Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns 38 special and 45 colt shotshell loads

Does anyone do this? If so, could you share your load data and results? Looking to use fiber wads over powder and a metal cap piece since the Speer shotcups are so hard to find now.

Thanks
Mickey

I've not done it with either of the mentioned rounds (I do use speer shotshells with 357's), but I have done something close with 10mm.

On all my shotshell loads, I've used a low weight of the powder....I don't know if there's a standard. With the 10mm I used very thin cover on top of the powder, added shot, then used another thin piece of the same cover with a touch of glue to top the shot. I used empty brass to cut the cardboard for fitting. It worked well patterning at very close range and I killed several rats with the 10mm loads. This was done with a 10mm revolver. The biggest problem I had was loaded rounds in the cylinder sometimes lose the top piece of cardboard from recoil of the shots being fired. The metal cap you mentioned might prevent this, but I'd be hesitant to shoot the same piece of metal cap through the bore....

Some details in both the links below:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt..._Reloading_shot_no_capsule_i#Post4194771

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...48166/varmint-hunting-10mm-redneck-style

Thanks...enjoyed the post. That will help get me started. I'm thinking of using 6 shot, but also have 7.5 and 5 shot as well so I will be experimenting.

Mickey

I use a wad over the powder, fill with #12 shot and crimp a gas check on top for my 38.

I don’t load shot for the 38’s or the 45’s….but I have a suggestion, if you want to avoid using the plastic shot capsule….yet want the maximum possible amount of shot. I prefer “not” to use the plastic shot capsule when loading shot cartridges for my 460 S&W…..I use 444 Marlin Mag brass which is just a bit shorter than my 460 cylinder.


Obtain a case for a longer chambered cartridge, ie….a .357 mag or a .357 Maximum case for the 38, and a 454 Casull or 460 S&W case for the 45 LC.

It requires a few extra steps and a little ingenuity, but IMO worthwhile…..as most folks don’t shoot that many handgun shot shells.

Process: make certain that the case is just a bit shorter than the cylinder overall length …..case mouth is near the end of cylinder throat. To fully chamber the long case, the case end must be reduced in diameter to clear the cylinder throat. This requires a somewhat smaller diameter sizing die that the cartridge you’re loading for. In my situation, I use a 44 mag sizing die to “bottleneck” the case a bit. You do this in incremental steps until you can get the case to fully chamber….then make a stop to place between the shell holder and the die base. This will assure “bottleneck” consistently and speed future loading.

Once your cases are “bottlenecked” you may load your case with whatever method you prefer/chose. In my 460 S&W, I use a plastic shot cup for a 2 1/2” 410 shot shell which gives me a full 1/2 ounce of shot (#8) …..duplicating a 2 1/2” 410 shot shell!

I use a 44 caliber gas check, inverted over the shot with a slight crimp to hold in place and then seal the end of the case. I’ve used hot glue (a PITA) but will probably use candle wax with my next bunch loaded! memtb

These were loads on a chart I have on my bench. Bottom says Blount Inc, I guess that is CCI now.

38/.357: Unique, 5.5 gr, HP-38 4.5 gr, Bullseye 4.5 gr,, W231 5 gr.

It says for #9 shot, but not how much. I have some notes that says the finer the shot the better, but #12 is hard to come by unless you buy a whole 25 # bag. I take a few dove loads shotgun shells that are #7.5 or 8 shot, cut them open, and used that. The finer the shot,the more dense the pattern, but if you hot rod the load patterns get very erratic

Before shot capsules came about the typical method was load the powder, seat a gas check, load the shot, seat another gas check up side down and crimp lightly. A target would show the shot and two holes from the gas check.

I don't have 45 colt data,but here is 44 mag. Maybe back off 1 or 1/2 gr

Unique 6.8 gr, W231 7.3 gr Bullseye 6 gr, HP38 6 gr.

I use to load 45-70 shot for the occasional grouse when elk hunting

I don't have the powder load noted, but I wrapped the thickness of a std 3x 5 card around a .410 shot cup with the crimped ends cut off. This slid down into a 45-70 case all the way to the powder, Fill the cup with shot and seat a 1/8" thick disco of cork on top.Crimp lightly and seat with canning paraffin. I think a similar method would work for a 45 Colt since the diameter is close.

