paulvallandigham
Passed On
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2006
- Messages
- 17,537
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MY first venture into shot cups was using 3M Post-it Notes for paper, because of the glue strip on the paper. I used a wood dowel as a mandrill, and wrapped the paper around. leaving the glue strip to be the last, so it would glue the tube shut. I tried one single circumference wrap, and it blew apart in front of the muzzle. I tried wrapping threee complete circumferences around, and created a slug, that put a keyhole through the target at 25 yds, and continues on to break the center leg stand on the 50 yd target aligned with the 25 yd. Target!!! I did not seal the top, but used ordinary OS cards on top of the shot and cup.
So, then I split the difference, and tried a wrap that goes around the circumference TWICE, and that seemed to make the difference. After getting a couple of tighter than expected patterns, I decided on the third round to cut slits in the cup, just like you see in the plastic shotcups used today in modern cartridges. The cuts created petals, which in turn seemed to open up as soon as the cup left the muzzle. The petals became air brakes, and slowed the cup down rather abruptly, releasing the shot to give a more full pattern. The day was getting long, and light failing, so I ended the experiment there. But I think the cup made of paper, or aluminum foil, has to be thick enough to be tough enough to hold together in the barrel and when the cup exits the barrel. I do think that some kind of slits in the cups are needed to release the shot and stop the forward motion of the cup. The length of the slits apparently have some correlation to how dense a pattern you shoot.
I was using a dry cushion wad in the bottom of the cup to help it hold its shape, and push the shot. I know the cushion wad weighs too much, and that was part of the problem with my cups traveling too far down range. The first one went beyond the 25 yd. target.
I can split a cushion wad in 1/2 or 1/3s and try that and probably will, since I have a large supply of cushion wads. I also intend to try just an OP wad, and then a couple ( 3 or 4) OS cards in the bottom of the paper cup. I like the idea of a hard, smooth surface pushing the shot out of the barrel. I will need to use a 20 ga. card in my 12 gauge load. Possibly a 16 gauge card would be better, but I will see. I used 20 ga. components in the cup development and they seemed to work okay.
I also think its important to trim the cup to the top of the level of the shot charge you are using, so that no part of the cup folds over the top of the column. Use an OS card to keep the load in the barrel. Trimming the cup at the muzzle seems to be rather easy to do, even with two layers of paper that need to be torn or cut. A good patch knife does the job without a thought.
If i can get modified patterns using a paper shotcup out of my cylinder bore shotgun, I will be very pleased. With a modified performance, I can take birds out to 35 yards, without a worry that I am going to unnecessarily cripple a bird. If by chance I get even tighter patterns, and can take birds out to 40 yards, that would be more than I ever hoped to achieve. I am quite willing to pass on longer shots. I have made them, but stretching the gun doesn't seem to me to be very ethical.
So, then I split the difference, and tried a wrap that goes around the circumference TWICE, and that seemed to make the difference. After getting a couple of tighter than expected patterns, I decided on the third round to cut slits in the cup, just like you see in the plastic shotcups used today in modern cartridges. The cuts created petals, which in turn seemed to open up as soon as the cup left the muzzle. The petals became air brakes, and slowed the cup down rather abruptly, releasing the shot to give a more full pattern. The day was getting long, and light failing, so I ended the experiment there. But I think the cup made of paper, or aluminum foil, has to be thick enough to be tough enough to hold together in the barrel and when the cup exits the barrel. I do think that some kind of slits in the cups are needed to release the shot and stop the forward motion of the cup. The length of the slits apparently have some correlation to how dense a pattern you shoot.
I was using a dry cushion wad in the bottom of the cup to help it hold its shape, and push the shot. I know the cushion wad weighs too much, and that was part of the problem with my cups traveling too far down range. The first one went beyond the 25 yd. target.
I can split a cushion wad in 1/2 or 1/3s and try that and probably will, since I have a large supply of cushion wads. I also intend to try just an OP wad, and then a couple ( 3 or 4) OS cards in the bottom of the paper cup. I like the idea of a hard, smooth surface pushing the shot out of the barrel. I will need to use a 20 ga. card in my 12 gauge load. Possibly a 16 gauge card would be better, but I will see. I used 20 ga. components in the cup development and they seemed to work okay.
I also think its important to trim the cup to the top of the level of the shot charge you are using, so that no part of the cup folds over the top of the column. Use an OS card to keep the load in the barrel. Trimming the cup at the muzzle seems to be rather easy to do, even with two layers of paper that need to be torn or cut. A good patch knife does the job without a thought.
If i can get modified patterns using a paper shotcup out of my cylinder bore shotgun, I will be very pleased. With a modified performance, I can take birds out to 35 yards, without a worry that I am going to unnecessarily cripple a bird. If by chance I get even tighter patterns, and can take birds out to 40 yards, that would be more than I ever hoped to achieve. I am quite willing to pass on longer shots. I have made them, but stretching the gun doesn't seem to me to be very ethical.
