As most of you know the wife and I are big fans and a big users of shotshells in handguns.

I have found the 45 ACP shotshells in a 1911 to be as effective as the 44 mag shotshells in a revolver.

However, when you shoot the Speer 1911 Shotshells in a S&W revolver it locks the culinder up, much like what happens with some loads in a 22 Jet.

At least it always does in my 325 Night Guard.

So the next time I order anything from Midway I am going to order some of the shot capsules that you load your self designed for the 45 Colt.

These should work fine in a 45 ACP revolver as well.

Before you could buy loaded shotshells from Speer I used to buy the capsules and load my own.

Now if I can just find one of the 25 lb bags of shot I bought in the mid 1970's...
I know I have a large part of a bag left.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
However, when you shoot the Speer 1911 Shotshells in a S&W revolver it locks the culinder up, much like what happens with some loads in a 22 Jet.

Can you elaborate a bit more on this?

Have you tried loading shot with the gas checks to hold it in place? I've read of this procedure, have not ever pursued it though.

I've used the CCI shotshells in several chamberings including 44. Can't say I have been at all impressed with them. What do you do to make your load more effective?

I too am a fan, of at least trying to make them work in assorted guns over the years. The biggest problem is defining what works. They will all usually work well for snake size critters up close.

It's when you want to push the distance or size of critter that things can fall apart. In my experience with the Speer capsules and even loading longer for caliber brass, most depends on the size of the shot, the speed at which you load them, and most critical the gun used. I have not seen any rhyme or reason about the gun per barrel length or other things you might think.

The most accurate in terms of tight group for me was with a 45acp that was one of the AMT DAO backups with a very short barrel. Go figure on that one.

As to the longer brass for gun, I have played with 357 Maximum brass in the 38/357, 308 brass in the 45acp and a host of others. Sometimes you have to get creative to create a small neck to clear the cylinder throat, but they can be done, in lieu of shot capsules. Glued cards on top work,or roll crimped gas checks.

In general, I have found homemade concoctions to work marginally better than the Speer capsules, and both to be pretty lacking for much else beyond spitting distance. But I keep trying ;^)

Craig

I've been using the Speer capsules for years in my 45 Colt with great results.
I have never tried them in my 625 JM...looks I got something to do this weekend, we'll see how they work out!

Maybe the wife and I are just lucky, but we have found that the handgun shotshells kill snakes and small game great. We have killed a bunch of squirrels, rabbbits, grouse etc.

Once my wife shot a squirrel out of a tree from her deer blind. When I went to pick her up [we had talked on a radio] I asked "where is the squirrel?"
She said under that tree and pointed to a tree.
I aksed where were you when you shot it , she said in the blind...

I will not tell you how far away it was, But I do not think I would have tried that shot with a 12ga!!

When I loaded my own I used No9 shot and did load some with 7 1/2 shot in 44 Special cases over 7.2gr of Unique.

They worked great, but once CCI/Speer stated loaded them I got lazy and just buy thiers.

quote:

Originally posted by FFemt5287:

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
However, when you shoot the Speer 1911 Shotshells in a S&W revolver it locks the culinder up, much like what happens with some loads in a 22 Jet.

Can you elaborate a bit more on this?

The 45 ACP shotshells do not have a normal case and a plastic shot container.

They have a longer aluminium case with an area for the shot that makes the case about as long as a normal 45 ACP round with bullet. The end of the case is heavily roll crimped, and this helps it to feed.

But when it is fired, the case mouth expands, and since it is tapered it sets back against the recoil shield of the revolver binding up the cylinder.

The 22 Jet, being a heavily tapered neckeed down 357 Mag case would sometimes with a hot load or if the cylinder was oily set back and lock up the revolver as well. I used to have a 22 Jet.

I liked it, but I always found myself carrying the 44 Mag instead...

I'm thinking maybe .45 Auto Rim cases with the .45 Colt shotshell capsules.

quote:

Originally posted by MS Hitman:
I'm thinking maybe .45 Auto Rim cases with the .45 Colt shotshell capsules.

I think that would work, but i think it would work in 45 ACP cases too.

That would give me the advantage to have 2 shotshells up front in the full moon clip followed by regular rounds.

Also in bear areas I could have 6 shotshell rounds loaded in a full moon clip ready to load when/if I saw a grouse...

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:

quote:

Originally posted by MS Hitman:
I'm thinking maybe .45 Auto Rim cases with the .45 Colt shotshell capsules.

I think that would work, but i think it would work in 45 ACP cases too.

That would give me the advantage to have 2 shotshells up front in the full moon clip followed by regular rounds.

Also in bear areas I could have 6 shotshell rounds loaded in a full moon clip ready to load when/if I saw a grouse...

Yes, either way. I am loading the Lyman "Keith" style cast bullet in the AR cases. Formidable in my .45 ACP Mountain Revolver. Also believe I saw HKS listed a model speed loader for the AR cases, but could be mistaken on that one.

quote:

Have you tried loading shot with the gas checks to hold it in place? I've read of this procedure, have not ever pursued it though.

I have used cardboard wads cut from the end of handgun cartridge boxes, and have loaded shotshells in 357, 41, 44 and 45 Colt, using a roll crimp to hold the overshot wad in place. I always had too much trouble getting gas checks to stay put! The biggest drawback to doing it that way is the significantly smaller amount of shot; the shotshell capsules seemed to hold more, as I recollect. Somewhere (and I am working 1000 miles from my home in TX) I have load data for handloaded shotshells in the 41 Mag, 44 Mag, and 45 Colt using brass, overpowder and overshot wads, but I can't reproduce them here in Nebraska.

I do think what has been previously mentioned: using 357 Max cases in 357 mag, etc., would be just the answer, assuming one could size the case down far enough. And a cut off 308 case cut to "flush" might be just right in a 45 ACP revolver if you wanted to use card wads...

The capsules absolutely hold more shot (Special cases) and in place as well. I have had good results in both the .38 and .44 Specials. These loads are quite rough on snakes.

I had forgotten about cutting the cardboard wads.

Doubless,

The longer cases do work fine in auto's, and I have had reasonable luck in revolvers. You do need to experiment as the neck will have to be tapered some to fit to the end of the cylinder, usually. I did not get around to extensive testing in my 454, but I did cut some 45-70 brass and actually used 410 shot wads, thinking that the upside to the wad is some measure of keeping the shot off the rifiling.

There are plenty of ways to experiment, that is for sure. To be completely honest, as my testing was always in hopes of a better grouse load, I finally just decided to carry my Bearcat in 22LR. Even with packing a fullsize pistol or bow, the Bearcat is small and light enough to be almost un-noticed.

Craig

I've loaded some for the 45 Colt using .444 Mag. brass cut to cylinder length, sized down a little for the throat, .410 shot cups and a .41 gas check roll crimped. Holds a good bit of shot.