Premade shot cups/cartridges, how to.

[Newtire]

BN, I should have not said “weigh >” My thinking was the larger shot would take up more room in the volume measure thus creating air space where as the smaller shot would pack closer together.

By weight they would be the same, not so sure about by volume.

Does 70 grns of fg by volume measure the same as 70 grns of ffffg?
The weights the same, but...
I’ll know tomorrow.. lol

I'd say, 2f is the granulation for most shotgun loading- given your shotgun is between 20 gauge and 10 gauge.

You for sure are going to get a higher weight with a smaller shot size or finer granulation of powder when measuring by volume.
This is why you should take your gun out and shoot it.
The "square load" (equal volume shot and powder) is a good place to start from. I have used this method in loading 1 to 1-1/8oz. loads. Heavier than that, I have not tried.

 

[fred45]

When I hunt with my 20 gauge smoothbore I use home made "speed loaders" instead of trying to fumble with shot bags, fiber wads and whatnot. Since I'm a cheapskate I wanted to use something that wouldn't cost me much if anything when making the speed loaders. I wanted to be able to use the container as the wadding as well. I came up with using pages from old phone books, rolled similarly to the ones in the OP's photos. I merely start at one corner, roll up the paper on a dowel (I think its half inch or5/8). I use a kids glue stick to seal the ends. I then pinch off the middle of the tube, fold it over and glue the middle shut. This then makes a two chamber affair that I then put powder in one end, and shot in the other. I simply fold over the ends and glue them shut then fold the thing in half and glue it together. When afield I just tear open the end with the powder, dump it down the pipe, tear off the paper that held the powder crumple it up and shove it down the bore over the powder. It tamps flat easily since its thin paper. A couple crumples over the powder. then tear and pour shot. Then one piece crumpled over the shot and I'm good to go. These loads do not donut on the patterning board and work well. Best of all they cost nearly nothing to make.

Can we get a picture of the double chamber thing please that is just what I am looking for

 

[Brokennock]

This is 2 oz of #6 compared to 2 ozs of BB’s.

Lead vs Steel but shown for comparison..

I took these pics around 3 years ago when I was “experimenting” with paper shot cartridges.

My findings were they weren’t reliable due too “slugging”, this was using brown paper bags . Others mileage may vary.

I note in your photo that the leading end of your cartridge is still closed. I load the folded end of mine 1st, then, when the top of the shot load is about even with the end of the muzzle, I cut off the twisted end. This, and not sealing anything more than the bottom folds has seemed to prevent slugging.

 

[Adam Daub]

In my smoothbore for turkey I use a powder measure. 85 grains of 2f and 2 measures full of shot. And small game I use one measure of shot. It's not a science. But it works for me

 

[Brokennock]

Because the thread is now a sticky I'm going to ask that all of the future posts here deal only with making pre made shot cups.
If you have questions or comments about things other than making shot cups, please put them in a different post.

In my smoothbore for turkey I use a powder measure. 85 grains of 2f and 2 measures full of shot. And small game I use one measure of shot. It's not a science. But it works for me

 

[sonnyboy]

I wonder if you leave a tail on the wad that would slow down the cup a bit an not stay together like a slug at the target. Shotgun wads have slices down their sides which open like wings after the shot column is launched for so many yards . follow shotgun wad thinking. make half the base a solid cup an scissor slits in half that will fold back after launched. I bet by lengthening the slits you can adjust the pattern yardage....................sonny

 

[sonnyboy]

form the solid cup with a solid base, the sides slit like a modern shotshell, insert with a bullet starter to get the cup into the bore/open, spill in the shot an a thin overshot card on top making it a paper version of the modern shotgun wad.................sonny

 

[Brokennock]

form the solid cup with a solid base, the sides slit like a modern shotshell, insert with a bullet starter to get the cup into the bore/open, spill in the shot an a thin overshot card on top making it a paper version of the modern shotgun wad.................sonny

Tried both. Of your paper copies of plastic cups years ago, no better pattern than what these deliver.
Don't want to have to pour loose shot in the field.
Have loaded them with the twisted and tied end down, leaving the strings longer. It did offer some improvement, but only if loaded over a small nest of shredded tow/sisal, and placed on said wad after all wads were seated on the powder.

 

[sonnyboy]

Did you use paper to make your shot cups? or cereal box cardboard cups??. If paper rips you might gain nothing, but the padding of the shot helped it. If the shot could stay in a cardboard cup it would have to be tighter downrange. Heck, shotguns use plastic wads not paper or cardboard. I bet if there was something stronger that wouldn't melt from the explosion of powder, it would really be a super long barreled shotgun

 

[sonnyboy]

I hunt turkeys an would like to use my smoothies, but my calling sucks an I like to eat them turkeys. I am with you......unless our open bore smoothies can be tightened up to shoot 35 yards or so, I use my Remington turkey gun........sonny

 

[Brokennock]

Did you use paper to make your shot cups? or cereal box cardboard cups??.

Did you read the o.p.?

I call pretty well. But, insurance is good.

 

[Eterry]

In my smoothbore for turkey I use a powder measure. 85 grains of 2f and 2 measures full of shot. And small game I use one measure of shot. It's not a science. But it works for me

If my math is right, that's 2 3/8 ounces of shot! Dang, my buddy has a 4 bore and only uses 2 ounces of shot.
I bet it kills on one end, maimes on the other...

 

[toot]

this is great, it should be made into a STICKIE!

 

[Zonie]

It already is a STICKIE. That's why it is at the top of the index page and never moves.

 

[Brokennock]

this is great, it should be made into a STICKIE!

Thank you