Brass shot!

[Britsmoothy]

Britsmoothy here in the states during what was called the great depression things were tight. Growing up I talked to a lot of the old men that lived through it. More than one talked about things they did to survive. Powder, shot and/or ball were not always available or affordable. That shots taken were from as close as possible with the greatest probability of success. A few mentioned taking covey shots from up close with small smooth pebbles instead of shot. They didnt have shot to use. They used what was available.
We have carpenter/wood bees here that look like bumblebees. They bore holes in unpainted wood of barns, sheds etc. When I find rusty, muzzleloaders cheap, reproduction or old I buy them. Love to use course builders sand instead of shot in these guns on wood bees. The sand is not as heavy as shot and is not destructive to metal or wood on buildings past a few yards. Will totally destroy a bee from close range. Because there is nothing to lose I can try all kind of things as shot or ball. The weight of lead gives it better range. Playing with the builders sand it is easy to understand why the old men said shots were taken from up close. Tried different sizes of steel pellets, steel BB's, copper and steel wire cut in short sections. The longer the sections the more weight per section. The length once past end of muzzle is more likely to cause them to tumble. They fly in wild directions, did not pattern. Tape together became a slug. Anything shot in a rifled barrel scattered quickly. I have no doubt that in years past many things other than shot or ball made from lead have been used. I wouldn't put mud, clay, or anything similar in the muzzle of any gun. The dry builders sand and other things loaded like shot is totally different. Weight of load is less than lead. A cylinder bore barrel has no choke to cause a constriction. Nothing was loaded that took any effort to seat on over powder card or wad. Over shot/projectiles wad was usually news paper, paper towel, wasp nest, whatever was handy. Didnt try tacks but did try small finishing nails. Builders sand and/or steel shot does smooth up a pitted barrel but not as fast as some believe. Pitted rifled barrels are not cleaned up as fast as smooth bores. I wouldn't use a good gun for any of these type loads. Britsmoothy I enjoy your threads and post, you are a blessing Sir.

Thank you sir.

Ever try rice or barley maybe, on the bees?

 

[Britsmoothy]

Brit, does it hum or whistle through the air? Seems like it would sound like a bee hive.
Robby

Never heard a thing Robby.

 

[Rudyard]

Since lead pellets recovered from shot rabbits show flattening & dimples marks showing the compression through upset on the passage down the bore .it is clear that while this compression occurs sufficient to indent the lead any harder substance would not yield and must scour the barrel walls and either burst or push out the walls with pronuonced swageing marks Ive seen such damage caused by fireing ball bearings . I Agree with Felt Wad that this" You can shoot any thing " nonsense is mostly myth . pebbles ,broken glass , nails ect . I think while you might get away with it it is real Russian Roulete stuff to even contemplate it .I would say that if you find a section or smooth bore barrel open ended push down a wad then your mix of rubbish then a top wad then with it held succurely place inside a dowel , wood or steel them whack the end hard which would upset and thus to some extent duplicate the fireing of such a load .and observe the effect if you can extricate the resultant jamb . to view the damage to the bore . I have fired wheat to kill sparrows pretty harmless . But to blithely suggest its OK the fire nails ect is . chanceing your arm . Rudyard

 

[shorthair]

Aerodynamics?

About like a brick.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Since lead pellets recovered from shot rabbits show flattening & dimples marks showing the compression through upset on the passage down the bore .it is clear that while this compression occurs sufficient to indent the lead any harder substance would not yield and must scour the barrel walls and either burst or push out the walls with pronuonced swageing marks Ive seen such damage caused by fireing ball bearings . I Agree with Felt Wad that this" You can shoot any thing " nonsense is mostly myth . pebbles ,broken glass , nails ect . I think while you might get away with it it is real Russian Roulete stuff to even contemplate it .I would say that if you find a section or smooth bore barrel open ended push down a wad then your mix of rubbish then a top wad then with it held succurely place inside a dowel , wood or steel them whack the end hard which would upset and thus to some extent duplicate the fireing of such a load .and observe the effect if you can extricate the resultant jamb . to view the damage to the bore . I have fired wheat to kill sparrows pretty harmless . But to blithely suggest its OK the fire nails ect is . chanceing your arm . Rudyard

Who are you talking to Rudyard?

