Cap and ball revolver firing bird shot

[wb78963]

So if I have this right in my head.....
The powder, a wad, then the #9 shot, then over that another wad with some glue or fingernail polish to keep the wad from allowing the shot to spill out when the pistol is holstered?
I assume all that to get loaded and packed down with the rammer before adding the glue or nail polish?

Exactly right unless you know some one that hand loads the unmentionables and might have some proper size gas checks.
In the testing I did not use glue but I have used finger nail polish to glue the bullet in a Hahn paper tube for my Sharps carbine. That makes a very durable attachment and should work in a revolver and clean up with fingernail polish remover.
OK now it is your turn to test so go fer it!
Respectfully
Bunk

 

[Eutycus]

I've done some experimenting in a single shot pistol, years ago, but not in a revolver, yet. I just used alot of wadding instead of any sort of glue. Hard to get glue down a 10" barrel, nor would you want to.

 

[deerstalkert]

between rain drops i loaded my Pietta 51 navy with.
16g weighed goex fffg . ( i found the goex stashed behind my pistol display!)
1 lubed wonderwad sized with a hole punch to .50 over the powder.
100g of #8 shot. ( just happens #8 shot weighs 1g , so there were 100 pellets per.
sliced a bee's wax puck 1/8 thick and sized it with the hole punch .50
took the wax disk and after holding between thumb and finger for a minute it squeezed into the chambers ,sealing them well.
the Blonde I married 51 years ago asked why i didn't use canning parafin which has a high melting point.
i said I was going to use it next. (hadn't even thought of it!)
here are the results from 6 feet. if one didn't get the snake the next 4 would. ( for the test i loaded 6)

 

[wb78963]

I've done some experimenting in a single shot pistol, years ago, but not in a revolver, yet. I just used alot of wadding instead of any sort of glue. Hard to get glue down a 10" barrel, nor would you want to.

agreed that is also how I load my 12 gauge SXS shotgun and the second load must stay tight for one time.
In a revolver the load must stay tight for perhaps several shots.
Loading a shot round is , in the first place, a pain in the hip pockets and is a specialty load. Other that chasing cans I cannot see w

 

[wb78963]

OK enough is enough it is time for y'all to do the experimenting I am busy loading a hundred metric size unmentionable in those silly brass tube looking things. on a single stage press
Then in the next day or so it will be with C&B time in one or the other of my snubbies.
Perhaps the .36 Navy Capt. Schaeffer semi snubby.
If I have it dirty I will try a couple of shot loads just for giggles I promise..
Try your idea the worse that can happen is you have a mess to clean up.
I got my mess cleaned up and put away.
Bunk

 

[wb78963]

between rain drops i loaded my Pietta 51 navy with.
16g weighed GOEX FFFg . ( i found the goex stashed behind my pistol display!)
1 lubed wonder wad sized with a hole punch to .50 over the powder.
100g of #8 shot. ( just happens #8 shot weighs 1g , so there were 100 pellets per.
sliced a bee's wax puck 1/8 thick and sized it with the hole punch .50
took the wax disk and after holding between thumb and finger for a minute it squeezed into the chambers ,sealing them well.
the Blonde I married 51 years ago asked why i didn't use canning paraffin which has a high melting point.
i said I was going to use it next. (hadn't even thought of it!)
here are the results from 6 feet. if one didn't get the snake the next 4 would. ( for the test i loaded 6)

now that is VERY interesting it does not look like there is much of a hole in the center.
Good on you deerstalker that is documented experimentation.
And who says Blonds are dumb?
Stay safe
Bunk

 

[deerstalkert]

just for s&g's i loaded 6 more using crisco as a over wad. scattered like crazy. the hard wax over disk seems to be the ticket.
guess i am done as i sacrificed 2 16gauge shells for the #8 shot. and those are precious to me!
i may try paraiffin if i can find some .

 

[Woody Morgan]

Find paraffin blocks in the canning section at the market.

wm

 

[MalFrune]

I didn't read the whole thread but do load 1861 .44 with shot as a snake load. 20grn prodex, a couple shot cards, a .45acp casing worth of #6 fills it up (#6 is just my preferred squirrel shot so I have a few sacks laying around), add another shot card, pack it down a little and top with Crisco. .410 overshot cards fit the .44 snug. A 3/8 hole punch from scrapbooking/art store should be about right for making cards for a .36. 1/2 can work for .44 but they're a bit large. I haven't done any patterning but at 5-10 yards it's been tight enough to work as snake/rat shot. Don't shoot at hard surface like barn walls as it'll ricochet back at you

 

[saaman]

I was surprised to find this beautiful little Uberti Pocket Navy from the Doctor's collection at October Country is smooth bore! It has all the Colt markings and a letter of permission from Colt. It would do well with shot loads, but I can't bring myself to shoot it because it is absolutely pristine!

