While I have used these shotshells in the past they proved their worth this weekend at the deer lease. My wife and I normally carry our 4" 44mags with 2 Speer shotshells followed by 4 regular loads. I was sitting in the woods hunting deer and pigs when a quail "jumped" up on a limb of a fallen tree. He was 9 yards away, I eased out the 44 and at the shot he went down, as I stood up to go and get him another quail took off at about 6 yards and flew directly across in front of me. I cocked the 44 and with a little lead, fired, to my suprise the quail hit the ground, he was about 8 to 10 yards away when hit. The very next morning another quail landed 7 yards from me and I bagged him too. I thought I had done pretty good till I went to pick up my wife at her hunting spot. She had killed a squirrel with a shotshell from her 44mag at 18 yards . When the squirrel was skinned we could only find one pellet that had entered the shoulder and damaged the heart lung area. I still cannot believe that she killed the squirrel that far away. Just goes to show you how good and handy those Speer shot shells are.

Over the years they have offer some of the best fun for me hunting,used the old 44 hot shots in a TC,and have taken squirrles and rabbits with them,a buddy of mine several years ago used a TC in the 410 to take mallards in season.

if you shoot them thru your gun do you have to clean it before you shoot a bullet ..... will it affect your bulistics ? just athought

jason I have not noticed any serious leading from the shot shells. I have shot regular ammo immediately after a shot shell with no ill effects. I have used them in 38/357, 9MM, and 45ACP, with excellent results.

I'VE LOADED SOME .357 SHOT CAPSULES WITH #2 SHOT TO TAKE OUT POSSUMS WITH. I GOT SOME OF THOSE WHEN A SHOT I TOOK ON MY PATIO AT A POSSUM WENT THRU HIS HEAD BOUNCED OFF THE CEMENT AND HIT MY CAR DOOR.LUCKILY THE CAR WAS ACROSS THE LAWN AND THE SLUG DIDN'T PENETRATE THE DOOR [MY SPOUSAL UNIT WOULD HAVE BEEN PISSED IF I'D HAVE BLOWN A HOLE IN HER CAR DOOR]. I LIVE IN A SMALL IOWA TOWN AND I'VE DONE 5 POSSUMS SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.

THE 2ND AMENDMENT PROTECTS US ALL.............

I've shot these in a .45 & 9mm. I absolutely will never shot the .45 auto ones again, or any of the CCI Shotshells that don't use a plastic shot cup.

On my .45, the forward aluminum part of the shell where a bullet would normally be seperated and stuck in the chamber. I pounded on the thing for awhile, and could not dislodge it. When I called Speer about it, they said "Oh, yeah...we expect that to happen." Needless to say I was pissed...what if someone is using these things for dangerous snake protection, like Speer advertises them for, and they do that? That could cost someone ALOT more than sending a gun off to a gunsmith, if you know what I mean.

That experince (well, actually just Speers response), soured me on Speer ammo for a VERY long time. I used to be the Speer Lawman .45/.40 ammo 2 cases at a time (2000 rounds), about once a month. After that, I switched, and stopped using Gold-Dots. I do buy their ammo now (Gold Dot 200gr+P's are my carry rounds), but am still a little upset about that...if you can't tell.

Sorry, end of rant...

I have shot the Speer shotshells in 45 and 9mm in several different semi-autos with no problems.

I load my own shot shells (speer) for the .38/.357 and .44/.44mag. I 've tried shot size from # 12(dust) to #4's. I love them all. I have a box of 50 44's ( #6 shot) on the desk in front of me. We use them for rats under spotlight at night. I think 7&1/2's work the best. I've taken rabbit, rat, pheasant, squirrel, snake and one good size snapping turtle hung on my trot line. (he was cranky so I gave him what I had, a #7&1/2 blue valium)
I have bought shot caps for my .45 but the handloads are the way to go. I buy 3 or 4 boxes each of .38's and .44 every spring. (50 to a box and under $10 )
Rick

N E 450 No2, I had shot a maybe 50 rounds of them before that happened. It may/may not be rare, but it does happen

The 9mm ones are fine, since they have a plastic shot cup.

Can anyone provide load data for the .44 Mag and .45 colt shotshells? I am shooting Ruger singles actions.

MULE SKINNER When I loaded my own with Speer capsules in the 44 I used #6 or #8 shot and 7.5gr. of Hercules Unique. I just buy the factory CCI loads now.
Be sure and use a crimp on the plastic shot capsule so it will not move foward under the recoil of a full power load.

[ 01-28-2003, 04:00: Message edited by: N E 450 No2 ]