Making large shot and buckshot?

[PieFace]

Hi,

Does anyone know how I can make large round shot at home such as .150" and bigger to about .200" I know the Littleton shotmaker only goes to number 5 shot so that would be no use.

I been looking on the Internet for ideas but with no luck. I did wonder if this larger shot might be forged or swaged into shape using a press but again I can find no evidence thus far.

I've heard of people using a mold to cast shot but I should imagine this would take hours to make just a small amount this way.

Does anyone have videos or the methods used to make these larger shot sizes?

Many Thanks

PieFace...

 

[rcmodel]

Large shot has to be cast in molds:
http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0012544213716a.shtml


Or swaged, the way the factories do it:
http://www.corbins.com/bsk-1.htm

rcmodel

 

[radkoch]

+1 on Cabelas. I've never tried a swager other than for my job. I don't think you can make a practical shot tower for very cheap

 

[rcmodel]

You can't make large shot even with a very tall shot tower.

The molton lead droplets have to air cool and become solid before it hits the catch water at the bottom.

After a certain size is reached, it can't cool fast enough to remain round before it runs out of room before impact.

Above that certain size, casting or swaging is it!

rcmodel

 

[PieFace]

Thanks for the replies but I guess from what you are saying is it can't be done at home. The Corbin swaging die only goes down to .22" and the Lee mold only goes down to .311".

I can't think ether method would produce very much shot per hour and with the corbin method the setup costs are high which makes you wonder if it's worth doing in the first place.

There would appear to be a void in the shot making process between about .110" to .310" that you can make in large enough quantities to make it economical to do so at home.

 

[rcmodel]

What do you need the large lead shot for anyway?

Not much use for it in high volume anymore since the lead shot ban for waterfowl hunting years ago.

rcmodel

 

[PieFace]

I need larger shot to knock down steel targets with an unchoked 20" barrelled Mossberg 590 in competition shooting.

The shot pattern is wide due to the barrel being short and the smaller birdshot #5 and #6 just don't have the energy. Practical shooting here in the UK dictates the use of fibre wad only for environmental reasons when shooting over open ground, this means loading your own if you want shells with more clout.

All the larger baby magnum factory loads come in plastic wad here and are thefore no good.

 

[rcmodel]

Oh, the UK?
I see!

Does it have to be big birdshot?
Is buckshot allowed, or slugs?

rcmodel

 

[RyanM]

All the larger baby magnum factory loads come in plastic wad here and are thefore no good.

Maybe you could just open the shells, replace the powder charge, put in a fiber wad instead of plastic, put the shot back in, then recrimp?

I wouldn't want to keep the factory powder charge when changing wads.

 

[rcmodel]

Ever try to open the crimp and pull the wads on factory plastic magnums or field loads?

It just ain't gonna happen in any quanity.

Anyway, he would need a shotgun loading press to reload with different wads and crimp them again so they would stay crimped.

Might as well just reload empty hulls to start with.

rcmodel

 

[PieFace]

I have a press, a MEC Sizemaster 77 and all the other gear. Just got the Layman Slug Mold and will be reloading these very soon.

I am after the 'big' birdshot but not as large as buckshot, #1 and #2 maybe up to BB (thats UK sizes mind) which is between .135" to about .160".

Competition rules state the use of birdshot only which I assume means not buckshot. I started a post the other day on the Shogun Forum as to the definition of birdshot, the outcome being nobody really seems to know where birdshot ends and buckshot starts or indeed if a BB is birdshot, buckshot or nether.

I happen to think birdshot goes up to .140" or 3.6mm which is No.1 shot by English shot sizes. If I take this same shell to the US I'm shooting No.3 shot. If I take an American BB to the UK I am shooting an unclassified size which is larger than English BB yet smaller than English AAA.

Likewise if I am shooting and English BB in the US I would in fact be shooting No.1 shot which I consider to be birdshot. In which case what am I shooting birdshot or BB?

Confusing is it not?...

 

[snuffy]

Well when you stop getting confused,(and us along with you), go here to find lead shot in the sizes you decide on.

http://shop2.mailordercentral.com/bpicart/products.asp?dept=65

They also have all the card/fiber wads you'd need and a roll crimper IF you decide on that type of crimp. Good luck finding what you're looking for!

Maybe you could just open the shells, replace the powder charge, put in a fiber wad instead of plastic, put the shot back in, then recrimp?

I wouldn't want to keep the factory powder charge when changing wads.

+1 on what RC said, he obviously has never tried this!:banghead:

 

[scrat]

i have a whole mess of fiber wads of all different thickness for 12 guage. now if you ever wanted to make up some serious loads i can send you some .452 round balls. Use them in cap and ball. That would be fun to shoot at steel targets

 

[zxcvbob]

How round does it need to be? You could get some 4.5mm lead wire and cut it into little cylinders with a sharp knife.

 

[scrat]

bite weights for fishing