Cut the Buckshot Shell Myth

[Captal_de_Buch]

It happens a lot in Skeet with .410 loaders who use their hulls until they separate.

 

[Kayback]

The South African police used to do this.

They weren't allowed to shoot slugs (duh) but they did use birdshot for riot control. I know some who used super glue. I know some who ringed the shells, and I know some who did both.

Like other have said, they don't feed in pump guns, but you can drop it int he chamber and close the action on it.

KBK

 

[redneckdan]

My grand daddy told me about this when I was a kid. Came in handy the one year I forgot to switch out my bird shot for slugs on opening morning. It does work as claimed.

 

[mtngunr]

In my early '60's "NRA Illustrated Shotgun Handbook" is a reprint of a late-'50's/early-'60's test of cut shells using birdshot standard and magnum loads.

The loads were pressure tested by H.P. White Labs. Results were lower pressure, wider velocity variation, and very misshappen patterns at longer range, plus poor sealing resulting in gas/particles hitting shooter's faces.

Also, several times during testing, the the forward part of the shell casing stuck in the chamber preventing the next shell from being chambered. This prompted warnings that such could happen in the forcing cone or choke, thereby creating a bore obstruction.

Most of which has already been mentioned in this thread, BUT the pressure/velocity data was done due to concerns of higher pressure from heavier total payload being moved down-bore, but the shells were so inefficient from poor sealing that this turned out to not be the case.

 

[Jim Watson]

The practice goes back at least til the Great Depression when a lot of people hunted for food. A few #6 for squirrel, rabbit, doves, or quail was all the budget would allow, no money to spare for specialized loads like buckshot or punkin balls, not to mention them newfangled rifled slugs. So many hunters cut a couple of shells in the faint hope of seeing a deer.

 

[highorder]

Around here, I recall folks back in the 60's making cut shells for impromptu poaching. They'd go out bird hunting in the fall and carry a few cut shells in case they jumped a deer at close range.

It was illegal to carry buckshot or slugs in the woods when deer season wasn't open, so I guess they figured this was a way to skirt the law. I thought it was dumb, since I think a game warden would have figured out what they were up to if they found someone carrying them.

I never saw one fired, but I knew of people who carried them.

For the same reason, cut shells are also specifically illegal in Michigan; this is called out in the DNR game handbook.

 

[publiuss]

Ok, just about everyone agrees that it probably works. But what is the point, you are hitting the target with essentially a single, highly expandable projectile. That being said, if you can shoot accurately and hit the target with this single projectile, you could hit it with a big 'ol slug that is going to hit like a truck and penetrate much, much better. This entire concept is a solution in search of a problem.

 

[redneckdan]

For the same reason, cut shells are also specifically illegal in Michigan; this is called out in the DNR game handbook.

They are only illegal during the month of november, and only if the person is in an area frequented by game animals and is not licenced for the white-tailed deer season. It is legal to use them if you are licenced.

This entire concept is a solution in search of a problem.

The entire concept is making due with what ya got.

 

[ECVMatt]

I am with JohnBT on this one..

I lived way out in nowhere TX for a while. We had no gun stores near by and the local cafe/store only sold 8's, 6's, and 4's or something like that. We could order slugs, but sometimes didn't want to wait or they wouldn't come for quite some time.

My friend showed me the trick while we were out bird hunting. He called them Ringers. We spied some hogs and wanted to assault them. I was concerned about shooting them with bird shot. He laughed, pulled out his pocket knife and made us up a couple of slugs.

We had quail and swine that night for dinner. I always figured it was a good trick to know.

Some folks maybe to highbrow for this sort of thing and others just hillbilly enough to smile at the simplicity.

Matt

 

[goon]

This has probably been said - I didn't read all the posts.
But what you describe is called "ringing" a shotshell.
The shell will break apart and the plastic will help hold the shot together, turning it into a short-range slug.
It will penetrate better than shot. I've shot through old car doors with them that would easily stop regular shotshells.

 

[Acera]

you could hit it with a big 'ol slug that is going to hit like a truck and penetrate much, much better

The decrease in penetration was one reason the Glazer was introduced.


This might be a good idea where a lot of penetration is not needed, or undesirable. But a solid transfer of energy is wanted.

Plus with bird shot, a surgeon would have a hard time getting his job done, however the lawyer for the one shot would probably have an easier time.

 

[Novus Collectus]

I wonder what the shells would do after hitting drywall? I have wondered in the past if it was an option for home defense to ensure a stopping hit, but not worry as much about numerous wall penetration.
I would not use it for home defense, but on an academic level I do wonder.......

 

[goon]

I kind of doubt it had anything to do with HD.
For me they're now kind of academic and just an experiment I tried when I was a kid.
But my grandfather is the one who told me about them. He grew up during the depression and during that time, you took shots at any target that presented itself. Ringed shells were carried during small game hunting so you could also take a crack at a deer if you had the chance.
It was illegal as hell to poach deer out of season at that time. But they had to eat.
The ringed shotshell was a tool that helped that happen.

I definitely wouldn't use one for defense because there is a risk that the "stub" of the shell may not extract or eject properly.
Also, for HD there isn't any real benefit with a ringed shell that a load of No. 4 buck doesn't also offer.