A practical and useful .38 shot cartridge?

[ageingstudent]

Factory shot cartridges are about a buck fifty apiece and that just rubs me the wrong way.

I made up some .38 shot cartridges using over and under shot wads made of cardboard punched out of a battery package that seem to work pretty well as they are thick and flat. I used a load out of the speer manual that called for 4.5 grains of hp38 and a 109 grain shot capsule, but I don't have capsules and only 85 grains of #8 shot will fit in the case. I tested one on a piece of 3/4" plywood at 12 feet and got 1/4-1/2" penetration, and about a 12" pattern, which is not bad.

I'm wondering if this penetration is good enough to drop a rat within 12 feet? Anybody have some experience with this?

Also wondering if that paper wad will stay put if I load 6 rounds into my 4" model 66. I crimped over the wad but perhaps it needs some kind of seal and I'm not sure what to use. It would be great if there was something common around the shop I could use I haven't been feeling well and don't want to go to the store. Candle wax maybe? There is almost no recoil I can't imagine it would need something like gorilla glue lol.

Thoughts and experiences?

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[Certaindeaf]

That "load out" will probably drop a rat at a yard distance, if you aim real good.

 

[Certaindeaf]

If that particular load isn't sufficient, a good boot-stomp will be.
I remember once I killed twelve sage rats with the spray of a single 30-06 round.. range from muzzle to "target" around one yard. It was kind of a rock cone type deal and I (we) were wearing shorts. "Bloody" don't do that... but it was fast action so hey.. bang.
Oh, and then a .45 duckfoot with as much lead "dust" as possible (level with the muzzles).. good times.

 

[ageingstudent]

If that particular load isn't sufficient, a good boot-stomp will be.
I remember once I killed twelve sage rats with the spray of a single 30-06 round.. range from muzzle to "target" around one yard. It was kind of a rock cone type deal and I (we) were wearing shorts. "Bloody" don't do that... but it was fast action so hey.. bang.
Oh, and then a .45 duckfoot with as much lead "dust" as possible (level with the muzzles).. good times.

Yeah it's for work in my mom's barn. She's afraid of them and I don't get out to her place enough to check traps or manage poison. I whacked a couple with a shovel but I'd prefer to just knock them off in a puff of smoke. There's no food source in the barn but it's warm and they like to live in there. I catch them outside sometimes with a shotgun, but I hate to use the 12 gage inside the barn.

 

[ageingstudent]

I could try a 357 case with a little hotter load maybe. I'm not sure a slower powder will make a shot charge hit harder though. Not sure the light shot charge will retain the gasses in the barrel long enough to get much benefit.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I could try a 357 case with a little hotter load maybe. I'm not sure a slower powder will make a shot charge hit harder though. Not sure the light shot charge will retain the gasses in the barrel long enough to get much benefit.

When it comes to vermin, just try to not hurt yosef(s). Especially your "brain".

 

[Member 34319]

If it helps give you a better idea on stopping power. I use the 22lr cci shot rounds on squirrel at about 5-15' and if it doesn't kill them the second shot is a regular 22 round. It almost always stops them in their tracks whether dead or alive.

 

[Member 34319]

Oh and good old fashion Elmers glue works well at holding wads in place for makeshift loads.

 

[ageingstudent]

If it helps give you a better idea on stopping power. I use the 22lr cci shot rounds on squirrel at about 5-15' and if it doesn't kill them the second shot is a regular 22 round. It almost always stops them in their tracks whether dead or alive.

Yeah that helps. I want to drop them cleanly without shooting holes in mom's outbuilding. Distances will likely be less than 10 feet. Between 6 and 10 feet I'm thinking.

 

[ageingstudent]

Oh and good old fashion Elmers glue works well at holding wads in place for makeshift loads.

Ahh great idea thank you.

 

[ditchtiger]

Speer Empty Shot Capsules 38 Special Box of 50 (http://www.midwayusa.com/product/313962/speer-empty-shot-capsules-38-special-box-of-50)

 

[Member 34319]

Yeah that helps. I want to drop them cleanly without shooting holes in mom's outbuilding. Distances will likely be less than 10 feet. Between 6 and 10 feet I'm thinking.

I'm thinking a 38 or bigger would certainly stun or kill a rat at that distance. Much more pellet than tge little 22 cases.

