44 Magnum shot load

[czechsonofagun]

I played a bit to create shot load for 44 Magnum.

This one uses #9 shot and 6.5 grains of Unique. The shells is enclosed by wad of modelling clay and between Unique and the shot there is a felt divider.

Target and the can was shot at from 6 feet, the idea was to have a load to use on rats, snakes, mice - you got the idea.

 

[gwdixon]

Yep, when I had lots of pigs there were lots of rats interested in pig feed. Used to shoot rats by the 5 gal. bucket full.

I had a .357 and my partner had a .44 mag. We loaded the shells in .38 cases and .44 special cases respectively. I used 5 gr. of 700X with a CCI (empty) shotshell loaded with half 12 shot and half 9 shot.

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=SP8780

The loads worked great on those rats. One shot and done.

Some advice. The scope is not going to do you any good when tracking a scurrying rat in a small space.

The recoil from a .44, even a light load, is enough to expel the clay/shot out of the unfired rounds. It can jam the cylinder.

We had to crimp the plastic shotshells just until they reached the non-breaking point. That also means we had to trim the cases to an exact and equal length to make the crimps consistent. Even then, some shotshells would break.

Not so much of a problem the way you have it set up.

 

[creekbend]

That shot pattern should be appropriate for those "Critters". Best wishes.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I used to use the plastic shot shell casings when preparing shotshells for .44 and .357. They worked well and never broke one. I used the same crimp setting that I did for jacketed bullets.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Thank you, gentlemen

I actually crimped the shells, hard to see, but I took out the seating part of the die and pushed the shell in all the way to round up the edges a bit.

 

[ArmyPair2]

Before I walk out the front or back door I always chamber a 9 mm shot that I use for snakes. Now I don't shoot the snakes when I am in my woodpiles or checking on my creeks only when they are to close to the house and my family. Rattle snakes don't bother to much, it is the Copperheads that I don't want to step on out in the woods.

 

[RobertBrown]

I would be concerned about the clay fouling the grooves\lands.

 

[Gunny]

I found this site a year or so ago and I've been doing my 44 shotshells like this fellow:

44 Magnum Shotshells

I've only shot maybe 60 of these, but I've not seen any fouling because of the glue or styrofoam.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Robert: The clay hardens up in a day or two and it is not sticky anymore, flies straight out. I was more concern about the abrasion in the barrel, but after testing the clay - it is kindergarten grade, tastes quite good - there is no grit in it.

Gunny: That was my inspiration, but I never had no luck cutting the styrofoam to work for me.

 

[gwdixon]

I found this site a year or so ago and I've been doing my 44 shotshells like this fellow:

44 Magnum Shotshells

I've only shot maybe 60 of these, but I've not seen any fouling because of the glue or styrofoam.

I read that article a while back also. My wonder was what about using hot glue instead of Elmer's. That should allow for no wad on top and save a step. The hot glue wouldn't penetrate much into the small shot and the initial velocity would break things apart anyway. It may even be a better solution than clay like czechsonofagun uses. But since I haven't personally tried it there is an unproven factor involved.

I'll have to try that once my 500 plastic shot capsules are used up. Unless, of course, someone else tries it first and reports back. (Hint, hint)

Plus, my thought would be to resize the cases and put a little crimp on them to keep the glue in place. The author advocated epoxy if the tops had a tendency to break down but that complicates matters.