As Saddlesore mentioned, smaller shot is recommended. If you can't find # 10 or #12 shot, then go with the # 7½ shot, or # 8, if you have some. . I have made shot shells for .45 Colt, .44 Mag., and .41 Mag, using #10 shot. I bought a 25 lb. bag about 40 years ago and still have a bunch of it. I've given some to several friends who wanted to make their own handgun shotshells. We've all got good patterns with the smaller shot, from 6" barrels and 4" barrels. Worked just fine against close up rattlesnakes, field mice, and a couple of blue grouse. I've had consistent patterns in those listed calibers with 7 grs. to 8 grs. of Unique.

I do not load .357/.38 shotshells as the factory shotshells are more convenient.

Be sure and pattern at least three of your loads so you know where the shot will hit at whatever distance you think you might need them. I pattern at four to eight feet.

FWIW,

L.W.

Thanks to all for your responses. Good info. Think I'll now start with the smaller shot!

+10 on using smaller shot, if, for snakes. #10 or 12. Much more effective on snakes at the distance shot shells are good for.

I also try to stay away from using gas checks, & punch cut disc for the top wad out of milk carton or similar material. Sometimes if the payload hits something hard it tends to bounce straight back. And when that happens, gas checks hurt.

Here’s a photo showing the pattern @ 25 feet using my 8 3/8” 460 S&W with #8 shot. Yes, I have a larger shot capacity….but, this is what is possible when a plastic shot cup helps contain the shot! This can’t be done with the 38/357, as to my knowledge there is not something that can be substituted for the plastic shot cup! Though, with your 45 LC, you could use a shortened cup for a 2 1/2” 410.

Sorry for the poor picture quality…..but a close look will show the holes from the shot, and the gas check! I’m pretty happy with the pattern density….considering it’s a handgun! memtb

DocRocket puts together a great 45 Colt load that I have shot. IIRC it is a bit of work but really performs. Maybe he will chime in.

Many years ago I loaded some of the Speer .38 caliber shot caps, but I rarely carry a .38/.357 in the woods anymore, so I haven't loaded any of the shot caps for a long time.

In the late '70s I started carrying a 7 1/2" Ruger SBH in the woods and I made some shotshells for it. I make cylinder length cases for them by modifying .303 Brittish or .30-40 Krag shells.
My load is 7.6 grains of Unique, a .410 shot cup, cut off to fit in the case, filled with just under 1/2 ounce of # 7 1/2 shot, and topped with a heavy paper wad cut with a large 3-ring binder hole punch. After pressing the top wad down on the shot, I secure it with a drop of clear fingernail polish.

The cases are straight walled until they are first fired, then they are bottleneck that matches the inside of the revolver cylinder.

To resize them after firing, I bought a .44 mag shot size/deprime die from RCBS.

Shooting them give about an 18" diameter pattern at 10 yards, and they are good enough to break Station 8 Skeet targets. I have not used one on a snake yet, but they would be deadly at 4-5'.

The place I get my gas checks from has the stuff to make shotshells. They have fiber overshot and undershot wads for many cartridges. I like the fiber undershot with an aluminum check crimped in for an overshot. I get them from sages outdoors.

Bb

Same here when I lived in snake county. Except I used whatever small shot I had on hand, usually 8s or 9s.

Thanks for the tip on Sages. Will get the kit for .32 cal for my Single 7 when it's back in stock.

I got my supply of #12 by buying a couple of boxes of Rio 12ga shotshells, about $5.00 a box, some years back. Good luck finding those now, but lots of people probably have some odd Skeet loads with #9. I have the Speer capsules and the #12s really saturate the target at snakey distances.

.445 Supermag cases, .410 shot cup trimmed to length, overshot wad cut from business card material, powder charge from Speer manual, fill the shot to near the top, add the overshot wad and add a small amount of caulk or RTV. Swaged down the front of the case a bit so they fit into the chamber throats; first time with a 7x57 sizer die, after the first firing I use a 10mm die on the "neck". I push the shoulder back enough to fit in .44 Special. You should be able to do similar for .45 with modified .444 Marlin brass and for .38 with .357 maximum brass. I'm pretty sure I got the idea from DocRocket.



I doubt they hold more than the Speer capsules pictured, but are less fragile.

tag

Lots of good info in this old thread:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/6386432/2QUOTE=Ferrum;13268293

I load 38 Special with #8 shot, cardboard wads from Track of the Wolf and Titegroup powder. After priming the case put in 3.2 gr of Titegroup, place a wad and push in with right size punch firmly against the powder, fill the case almost full with shot, approx 100 grains, then place another wad on top firmly against the shot and crimp it. You can make your own wad out of thin cardboard and punch it out with empty 38 shell. I tested it at 10 yards and most of the shot was on 8x11 sheet of paper.