In your case I would think a shovel or similar object as a back up should assist if the rat is only stunned. In my case it was always a round of 22 if it started to try and limp away.

 

[ageingstudent]

I'm thinking a 38 or bigger would certainly stun or kill a rat at that distance. Much more pellet than tge little 22 cases.

In your case I would think a shovel or similar object as a back up should assist if the rat is only stunned. In my case it was always a round of 22 if it started to try and limp away.

Well if I can get the cartridge to hold together I can always get a quick second shot with the six shooter. I don't like rats but I like to put their lights out quickly if possible. Hate to see anything suffer needlessly. I'm more into targets these days instead of critters. Perhaps I'm getting soft in my old age. Can't have too many rats around though.

 

[Member 34319]

If I were you I would also get some amplified ear protection. You can hear the critters pretty well with them on, but they'll protect you vs the big pressure of shooting in a building.

 

[Brutus57]

Yeah it's for work in my mom's barn. She's afraid of them and I don't get out to her place enough to check traps or manage poison. I whacked a couple with a shovel but I'd prefer to just knock them off in a puff of smoke. There's no food source in the barn but it's warm and they like to live in there. I catch them outside sometimes with a shotgun, but I hate to use the 12 gage inside the barn.

Sound like a good reason to get a Judge or a used .410 shot gun ta me.

Brutus Out

 

[ageingstudent]

Sound like a good reason to get a Judge or a used .410 shot gun ta me.

Brutus Out

I actually have a .410 circuit judge that Rossi makes, bit the 18 inch barrel is a little long for in there. It would probably work great if I could find a light load with like 12 shot. I don't load .410 unfortunately. Hard to find specialty shot in that caliber.

I tested 6 of my homemade shot cartridges today and the worked pretty good. I had waxed the crimp with beeswax and paraffin mixed and the last one didn't fall apart before I fired it so at least that works. Going to try the glue trick and maybe .5 grain more powder in a .357 case. They are actually working better than I thought they would with #8 shot I scavenged.

 

[Erock46]

Quite a while back I remember using .38 caliber gas checks in .38 special and .357. One gas check would be inserted edge up against the powder without compressing. Then, I trickled in some birdshot and then inserted the top gas check, edge down, over the birdshot. Add a light crimp -works just fine. I don't remember what size powder charge to use but it was small. Pretty much shredded anything within 10 feet.

 

[drstrangelove]

Factory shot cartridges are about a buck fifty apiece and that just rubs me the wrong way.

I made up some .38 shot cartridges using over and under shot wads made of cardboard punched out of a battery package that seem to work pretty well as they are thick and flat. I used a load out of the speer manual that called for 4.5 grains of hp38 and a 109 grain shot capsule, but I don't have capsules and only 85 grains of #8 shot will fit in the case. I tested one on a piece of 3/4" plywood at 12 feet and got 1/4-1/2" penetration, and about a 12" pattern, which is not bad.

I'm wondering if this penetration is good enough to drop a rat within 12 feet? Anybody have some experience with this?

Also wondering if that paper wad will stay put if I load 6 rounds into my 4" model 66. I crimped over the wad but perhaps it needs some kind of seal and I'm not sure what to use. It would be great if there was something common around the shop I could use I haven't been feeling well and don't want to go to the store. Candle wax maybe? There is almost no recoil I can't imagine it would need something like gorilla glue lol.

Thoughts and experiences?

I use a sharpened 38 special case to punch out cereal box wads on a 2x4. 357 cases, SPP (mags not needed), powder (I use 4.8g CFE pistol), 2 wads over the powder, 90grains #9 shot sprayed with one-shot to reduce leading, 1 wad over the shot, a nice crimp, and fill the top space to the brim with candle wax dripped in. NO OPEN FLAMES in my reloading room. I move to the kitchen table and drip into a plastic salad-bar tray with my shotshells lined up. These cartridges will NOT recoil themselves apart and are most effective out of short barreled revolvers where there isn't a lot of rifling to impart spin to the shot colum. Patterns get worse the longer the barrel; out of rifles are fairly useless. Easy to fountain soda cans at 10 paces. Snakes wouldn't stand a chance. My firearm of choice is a 2" SW model 66.