Has anyone used lead wire cut into 1/8 or 1/4 "
bits to load 12 ga?
I recall seeing an article? some years ago as a option for 0 or 4 gauge rd shot.
I'm just starting to get into 12 reloading for family.
everybody want home defense rounds and thinks that 00 buck is the way.
I disagree, slighly smaller 0 or 4 gauge I thinks works alot better.

But I recall hearing out cut lead wire.
Like the kind that the corbin 223 swaggers use.

Thoughts? opinions?

thanks!
DV

Lead shot is usually harden to varying extents which help to stop deforming and clumping of the shot under pressure when fired as well as retaining shape for better aerodynamics and patterning.

Lead wire maybe too soft and you could find the charge coming out more as a slug rather than a shot spread.

A problem that might be encountered is barrel/choke damage when projectiles are to hard or unable to readjust while going through the constriction of the choke or even the forcing cone in the chamber area

I remember seeing a reloading article many years ago about cutting small lead wire cubes and using it in quail loads. The purpose was to use less aerodynamic shot that would disperse quickly for more open patterns for short range shooting.

In the 60s or 70s Browning imported square shot loaded shells. I think they were made as "spreader" loads for tight choked shotguns. Don't think it would have any greater terminal performance than round shot.

You are not likely to shoot very many people. It would be easier and safer to buy a few 5 shot boex of #4 buckshot. I agree that they would be more effective at across the yard. There are 38 shot in each load of 12 ga standard ammo.

After shooting and testing hundreds if not thousands of rounds of buck shot.

There's a reason that 00 is the most popular it just works over the most scenarios.

These square shot loads were, among other names, listed as "DISPERSANTE" and some used the old 19th Century trick of either being "layered" like a lasagne with two or three over shot wads used.

So after powder and driving wad load, say, 3/8 ounces shot, then a thin card overshot wad, then another 3/8 ounces of shot the another thin card overshot wad then another 3/8 ounces shot and either crimp closure of a final thin card overshot wad and a roll turnover.

Later 20th Century loads used a plastic wad with a plastic pillar projecting up the middle of the shot payload or a plastic wad in a cruciforn shape. So that the shot payload was divided like a cake into four slices.

Most were for either negating the effects of a choke in a fixed choke gun or for close range walked up woodcock shooting.

With 21st Century multi-choke guns they seem to no longer have much purpose.

Now, from personal knowledge (of talking to those in criminal forensics), birdshot at close range in the guts is a lifetime present of a colostomy bag. There being nothing left to sew together...it's all a series of holes...like a dishcloth.

And, apparently, at short range lethality of buckshot vs birdshot is the same. In India some used English No6 (like US No 6 1/2 or US 7) for following up wounded tiger in thick cover.

But it is probably less effort to buy factory loads for defence and, literally, save your "dispersante" loads for the birds!

I believe that here in UK the British Army used either Special SG size or AAA (about No1 and No4 buckshot).

Pattern always fails before penetration and it is pattern that kills as it ensures the more likelihood of one or two pellets striking a vital area.

check with www.castbullets.com

There are several people there that might cast you up a small priority box to serve your needs.

Rich

When I was younger I think I put just about everything in a shotgun shell and shot it out. It was very very time consuming when I tried cutting lead plate into cool cubic shot but I did persist through for a few shells worth and the shot size slowly got bigger as I grew impatient. They went off and whatever I was shooting at I am sure tipped over but I do not recall the desire to ever do it again as I could just buy bags of #4 buck at the local Sportsmans Warehouse( but at that time there was only one and it was a hole in the wall but had everything you could dream of)

Now I have a couple lee molds that were pretty cheap and I cast buckshot for my plinking needs. I shoot about 75% #4 buck 25% 00 buck.

If buying shells, check out the Rio and Remington bulk packs. Cheap factory buckshot that works well enough for me but I do not hunt with it and have never patterned it so who knows?

Matthew

We did some pretty extensive tests on buckshot back in the day when we were doing Shotgun Stakeouts.

We always used 00 buck, it was very effective indoors but outside at a distance, it would actually throw 2 different patterns. You could have perfect aim, and still miss.

No4 was tried,good patterns, not enough penetration. So for a while we used No1 Buck. We discovered in actual use it lacked in penetration. Remember we are talking about outside use, but still fairly close up, say 15 yards or so.

We then used Single O. That worked best of all.
Good circular predictable patterns, and good penetration.

However when the Federal Tactical Buckshot came out, we tried it and it gave the best, tightest patterns of all. The Buckshot was stacked different in the shell, and there was one less "ball", and it made a lot of difference.
This ammo had less recoil, which also made it easier for the people to shoot.

Remington Low Recoil 00 buck seems to shoot pretty good as well.

For most home defense situations I would recommend the lower recoil 00 Buck.

I am definately NOT a fan of ANY birdshot for defense, I do not even like No4 Buck.

ADEQUATE penetration is the most important thing when shooting anything alive, IMHO.

I would not use reloaded shotgun shells of any kind for defense either.
A "blooper" with the wad and possibly some shot stuck in the barrel followed by a working round is a reciepe for disaster, especially in a self defense situation.

A mod choke helps a whole lot to in keeping your buckshot togather.

The typical cly choke riot guns real suck. With a mod or even fullchoke I have wack yotes out pass 40 yards with 00.

With the fed filght control wads in the Fed tact loads some real tight groups come out to 25 yards

We went to the low recoil rounds mainly because we had lots of smaller officers who were afraid of their shotguns with full power buck and slug loads.

So much that they were leaveing them in the crusiers instead of deploying them when they should.

I saw a big differants in shotgun handling for the better when we went to the low recoil rounds.

As much as I like shooting and will shoot up all the ammo I can. Even I would take a pounding from a 7lb roit gun with full power buckshot and slugs.

I agree with those who are against small shot. No penetration. You need to find what works for your intended situation. Personally I like the Buck and Ball loads from Centurion. They are awesome out of my Mossy 500. Next up I like the low recoil 00 buck law enforcement rounds as has been suggested. I do not make my own fodder for shotgun.