Anyone have any success making a .357 shot shell without purchasing the shot cups, and having a lethal pattern at 10yrds or so?

I thought of using .223 brass cut down for a shot wad inside a .357 maximum brass and sealed with paper wad cards, roll crimped or topped with wax or ,maybe JB weld.
Was thinking #7 shot.
Not sure at all about powder. Maybe Green Dot?
Maybe some of you have some ideas.
I would like it to be able to down a grouse at close range.

quote:

having a lethal pattern at 10yrds or so?

From my experience 10 yards is asking to much from pistol shot shells.

10 feet would be more like it.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

having a lethal pattern at 10yrds or so?

From my experience 10 yards is asking to much from pistol shot shells.

10 feet would be more like it.

Agreed, 30 feet is truly pushing the range a bit.
I’m loading a full 1/2 oz. of #8 in plastic shot cup, for my 460 S&W....beyond 20 feet, the pattern gets pretty ugly! memtb

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff mills:
Anyone have any success making a .357 shot shell without purchasing the shot cups, and having a lethal pattern at 10yrds or so?

I thought of using .223 brass cut down for a shot wad inside a .357 maximum brass and sealed with paper wad cards, roll crimped or topped with wax or ,maybe JB weld.
Was thinking #7 shot.
Not sure at all about powder. Maybe Green Dot?
Maybe some of you have some ideas.
I would like it to be able to down a grouse at close range.

Cut down 223 brass for a shot wad ? That's a new one on me. Also sounds like a real waste of time and effort. But if you were lucky you might hit the grouse with the 223 wad.

Starting to look like I'm on my own with this one.
I have only gotten decent shot patterns at 8-12 feet from commercial shot shells in the past.
That seems , could be improved somehow.

Nothing ventured nothing gained......

I think the problem is the rifling in the barrel.

If you can get a thin plastic tube, cut it to the required length and block one end, and add some melted wax to the shot.

You might get tighter patterns.

I know adding wax to shotgun shells makes them like a solid projectile at close range!

I've tried making my own shot shells in 45 Colt and 45 acp. I used heavy card stock to place over the powder and then again over the shot. Roll crimp to hold the shot in place.

The problem I had was the leading of the barrel. Took forever to clean out the leading. I bought the shot capsules and haven't looked back.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I think the problem is the rifling in the barrel.

that is the problem.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I think the problem is the rifling in the barrel.

If you can get a thin plastic tube, cut it to the required length and block one end, and add some melted wax to the shot.

You might get tighter patterns.

I know adding wax to shotgun shells makes them like a solid projectile at close range!

Silicone RTV works well too.

I've made them in the past using Bullseye, soft (wax) gas checks as well as regular gas checks and # 9 shot. Never killed anything with them.
They shot fine but the pattern was terrible with a hole in the middle----you would have to aim off to the side. I made them for .357, >45 acp and .45 Colt. None worked worth a S^*t so I gave up. You might try to gel capsules from your pharmacy or maybe you can get bigger ones from a Vet.


Hip

Gel capsules, now there's an idea...

quote:

Originally posted by craigster:
Gel capsules, now there's an idea...

The commercial shot capsules are what to buy.

Most of the other junk has been tired and found wanting.

If you want spend a lot of time trying the other things it well be a good education into what does not work.

Remember people have been trying to perfect pistol shot shells for a long time.

The shot capsules have been found to be the best.

i have played around with different .357 magnum projectile configurations..... ya 10 yds is asking quite a bit from a handgun shot load IMHO... have made wax bullets loaded with a small amount of bullseye by just pushing the case into a block of canning wax with a little success.... shot capsules are really the best way to get a decent shot load in my experience..... had an old friend who has past on now who cast 32 cal round balls for a black powder gun he had and he cast me some to use as a two ball load for the .357... those were interesting! best i've done is put #2 shot in a shot capsule take out critters at close range with...... i had to put down a racoon that was attacking my neighbors dog one night and shot 4 rounds of the #2 shot loads into him at about 3 ft to make sure he didn't suffer...... was no atopsy but he did die fast so i imagine he was pretty well shreaded inside....... good luck with you endevour............. jjb

Trying to come up with an effective/"accurate"/deadly handgun shotshell load, fired from a handgun with a rifled barrel is pretty much the same as pissin' in the wind.

Good luck...

I agree with those above, the problem is the rifling. Years ago I loaded the Speer plastic tubes and fired them in both a Mdl 66 2 1/2" and a Python 8". the patterns with both showed the effects of the shot being spun as it went through the barrel. I tried the smith on a snake and was lucky it wasn't coming at me.