Does anyone use homemade Cut Shot?

[Military Collector]

Does anyone here use homemade cut shot for small game hunting by pounding out lead and cutting it into small pieces? I was reading about some historic uses of this method and want to see if anyone uses this in hunting still.

 

[windini]

Hm. 33 days later and ... crickets?!

I'm gonna take that as a "no."

FWIW, MC, I clicked "watch" for your post, hoping someone with experience would chime in.

It would be an easier proposition of there was such a thing as lead wire; it'd be a lot easier than pounding and then trying to cut pieces reasonably close in size. That got me to thinking: why not use copper wire?

One might salvage cutoffs from electrical work, strip the insulation, then snip it into lengths roughly equivalent to the diameter. Copper would be soft enough to not damage a steel bore (there's lots of solid copper projectile chices out there). Given so much less mass, it might not carry much energy very far. But it would be an interesting experiment.

 

[PathfinderNC]

I believe it’s loosely referred to as “Swan Shot”. And not the best preforming type of shot to use. There is an interesting thread in this forum on the history of Swan Shot. From the info presented, before 1665 it was just bits cut from lead bars or the like.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

Swan shot is cast.

 

[Brokennock]

Correct. Swan shot was cast.
But if I recall correctly, @windini is correct that "cut shot" was cut from lead wire. So it would have probably looked like smokeless "stick powder."

 

[user 49399]

Does anyone here use homemade cut shot for small game hunting by pounding out lead and cutting it into small pieces? I was reading about some historic uses of this method and want to see if anyone uses this in hunting still.

Yep. I tried this once by flattening some round balls into small, flat pieces then cutting them into little squares the size of TicTac candy. It was too much work to get enough for a load. Patterns were awful. Little flat squares of lead don’t fly as well little round balls of lead. I never used it for hunting because it would have been a waste of time.

I’ve also made some ‘swan shot’ which works a little better on paper. Never used it for hunting though because the pattern results indicated it would probably only be effective at very close range.

The guns used were a .62 Fusil de Chasse and a .69 Tower pistol.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I've shot all sorts out of muzzloaders.
Cut lead, chopped brazing rods, airgun pellets and 22 lead bullets. It all works provided you are close enough of course.

 

[Brokennock]

It all works provided you are close enough of course.

So does a rock my friend

 

[Rifleman1776]

I believe it’s loosely referred to as “Swan Shot”. And not the best preforming type of shot to use. There is an interesting thread in this forum on the history of Swan Shot. From the info presented, before 1665 it was just bits cut from lead bars or the like.

Without looking up those old threads, I'll comment on what I have read elsewhere. Swan Shot, as I understand it is molten lead dropped into water from only a short distance. This forms a tear drop shaped shot. When dropped from a high tower the drops round before hitting the water. Yes, when other means were not available, balls were flattened and cut into tiny squares. I'm sure it worked but not as well as what we use today.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

Without looking up those old threads, I'll comment on what I have read elsewhere. Swan Shot, as I understand it is molten lead dropped into water from only a short distance. This forms a tear drop shaped shot. When dropped from a high tower the drops round before hitting the water. Yes, when other means were not available, balls were flattened and cut into tiny squares. I'm sure it worked but not as well as what we use today.

That is actually poorly formed Rupert or drop shot. Swan shot is cast shot of a specific size just like we have no.4 buck, 00, etc.

 

[tenngun]

I didn’t see this threat till today.
I demonstrated this at an event. Taking two .62 ball pounded with my tomahawk then cut in to squares. I’ve not hunted with it but could no doubt work.
Historically I’ve read it was done. However shot was sold at almost all trading post. I bet this was only done as a makeshift.

 

[tenngun]

Without looking up those old threads, I'll comment on what I have read elsewhere. Swan Shot, as I understand it is molten lead dropped into water from only a short distance. This forms a tear drop shaped shot. When dropped from a high tower the drops round before hitting the water. Yes, when other means were not available, balls were flattened and cut into tiny squares. I'm sure it worked but not as well as what we use today.

I don’t know if the tails was important. Swan was listed as a size of shot back to early eighteenth century. Shot was sold as buck,swan,beaver, grouse and partridge and other suck names. Listed as such in trade records

 

[toot]

wasn't molten lead also dropped through a window screen, not the
nylon type but the old copper type into water also to make home made shot, just courious?

 

[cebusey]

Without looking up those old threads, I'll comment on what I have read elsewhere. Swan Shot, as I understand it is molten lead dropped into water from only a short distance. This forms a tear drop shaped shot. When dropped from a high tower the drops round before hitting the water. Yes, when other means were not available, balls were flattened and cut into tiny squares. I'm sure it worked but not as well as what we use today.

At either Jamestown or Roanoke, archeologists uncovered a grave of a young man that was unfortunate enough to have been shot in the knee/or leg and died horribly from infection. They were able to identify and remove a ball and cut shot made from chisel or knife quartered round balls. You maybe able to find the video on youtube. Nasty stuff no matter whether it is modern round cast shot or cut up material.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Does anyone here use homemade cut shot for small game hunting by pounding out lead and cutting it into small pieces? I was reading about some historic uses of this method and want to see if anyone uses this in hunting still.

I have. Pounded a few balls rather flat, then cut it into strips then cut the strips to form cubes.
The stuff REALLY spreads a pattern.... Like 25 yards max, and increasing the amount of pellets didn't help the pattern much.

I have bought swan shot in the past and had better pattern results from that, than the home cut stuff.

LD

 

[Mikekj]

It would be an easier proposition of there was such a thing as lead wire;

Hm. 33 days later and ... crickets?!

I'm gonna take that as a "no."

FWIW, MC, I clicked "watch" for your post, hoping someone with experience would chime in.

It would be an easier proposition of there was such a thing as lead wire; it'd be a lot easier than pounding and then trying to cut pieces reasonably close in size. That got me to thinking: why not use copper wire?

One might salvage cutoffs from electrical work, strip the insulation, then snip it into lengths roughly equivalent to the diameter. Copper would be soft enough to not damage a steel bore (there's lots of solid copper projectile chices out there). Given so much less mass, it might not carry much energy very far. But it would be an interesting experiment.

“It would be an easier proposition of there was such a thing as lead wire”

There is, it’s called solder.

 

[Britsmoothy]

At either Jamestown or Roanoke, archeologists uncovered a grave of a young man that was unfortunate enough to have been shot in the knee/or leg and died horribly from infection. They were able to identify and remove a ball and cut shot made from chisel or knife quartered round balls. You maybe able to find the video on youtube. Nasty stuff no matter whether it is modern round cast shot or cut up material.

 

[Brokennock]

“It would be an easier proposition of there was such a thing as lead wire”

There is, it’s called solder.

They also sell lead wire for use in deep fishing set-ups,,, or at least they used to......

 

[deerstalkert]

lead wire.
https://www.rotometals.com/lead-wire-by-the-foot/

 

[windini]

There is, it’s called solder.

They also sell lead wire for use in deep fishing set-ups

lead wire.
https://www.rotometals.com/lead-wire-by-the-foot/

I learned something here today!