whatt about shot

where did the early colonists get shot? At one time I made my own by pounding buck shot flat and cutting it into shot cubes.

 

[Rebel]

You can make your own Swan shot by dropping molten lead off the top of a 2 story house into a barrel of water. You need a taller shot tower to get round shot.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

That is one way. Another is to melt lead and pour through appropiate sieve with relatively short drop into water. It produces shot at a more or less uniform weight. But, more often than not, in crude oval misshapen shapes. Early larger diameter shot was called swan shot, and was nothing like one expects in modern day shot.

I have taken rabbits with small gravel wrapped in corn shuck shot cups, short range only, but effective.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Shot made from a drop-tower of shot-tower wasn't available until about 1769, when it is now thought to have been invented. Prior to that, even small shot could be cast, although Prince Rupert first publicized a version of drop shot as early as 1665. Rupert's shot was made by pouring arsenic-fluxed lead into a colander-like affair mounted a foot or so above a large pan of water. The lead was poured through live coals in the colander and dripped though the holes in the colander and into the water below. Since the lead didn't have the time to create surface tension, the shot was slightly ovoid in cross-section and not round and also had a slight dimple on it's most flattened side. The shot of this type recovered at Fort Michilimackinac varies from about .217" to .078" in diameter and it's thought it may have been screened into various sizes before it was sold or traded. This shot would be fine for short distance at small game or birds but would probably spread too much for pass shooting at wildfowl. :imo:

 

[big bore 75]

If you have a bottom pour pot like lee for example you have to work the lever untill you get a drop at a time and drop the lead drops into a coffee can from about 2 feet the melted lead maks 1/16" long or tear drop shaped peices and is similar to swan shot and is nasty when shot out of a smooth bore, it does make some rather irregular shapes, but beware that they are not consistant in weight. bb75

 

[musketman]

Small round stones will work as shot in a pinch...