Pistol Shotshells???

[Johnny]

Anyone have any experience loading them? I bought some speer capsules for 38 and 44. I had really good luck with the 38's on snakes this summer. They are expensive to buy factory though. Was looking for some suggestions on loads.

I had read somewhere about loading them. Can't remember where. I will get my Lyman book out in a little while and see if there is anything in there, I just value the feedback on here also.

Shot size-TINY maybe #12
What kind of powder-standard pistol powder? I use bluedot for 38/357 and unique for 44.
They can't get much of a crimp.

 

[Shriner]

Speer #13
38 spl/357 mag 6' barrel
unique 5.5gr 1111vel #9 shot seating lt 1.500
700x 4.5 1060
hp38 4.5 1054
bulleye 4.5 1021
231 5.0 996

44 mag 6' barrel 7.5 8 9 shot seating lt 1.600
hp38 6.0 1061 vel
231 7.3 1133
700x 5.7 1105
bulleye 6.0 1101
unique 6.8 1097

44 spl 4 ' barrel 7 1/2 8 9 shot same lt
hp38 5.8 1055
231 6.3 1045
hs6 mag primer 8.2 1029
700x 5.3 1014
unique 6.7 1005

 

[Fyrtwuck]

I played with some for .45 cal back in the 80's. I was reading an article in one of the gun magazines that was describing WWII issue survival loads and decided I had to try it out. When I was done, I had a 45 shot shell. There wasn't enough recoil to make the slide operate and they had to be loaded one at a time. I had created a 45 cal single shot pistol. It was a fun little project.

 

[LBnM]

I only use the Speer shotshells on snakes so I don't go thru very many. A 10 shot container costs me about $13 and lasts a year or two. To me, it's not worth the time or effort to load any. My camp gun is a .45 Beretta Px4 and the Speer snake loads cycle thru the action just fine in it. I keep one mag loaded with ball, one mag loaded with the Speer snake shot and one mag loaded with 230gr Gold Dot. Works for me - YMMV.
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[criticalbass]

For snakes, the shot loads are fine. There does, however, seem to be a dedicated minority who think the first shot in a home defense situation should be a shot load. I haven't seen anyone on this forum support this ill informed idea, but you do see it from time to time.

The same crowd has really taken to loading the Taurus Judge with .410 rounds, and while a .410 will be meaner than a pistol caliber with snake shot, it still may not deliver the devastation one wants if you have to shoot someone. If one wants non-lethality, then tasers, stun guns, pepper spray and the like are probably better choices.

If you use #12 shot, be sure to do it over a pizza pan. a cookie sheet, or some such catch basin. That stuff is hard to contain. I used to load #12 in .410 for a friend who was collecting scientific specimens of small critters and wanted minimal visible damage. It's mean to handle, and metering bars give you lots more than they are designed to throw (tiny interstices), so you need to weigh it. I wouldn't try to handload any pistol shot load in anything smaller than .44 mag, and personally think it's too much trouble in any handgun caliber. CB

 

[Blitzfike]

CB, an interesting note on the shotshell pistol loads. The rifling tends to open up the center of the pattern as the shot spins.. I notice that Taurus is now listing that as a plus in SDA loads... Whoda thunkit...About the only shot load I would consider in a Judge is the 3 ball buck load.... Blitzfike

 

[1mathom1]

I have used the Unique loads Shriner lists in both .38 and .44 special and gotten good results. I use only #9 shot.

Very short range proposition only....10 feet or so. Beyond that the energy and pattern gets iffy. Ventilates snakes pretty well. Even busted a few hand tossed clays but my success rate there was not so good.

RCBS lists dies (or did) for forming .45acp shot shells from .30-06 size brass. Dies were expensive and forming the first batch of brass looked to be labor intensive so I have not done that yet. Would consider it if I found the dies super cheap. Just for the fun of it. I have enjoyed messing with the only wildcat I own so the shot shells wouldn't be much different.

Wish there was rifle length brass that matched up with .41 mag. I'd cut it down and do some experimenting with .410 wads and gas checks to see if I could come up with a load for my Blackhawk. No, it would not be cost effective but it would be fun.