 

[Red Dirt Dave]

Of the dozens of ways to dispatch a venomous snake which does not require jerking a pistol, a stout 4-foot stick is my go to. It's also handy for a walk as I age. I don't kill venomous snakes if they are not around the kids and critters. I can't tell you how many "rattlers," "cottonmouths," and copperheads" I have seen people kill that were not ANY of the aforementioned snakes.

Now, If you just want to blast the little slither varmint, my vote goes to single ball and practiced accuracy.

 

[SPQR70AD]

any snake I ever saw that saw me was always moving head around. How can you possibly hit his head with a ball with a pistol with cave man sites?

 

[azmntman]

I was surprised to find this beautiful little Uberti Pocket Navy from the Doctor's collection at October Country is smooth bore! It has all the Colt markings and a letter of permission from Colt. It would do well with shot loads, but I can't bring myself to shoot it because it is absolutely pristine!View attachment 81527

PM me for address, send it over and I am happy to shoot it. Will work ya up a few different loads with ball n shot. You can thank me when I ship it back (with the targets!)

YOU CAN TRUST ME I'm as honest as I can be (varies day to day)

 

[wb78963]

Of the dozens of ways to dispatch a venomous snake which does not require jerking a pistol, a stout 4-foot stick is my go to. It's also handy for a walk as I age. I don't kill venomous snakes if they are not around the kids and critters. I can't tell you how many "rattlers," "cottonmouths," and copperheads" I have seen people kill that were not ANY of the aforementioned snakes.

Now, If you just want to blast the little slither varmint, my vote goes to single ball and practiced accuracy.

I am kind of peeved at the Copperhead family since one bit my eighr year old daughter on the foot causing me great annoyance. Any one can tell you an annoyed Bunk is something to steer clear of.
I found that rascal and killed it and every one of the copper colored serpents I see when ever and where ever it might be including one in the middle of a country road at night using a boat shoe to prevent dulling my knife in the road surface.
Bunk
P.S.Bunk has no case against harmless snakes there was a large Texas Rat Snake that lived in my work shop a great mobile mouse and rat trap. A very friendly fellow about four feet long.
sorry about hijacking the thread Zonie

 

[Red Dirt Dave]

I am kind of peeved at the Copperhead family since one bit my eighr year old daughter on the foot causing me great annoyance. Any one can tell you an annoyed Bunk is something to steer clear of.
I found that rascal and killed it and every one of the copper colored serpents I see when ever and where ever it might be including one in the middle of a country road at night using a boat shoe to prevent dulling my knife in the road surface.
Bunk
P.S.Bunk has no case against harmless snakes there was a large Texas Rat Snake that lived in my work shop a great mobile mouse and rat trap. A very friendly fellow about four feet long.
sorry about hijacking the thread Zonie

Oh I agree wholeheartedly! It's just the consistency with which the unlearned mis identify snakes.

 

[Red Dirt Dave]

Back to shot loads. It seems that I've had better results with less powder and more shot. Smaller shot also seems better.

 

[Bad Karma]

any snake I ever saw that saw me was always moving head around. How can you possibly hit his head with a ball with a pistol with cave man sites?

Claire Conley said once that he was out at Elmer Keith’s place and watched as Elmer nearly stepped on a buzz worm. He said that when the snake rattled Elmer shot straight up in the air, pulled his Colt and shot the snake all in one motion. Apparently Elmer was a quick hand with a pistol and a deadly point shooter.

 

[Eutycus]

There are so many myths about snakes, including how far they can strike. A coiled up rattling snake shout be a fairly easy target with either shot or a round ball.

 

[SPQR70AD]

Claire Conley said once that he was out at Elmer Keith’s place and watched as Elmer nearly stepped on a buzz worm. He said that when the snake rattled Elmer shot straight up in the air, pulled his Colt and shot the snake all in one motion. Apparently Elmer was a quick hand with a pistol and a deadly point shooter.

Elmer was a freak of nature and there is hardly anybody that could shoot like him. remember he used cartridge guns

 

[Bad Karma]

Elmer was a freak of nature and there is hardly anybody that could shoot like him. remember he used cartridge guns

But he cut his eye teeth on cap and ball pistols.