Making paper shotshells from scratch

Lynkola · Dec 11, 2020

Hello,

The last year hasn't allowed me to gain the experience necessary to realise this project in full due to lack of confidence, having been confronted with occasional stories about accidents where loss of fingers and hands were not too uncommon. Hoping to receive some tips and words of advice from more experienced hand-loaders on how to accomplish this safely i will lay out the contents of the project;

Paper is coiled around a 16/12 gauge object and glued to make a hull
The hull is impregnated with molten paraffin wax
After cooling 1/10th of the hull is filled up with molten wax to seal the end
After cooling again the hull is finished
The primer will consist out of three to four snap caps which will be contained in a waxed-paper primer glued into the bottom of the shell after having made a hole in the wax bottom of the hull. Another possibility would be glueing it on the interior side of the hull, making the conversion to pin-fire essential.
30/33 crushed match-heads are used as a propellant
Cardboard is used for the wads
Shot consists of lead droplets made by hand dripping molten lead into cold water. Other ideas for expedient shot could be glass, pebbles or tree resin.
Shell is sealed of with another wad of cardboard or glue.

Could this shell be hypothetically shot from a standard shotgun, zip gun or a 19th century pin-fire rifle without resulting in exploding barrels or other accidents that could result in bodily damage?

On an ending note, to my knowledge this project is in itself completely legal. If i have overlooked any laws that make the legality of this project questionable, please notify me and the project will cease immediately.

PWC · Dec 11, 2020

Carl N. Brown · Dec 11, 2020

Shotgun shells including the old fashioned paper bodied shells have brass, aluminum or mild steel heads for a reason: the pressure is more than than paper alone can contain. A wax base wad would not contain the pressure and on a hot day could melt and deaden the primer and powder.

FROGO207 · Dec 11, 2020

I would have concerns about your seal at the base of the shell both about blowouts and a surface hard enough to allow a firing pin to set your "primer" off. If you try this hot glue would hold up better there. Match heads for a propellant would probably not be enough to push the payload out the barrel either. I see what you are trying to do but going a step further back and using a muzzle loading shot gun would be safer. BTW match heads make poor propellant and are massively corrosive.

I remember as a kid taking a couple of 3/4 inch bolts and a nut and screwing them together after putting about 3 strike anywhere match head shaved off in between and screwing things tight. Throw it up in the air and when it hit the pavment a bang. Bolts stayed together every time. Not much pressure there.

mdi · Dec 11, 2020

Go slow. Start with a primed only "case". Make sure several will fire successfully. Then add "powder". Try a few. Then complete a round and try one. If successful do further load development. Having to design a round that uses cap gun ammo and match heads will be very, very involved and I'd try making my own black powder before I tried match heads. Home made "explosives", fireworks and other components (powder, primer substitutes) are found on google as are instructions for home made.

Odd Job · Dec 28, 2020

What will you use to make the rim of the "case?"

Making paper shotshells from scratch

Lynkola

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PWC

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Carl N. Brown

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FROGO207

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mdi

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Odd Job

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