[41mag]

The Michigan 2004 hunting & trapping guides' firearm & bow & arrow rules?
The book says"November 10-14
It is unlawful to carry afield or transport any rifle(including rimfire)or shotgun if you have buckshot,slug,ball loads or cut shells."

O.K.To me a "shell" means shotgun.So the reference to rifles rimfire or otherwise makes no sense.I know what both buckshot & slug loads are."Ball" loads are...shot loads? "Cut shells"?I have no idea. :uhoh:

Care to help a feller out?

[priv8ter]

Now, bear in mind, this is just a wild guess on my part, but I would think that a 'cut shell' might be a non-technical term for a fletchet round, where instead of firing little balls meant to pentrate, what is actually fired is little slivers of metal(or other substances) meant to cut and do flesh damage.

I heard they have been 'in development' for a while, and I have heard people mention them as far as a 'home defense' type situation, but I'll stick with bone-breaking pentration over tissue damage, whether it's home defense, or hunting.

greg

[sumpnz]

It is unlawful to carry afield or transport any rifle(including rimfire)or shotgun if you have buckshot,slug,ball loads or cut shells." Ball loads, in my experience, usually refer to FMJ loads.

No idea what "cut shell" would be referring to.

[SDC]

A "cut shell" is a "poor man's slug" made by taking a regular shotgun shell (loaded with shot), then slicing around the body of the shell below the wad; when loaded and fired, the whole front part of the shell is forced down the barrel, acting like a slug. I'm not saying this is SAFE, mind you, just that enough people have done it that regulations like this end up getting passed.

[kudu]

Just to confirm it, what SDC said. :scrutiny:

[priv8ter]

Well, I did just say I was guessing.

For some reason, I just can't imagine someone doing what SDC said...kind of scary.

greg

[ACP230]

I tried it years ago during a plinking session.
The shot charge and the cut off part of plastic case left the barrel together and whacked into a dead tree 15 feet away. It did quite a bit of damage and the shotgun was fine.

Haven't felt the need to try it since, however.

[41mag]

Thanks for the replies.I wonder if there was a need for something like that sometime in the past.ie When paper shotshells ruled maybe?

I'll have to try it sometime-just for poops & giggles.

[Johnny Guest]

Then I saw it done, and was impressed as to how accurate it could be up to, say, 25 yards - - This was not done on a regular range. I never felt the need to try it for myself - - I've always had a least a few proper slug loads on hand. If not a rifle or big bore handgun. :p

A couple of cautions are in order, though - -
Be sure where the cut is made. For uniformity's sake, measure and cut them all at the same location. (Not that you're going to make more than a very few at a time - - This whole concept is sort of "improvised munitions.)

And, be CERTAIN to check the bore after each firing - - This entire procedure is fraught with the opportunity to leave an obstruction in place.

Best,
Johnny

[formerflyer]

"Cut" loads can be surprisingly accurate, as well as immensely devastating at short to medium range (keep it under 40 yards to keep your group size smaller than a washtub). I grew up shooting trap, and there were always loose shotshells around dad's garage. Taking a pocketful out with my trusty H&R singleshot and playing with them was great fun on weekend hikes before I was old enough to drive. Take out your "Old Timer" pocket knife, make a quick circular cut, and viola! Instant Slug! (Obviously this was quite some time ago, when a juvenile out shooting in the woods alone didn't require a SWAT team response from the sheriff's office.)

As for "ball" loads, I believe those state regulations are referring to loads containing a single lead ball (diameter around .700 for best results in 12ga with modified choke). I've read that the British were quite fond of this for jungle use in Malaysia for close range anti-terror work. I found a fishing weight mold that was the right size (again around dad's garage), that made up pretty good single ball projectiles. Ahh, more evidence of a misspent youth. I do miss it.

[RCL]

My wife's Grandfather talked of this being a practice "back in the day", when times where leaner and they used what they had on hand (1920-1940 era I'm thinking). He grew up in the mountain country of central Pennsylvania. Probabaly a lot of them were fired in old long barreled full choke single shots. I'm thinking that in those times more than a few of these may have been fired at night.