold the base plug and also to seal the capsule in the case with light roll crimp. Let the glue "wick in". Just a drop is enough. I use #12 shot (available in 10 pound sacks at Ballistic Products) and the Speer recommended load for Bullseye: 4.5 gr for 38 Spec (COL. 1.5") and 5.8 gr for 44 Spec (COL 1.6"). Short barrels work best so I do not use them in my 6" 686 or 6" 629. Patterns are great and the load is deadly on copperheads and rattlers at 5 to 10 feet. Resist the temptation to load hot! Yes the loading is tedious, but loading the capsules themselves is a separate operation that can be done away from the actual reloading area. Have fun.

 

[arjay]

I've been loading these in 38 and 44 using a card over the powder and one over the shot with a roll crimp and a bit of caulking.Very easy to make and cheap ��

 

[JohnK]

Smaller shot, than #9, REALLY increases the pattern.

I load #11, and inside of ten feet, penetration in just fine. The snakes are DRT, without even a quiver.

Yes, the small shot is EXPENSIVE. I bought about ten pounds years ago, should last me a lifetime.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

LOL another 3+ year old thread brought back from the Abyss...

I won't buy shot in big bags for a lot of money just to load tiny shotshells. I took apart a box of 12ga shells loaded with #9 shot and I'm guessing that will last me a very long time. (28 oz. or so)

 

[arjay]

Ive got 1/2 a bag of #9s left from the days when shot was $22/25 lbs [emoji4]

 

[Jellybean]

The first time I read about Speer shot loads in the magazines, the author(s) claimed they were great for police officers to carry on duty because you could load a couple in your revolver so you didn't have to aim, then after you wounded the offender you could take your time and take aim with a bullet. I knew several officers that followed this advise, but I wanted to try them out first, so I tested them....

Anyway, they do have some usefulness, if you load your own, and there is a lot of things you can do with them too. If you intend on loading them as shotshells, pattern them on a piece of paper and look to see if there are any areas that are as large as what you intend to shoot that doesn't have any holes in them. If there is, try a smaller shot, but remember that the smaller the shot, the less penetration you get.

I found I could get more shot in the brass without the cup than the cup would hold, so I don't usually use them. They can also be used as a type of 'sabot' with smaller diameter bullets, but their success varies widely.

 

[texan4ut]

I load mine own and did crack a couple of shells till I got the crimp right. Lee FC die. Finding shot shells in 38 was impossible and I was lucky to find the shot shell cases on line. Bought a box of 12 ga #9's and I just cut the top and use the shot. Use Win 231 powder and they throw a good pattern.