Drip shot?

[uglybluejeep]

I know this is a newbie question, but what is 'drip shot' and what is it used for?

 

[jtmattison]

It's made by dripping molten lead into water to make shot. It looks like teardrops with little tails. It is used in smoothbores just like regular birdshot.

HD

 

[trent/OH]

The Bevel Brothers did a two-piece article in February and March Muzzle Blasts on the history and manufacturing of drip shot. It's an interesting read and will certainly turn you off of any ideas of building a shot tower. Lugging lead 200 feet into a tower, melting it, mixing it with arsenic.... I think I'll pass.

 

[tg]

I suspect that anything of the sort in the past was an attempt to copy the Rupert shot process, which if not done properly will leave the tail which many erroniously call Swan shot,lots of people play around with making shot there are probably sources online for guidence if you wish to try.

 

[paulvallandigham]

If you google "lead shot making machine", you can find a site that offers a drip shot making machine you can buy and use at home. They offer different screen sizes for making different size shot pellets.

If you make your own, you will find the shot will be rounder, and fly better( giving better patterns) if you take the cooled down pellets and put them in a case tumbler, or case vibrator, to knock around against each other for an hour or two. That will also make the pellets more uniformly round, and of similar size. Then, screen the pellets for sizing.

 

[musketman]

If you google "lead shot making machine", you can find a site that offers a drip shot making machine you can buy and use at home. They offer different screen sizes for making different size shot pellets.

That would be the Littleton Shot Maker.

Littleton Shot Maker Web Site

 

[Many Klatch]

I intend to give that a try at the Lore of the Laughery. I have the copper to make the "colander" and I'll be melting lead to cast ball, so I'll have the hot lead, all I'll need is the bucket full of water.

Many Klatch

 

[Joel/Calgary]

I intend to give that a try at the Lore of the Laughery. I have the copper to make the "colander" and I'll be melting lead to cast ball, so I'll have the hot lead, all I'll need is the bucket full of water.

And the charcoal! Everything I've read about making Rupert shot says you need it to keep both the lead and the "colander" hot enough. Hmm... when you're done running shot, you could cook lunch. :rotf:

Will you be trying the shot making with pure lead, or will you have some with some antimony in it for the surface tension? It will certainly be interesting to hear how it goes.

Joel