 

[Zonie]

Who are you talking to Rudyard?

Anyone who wants to listen. He's giving his opinion. Take it, or leave it, That's up to you.

 

[Carbon 6]

Thank you sir.

Ever try rice or barley maybe, on the bees?

Not for bees but,
I have shot rice, it is lucky to go 20 feet.
I have also shot popcorn, it will go through a tin roof.

 

[Rudyard]

As will a stub of candle or a floor board . Rudyard

 

[theoldredneck]

Britsmoothy, have used rice and other things in muzzleloaders and modern guns. Plastic beads, airsoft BB's, powder blasting materials, seeds, etc. Someone ask if some things sing when shot. Yes, somethings do. Rice can kill rats if range is very limited.

 

[Billy Boy]

Not that I'd recommend using it, but I would have cut the rod as near in length as is the diameter. As to what could go wrong...let's just say, I'd tie the gun to an old tire and tie a string to the trigger...a very long string...to touch off the "test" round(s). Oh, and I'd probably use a gun I didn't really like all that much anyway.

In these unknown situations I always have one of the neighbor kids touch it off....they love to shoot. I have never once been injured...

 

[smo]

Try Cous- Cous for those flying pest.

 

[Rudyard]

Billy Boy I'm struggling to grasp why you wrote that, its either jest or rank irresponsability with neihbours kids .Any home proof I've done where useually set in a stream bed that had deep parts so I could shield my self readily .Non involved loads other than lead shot or involved pulling any trigger, rather they sat in a stout jury rig timber and had paper fuzzes and pushed the water to slow the recoiling jig stock. Non burst, tyres & rabbit holes being a good alterative But no kids in the mix. Rudyard

 

[F.G. Ford]

Lead has been the choice of projectile for many years ( 500 years ) Lead's specific weight is about 11.34. So from a poor design , being round to elongated as a bullet would be.
Early shotgun fare was square shot, then cast round ball, to swan shot ( tear drop design ) to irregular and even swaged.
Other metals brass, with weight of 8.6 to bronze 8.8 ( which is hard ) to bismuth at 9.79 , iron at 7.9, pure copper at 8.93 ( not bad ), silver works at 10.49, but a little expensive and nickel at 8.9 not too expensive, a little hard but viable.
All of these metals have their values, but lead is hard to beat, except for the California people.
Sheets of lead or copper cut into square pieces with the same width as length and thickness tumbled for a short time will give roundish ( is that a word??) ball. The brass lengths suggested will certainly shred anything to hamburger at close distance, but will give a very erratic pattern at longer distances.
With the typical plastic shotgun cups with today's modern shot shells will protect most barrels, so even tungsten could be used without harm to gun or shooter, but the shootee would not do as well.

 

[Britsmoothy]

 

[steam1993]

If we cast shot in lead why not brass, it melts at a dull red. Now i can not wait for it to warm up and try making some shot in brass. Yes i have done some casting in the past, so know how to handle liquid brass.

 

[Juice Jaws]

Billy Boy Ime struggling to grasp why you wrote that, its either jest or rank irresponsability with neihbours kids .Any home proof I've done where useually set in a stream bed that had deep parts so I could shield my self readily .Non involved loads other than lead shot or involved pulling any trigger, rather they sat in a stout jury rig timber and had paper fuzzes and pushed the water to slow the recoiling jig stock. Non burst, tyres & rabbit holes being a good alterative But no kids in the mix. Rudyard

I think Billy Boy is just having a little fun. Life is to short to take everything so serious. And if he wasn't joking I still think its a good idea.

 

[Juice Jaws]

Very interesting Brit, thanks. But do wish you guys across the pond would quit using metric.

 

[SDSmlf]

‘Rock salt’ was the standard varmint load when I was a kid. Anything that dare to enter my Grandmother’s flower or vegetable gardens would get a dose. Don’t remember if it was a cartridge or muzzloading double barrel that was used. It stood in a corner by the back door and my Grandfather would reload it if my Grandmother fired it. Times are different.

 

[rrebuck]

I got a bunch of brass brazing rods for cheap at an auction recently and wish I had a way of swaging cut wire into reasonably round balls.

 

[nhmoose]

https://mykonosbeads.com/product-category/metalbeads/find-c3/

3mm brass beads. 0.11811024 inch, ouch on cost