.44 Shotshell Experiences

[RedneckRampage]

Tell me about your experience with .44 shotshells. Thinking about trying some in my 7.5" Vaquero. Will they kill a raccoon or skunk? I don't really feel like shooting actual bullets in my barn, thought maybe they would have enough power with the long barrel.

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[Certaindeaf]

Tell me about your experience with .44 shotshells. Thinking about trying some in my 7.5" Vaquero. Will they kill a raccoon or skunk? I don't really feel like shooting actual bullets in my barn, thought maybe they would have enough power with the long barrel.

I handloaded the capsules using #6 shot and Red Dot powder out of a 4" model 29. Shot probably 50 grouse on the wing off of horseback.. never missed one as they would go straight up in the high grass at 8-10' away and it'd be done.
The longer the barrel the worse the pattern will be.

 

[RedneckRampage]

I handloaded the capsules using #6 shot and Red Dot powder out of a 4" model 29. Shot probably 50 grouse on the wing off of horseback.. never missed one as they would go straight up in the high grass at 8-10' away and it'd be done.
The longer the barrel the worse the pattern will be.

So you are saying I might have better luck out of a 2.5" .357? How would the longer barrel hurt the pattern?

 

[Certaindeaf]

So you are saying I might have better luck out of a 2.5" .357? How would the longer barrel hurt the pattern?

Than a longer barrel given the same caliber, yes. The shorter barrels act more like actual smooth bores.

 

[Paolung]

Than a longer barrel given the same caliber, yes. The shorter barrels act more like actual smooth bores.

So you're saying the rifling in the barrel worsens the pattern. Makes sense.

 

[Certaindeaf]

So you're saying the rifling in the barrel worsens the pattern. Makes sense.

Yes. The shot charge is less affected by the shorter barrels.

 

[Certaindeaf]

As a simple experiment you can put a bunch of BB's on a record turntable and then switch it on.






Lol

 

[Nosferatu]

Rifled barrels tend to create a donut pattern with the shot.

I've used the .44 shotshells on snakes with a 6" 29. They are effective within about 10 feet, outside of that the pattern opens up and it's hard to get enough pellets on target to be effective.

I think you might be better off trapping the critters in your barn then trying to hunt them down.

 

[DizzyJ]

As a simple experiment you can put a bunch of BB's on a record turntable and then switch it on.






Lol

Runs out and grabs a turntable from the local flea market.

 

[Longwalkhome]

I make my own with Speer shot capsuls. The fine shot is for snakes but Speer is loading bigger shot now. I don't think it would be a clean kill on a racoon or skunk.

10 Round Box - 44 Magnum or Special - Shotshell Ammo for Pest Control - Number 9 shot 1/4 oz - Made by CCI - 3744 | SGAmmo.com

10 Round Box - 44 Magnum or Special - Shotshell Ammo for Pest Control - Number 9 shot 1/4 oz - Made by CCI - 3744

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[Capn Jack]

You don't want to shoot a skunk in your barn.....

Racoons are tough, but correct shot placement with a .22lrhp turns out their lights.

 

[gmerkt]

Racoons are tough, but correct shot placement with a .22lrhp turns out their lights.

I don't think the .44 shot shell solution would be lethal. The .22 solution is much better. The "well placed shot" concept should preclude the worries about shooting inside the barn. Head shot is best for lethality. I've shot raccoons in the body with .22's, they tend to run away. Maybe near or far, but at least out of the barn. A big raccoon reared up on me one time, I shot it in the heart, it still ran away about 40 feet before it dropped dead. They work on muscle and nerve impulses for a bit even when they are running dead.

Barrel length on shot rounds out of a revolver, I don't think variations in those short measures make much difference. If you want to stick with shot rounds, think about getting an inexpensive small bore shotgun. Which is specifically designed with a longer barrel, and has the accuracy advantage of having a shoulder stock. When you buy one of those top-break ("crack open") shotguns, you've got a handy gun for life for small game. You might not use it all that often, but it would be there. They will shoot slug rounds as well. These days, there are all kinds of fancy cartridges in .410 that have been developed for revolvers.

 

[Nosferatu]

Barrel length on shot rounds out of a revolver, I don't think variations in those short measures make much difference.

It does, actually. I patterned .22 shot from my 20" Henry Golden Boy and 4" Ruger 22/45. The patterns from the handgun were much tighter. They were essentially useless from the rifle. I think I patterned them at 10'

 

[gmerkt]

It does, actually. I patterned .22 shot from my 20" Henry Golden Boy and 4" Ruger 22/45. The patterns from the handgun were much tighter. They were essentially useless from the rifle. I think I patterned them at 10'

Good to know. I was thinking more along the lines of what the OP mentioned, that is, 7.5 vs. 2.5 inches with his .44 loads.

In your example of handgun vs. rifle lengths. maybe the higher velocity of the payload exiting the rifle bbl. cause it to open up more?

I don't think I've ever fired .22 shot through a rifle. Only handguns, because the range was always negligible when I've used them. They've come in handy keeping woodpeckers off my cedar siding on the house. The small shot size was not a factor in damage to the building. I think it's #12 shot, about the size of sand. Rio loads some larger gauge shot shells with #12 shot; maybe they are in case you encounter a real big rat's nest.

 

[Nosferatu]

In your example of handgun vs. rifle lengths. maybe the higher velocity of the payload exiting the rifle bbl. cause it to open up more?

Could be. If I ever get more, I'll run them through the chronograph. It won't tell us anything about patter, but it would tell us how much of difference the barrel length makes.

I don't think I've ever fired .22 shot through a rifle. Only handguns, because the range was always negligible when I've used them. They've come in handy keeping woodpeckers off my cedar siding on the house. The small shot size was not a factor in damage to the building. I think it's #12 shot, about the size of sand. Rio loads some larger gauge shot shells with #12 shot; maybe they are in case you encounter a real big rat's nest.

I didn't know Rio was making them as well. The CCI #12 worked well against rats, but it's become expensive and a standard 36gr .22 slug kills them just as dead!

 

[titsonritz]

Tell me about your experience with .44 shotshells. Thinking about trying some in my 7.5" Vaquero. Will they kill a raccoon or skunk? I don't really feel like shooting actual bullets in my barn, thought maybe they would have enough power with the long barrel.

I would not rely on them for that, snakes and such is about it.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Could be. If I ever get more, I'll run them through the chronograph. It won't tell us anything about patter, but it would tell us how much of difference the barrel length makes.


I didn't know Rio was making them as well. The CCI #12 worked well against rats, but it's become expensive and a standard 36gr .22 slug kills them just as dead!

Link for the Rio?

 

[Nosferatu]

Link for the Rio?

You'll have to ask @gmerkt

 

[The Heretic]

As a simple experiment you can put a bunch of BB's on a record turntable and then switch it on.

Or don't turn it on: whatever happened to the Franklin Armory "Reformation" AR with straight "rifling"?

 

[RedneckRampage]

You don't want to shoot a skunk in your barn.....

Racoons are tough, but correct shot placement with a .22lrhp turns out their lights.

I know, I went out to feed this morning and there was a real strong smell of one. I don't want to carry a long gun around in the mornings when I am feeding, and thought the 44 with shot in it might work well, I guess not.