Shooting shot

[Hangfire]

Is it possible to shoot shot out of a rifled barrel?

 

[capt_turk]

It's possible, but you won't get any kind of decent pattern at more than a few feet. The rifling causes the pattern to open up into a doughnut shape with in short distance.

 

[Hangfire]

Thanks Capt. And I'm sure the rate of twist would have a lot to do with how fast it opens up the shot pattern. Just curious and thought there was no harm in asking.

 

[Rifleman1776]

It's possible, but you won't get any kind of decent pattern at more than a few feet. The rifling causes the pattern to open up into a doughnut shape with in short distance.

Have you tested this?
I know shot from capsules in my .44 mag. pistol give a dognut shaped pattern but I always attributed that to the plug at the end of the capsule.
BTW, on snakes I aim at the center of the body and get 'em back and head that way.

 

[Grandpa Ron]

It was a fun thing to try, I took a 410 shot cup, shot and overshot card and fired it out of my 45.cal long rifle with a fairly light charge.

At about 15 ft. It had a crescent shaped pattern that looked like an outhouse moon. I figure it was telling me what the idea was worth. :grin:

 

[BrownBear]

I figure it was telling me what the idea was worth. :grin:

Ayup!

I'm fond of retelling about the time I found myself mid-stride with a rattler between my feet, coiled, peed off, and trying to decide which leg to strike. I was carrying a 357 with three rounds of Speer 38 Special shot loads followed by heavy bear rounds. Popped off all three shot loads at the snake. Didn't hit the snake and didn't hit my feet, and the snake left in disgust. Head popped him then with one of the bear loads, then skinned him to confirm zero hits with the shot loads while assuring dinner that night.

Had about the same results with all my shot load trials in both modern and muzzleloading rifled arms. You shoot once and get a pattern that builds your hopes, then shoot the same combo again with entirely different results. About as consistent as a politician's promises.

 

[Joel/Calgary]

I tried shot in my Pedersoli .50 flinter with 1:48" twist and fairly shallow rifling (~.005"). 3/4oz of #7.5 shot in a paper cartridge over something like 35-45gr of FFFg (can't remember exactly) gave even patterns, not doughnuts, but very fast opening - maybe 10 to at most 15yds maximum effective range, depending on the target. The remains of the paper cartridges were consistently sliced longitudinally by the edges of the lands, so they opened reliably without affecting the pattern, even though they were tied closed above and below the shot. The paper still seemed to prevent (noticeable) leading in my limited testing. From what others have said, a slower twist should give somewhat tighter patterns, but they'll still be opening up quite fast.

Regards,
Joel

 

[Rifleman1776]

Rattler? :shocked2: I thought all you had in Alaska were those invisible ice snakes. :wink:

 

[BrownBear]

Rattler? :shocked2: I thought all you had in Alaska were those invisible ice snakes. :wink:

Grew up in the desert, and thankfully no snakes waiting in Alaska. I'll take the bears over snakes any day. :grin:

 

[Hawgeye]

+1 :thumbsup:

 

[Dphar]

Is it possible to shoot shot out of a rifled barrel?

Yes. But it requires a fairly heavy shot charge and a moderate (for a shotgun) powder charge. In slow twist barrels a 54 should kill a grouse to 20 yards but pattern testing/load adjustment is a must and it may never do this well. I have only tried it in a rifled pistol 66 twist. Did fairly well to 15-20 yards.
Since a good shot should be able to shoot a grouse in the head at 20 yards with a ball the usefulness of shooting shot is questionable.

Dan

 

[Dphar]

It's possible, but you won't get any kind of decent pattern at more than a few feet. The rifling causes the pattern to open up into a doughnut shape with in short distance.

Have you tested this?
I know shot from capsules in my .44 mag. pistol give a dognut shaped pattern but I always attributed that to the plug at the end of the capsule.
BTW, on snakes I aim at the center of the body and get 'em back and head that way.

A 44 pistol has a far faster twist than the typical RB rifle, something like 16 or 20".

Dan

 

[Stonevievneilson]

G'day all,
Is it possible ( not sure about safe) if your rifle has a patent breech, to insert a metal sleeve to make it a smooth bore? It would have to be a snug fit, some how not damage the rifling, and then there would be a problem of how to make it stay there when you pulled the trigger. I am thinking of something that would be removable. Just a thought.
Jonno