Bob R
Single-Sixer
Well I have been wanting a shot shells load for my 480 Ruger for the last year. Well I finally did something about it. A little research came up with some basic information on loading shot shells without Speer Shot Capsules. The first issue was finding a source for cards to put over the powder, and also over the shot. I did a little looking on the computer and did not find anything I thought would work. I got to thinking. I have some fairly large leather punches in my leather working box. Sure enough I had one that looked like it would punch a wad just under .500. Next for some Card Stock. A Dixie Paper plate looked like it would work. The Dixie plate made cards .012 thick. They ended up a hair larger in Diameter than I thought. They measured .510. Next was powder. I decided to try Clays. A charge of 5 grains looked like a good place to start.
I primed the Speer 480 Ruger cases with WW Large Pistol Primers.
Next I charged the cases with 5 grains of Clays.
Next I placed 4 each card wads over the powder one at a time. This was reduced to 3 cards for the second batch.
I next added #9 shot to a point about .100 from the top of the case mouth.
I then placed a single card wad on top of the shot. I made sure to press the sides of the card down so that brass case was visible all the way around the card.
Last a bead of super glue was applied around the edge of the over shot card.
The 480 shot shell load with 5 grains of Clays held 170 grains of #9 shot.
For Comparison a 38 Speer Shot Capsule will only hold 100 grains. A 44 Shot Capsule will hold 135 grains, and the 45 Colt Shot Capsule will hold 153 grains.
I tryed a second loading with 4 grains of Clays. This load held 180 grains of shot, or 225 pellets.
How did it work? Great
At 10 feet my first shot trashed a pop can.
I did some testing, leaving one shot shell in the Ruger Super RedHawk cylinder for 3 shotshell firings, and also 4 of my all purpose Summer Plinking loads. 7 grains of Unique under a 400 grain Lee. No problem with the over shot card.
No trace of the super glue after firing either.
I made up a loading tool this afternoon using a 3/8 Dowel Rod section about 6 Inches long. I added a 40 S&W case to one end of the dowel. I epoxy and pinned the case to the dowel. This worked out fine for seating the Card Wads.
I loaded another 26 rounds for some pattern testing tomorrow.
Bob
I primed the Speer 480 Ruger cases with WW Large Pistol Primers.
Next I charged the cases with 5 grains of Clays.
Next I placed 4 each card wads over the powder one at a time. This was reduced to 3 cards for the second batch.
I next added #9 shot to a point about .100 from the top of the case mouth.
I then placed a single card wad on top of the shot. I made sure to press the sides of the card down so that brass case was visible all the way around the card.
Last a bead of super glue was applied around the edge of the over shot card.
The 480 shot shell load with 5 grains of Clays held 170 grains of #9 shot.
For Comparison a 38 Speer Shot Capsule will only hold 100 grains. A 44 Shot Capsule will hold 135 grains, and the 45 Colt Shot Capsule will hold 153 grains.
I tryed a second loading with 4 grains of Clays. This load held 180 grains of shot, or 225 pellets.
How did it work? Great
At 10 feet my first shot trashed a pop can.
I did some testing, leaving one shot shell in the Ruger Super RedHawk cylinder for 3 shotshell firings, and also 4 of my all purpose Summer Plinking loads. 7 grains of Unique under a 400 grain Lee. No problem with the over shot card.
No trace of the super glue after firing either.
I made up a loading tool this afternoon using a 3/8 Dowel Rod section about 6 Inches long. I added a 40 S&W case to one end of the dowel. I epoxy and pinned the case to the dowel. This worked out fine for seating the Card Wads.
I loaded another 26 rounds for some pattern testing tomorrow.
Bob