Shot loads for my Ruger Old Army for small varmints?

[Tallbald]

I did a search for "Ruger Old Army fun" to find any new perspectives on my personal favorite revolvers. One fella wrote of inheriting an old ROA that had had three chambers loaded with ball, and the other three loaded with #8 shot covered with a card wad. All loads fired after being loaded 20 years.
Anyone here tried lead shot just for fun in their ROA? I'm wondering what powder charge of 777, how thin an over-powder and over-shot card would be needed, and how could one prevent the over-shot card from popping off with recoil? Perhaps a suitable load could be developed that a person could use to thin the flocks of sparrows raiding the songbird feeders. Or to carry while fishing to stop cottonmouths that come too close. Thoughts appreciated, and any photos of results welcomed. Don

 

[BowerR64]

Sounds like something fun to try

 

[jaxenro]

http://percussionrevolvers.com/index.php?topic=29.0

 

[Pulp]

I made up some for my '60 Colt. I used 10 grains of Goex FFFg, a card wad cut from a pizza box, filled the remaining room with shot, then another pizza box card. While a bit shy of a 40 yard goose load, it would pattern fairly well at around 10 feet.

Here's a little video of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP0Vc0I3iV8

 

[Patocazador]

In a shotgun the powder is usually covered by a wad then a lubed wad, shot and one or two thin overshot cards. Two o.s. cards usually keeps the second load intact as the first one is fired when used in a double barrel.

Using shot in an ROA = blasphemy.

 

[jaxenro]

Why not try a colt style and have a 2nd barrel smooth bored

 

[Oldnamvet]

How about putting the shot into a small capsule as they do for 38 and 44?
http://www.theboxotruth.com/docs/bot30.htm

 

[Tallbald]

Blasphemy??? Blasphemy????? My beloved ROA's are the multitool of the percussion revolver world LOL. Reloading on the fly so to say. Ball, bullet, snake shot, light loads and zombie loads they can do it all!! Even Forth of July noisemaker loads are within my ROA's reach!! Belching fire and smoke, I am always, Don

 

[rodwha]

Brushhippie has done this with a .36 cal Colt pistol for snakes. He has a couple of YouTube videos of his trials. A .45 cal ought to work better as it'll hold more shot!

He also had a Remington '58 bored smooth. I'm sure it did much better, but I certainly wouldn't recommend that with a Ruger!

I have thought a Colt would be ideal as the barrels swap out.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Busyhands94 did a video on youtube a while back.