Revolver shotshells

[Mike8623]

I'm looking for info on loading shotshells for the s&w 500 50 magnum. Anyone load shotshells for one of these or any other revolver, pistol, etc? Looking for info on where to buy the components to load these.

Any info would be appreciated.

 

[bozo699]

Try this

Pistol Shotload Kits

Reloading wad kits for making your own pistol shotloads. Great for varmit and snake control.

www.sagesoutdoors.com

Wayne

 

[Bowhunter41]

Thanks for posting this info

 

[Hipshoot]

I have made my own using Bullseye (takes up little space in the case), #9 shot .

Powder first, copper gas check, shot and soft wax gas check over the top.

.38, ,357, 45 Acp/AR and .45 Colt (long)

Shoots ringed groups due to the rifling. have to hold off to get better hits.

Hip

 

[brokeasajoke]

I cut my own cards from a slightly flared case that has a good chamfer and a arbor press. Powder, over powder card/wad of your choice, shot of your choice, then card glued in place with elmers. Not for the 500 but all the others from 38/357, 44-40, 44 mag/spl and even single shot 9mm. I have considered lee liquid alox on the shot to possibly reduce leading. If I find a good thick piece of paste board that's a little thicker than a quality paper plate I hang on to it for this purpose. Ballistic products is also a good source of cards, wads and whatever else you may need. Track of the wolf has fiber wads as well.

 

[ISS]

Powder then gascheck open side up, then shot, then gascheck open side down, then crimp. Need enough shot to fill at case mouth.

 

[jds holler]

Card wad and Elmers at the case mouth sounds like a pain, but it's not. I'd trust it over a gas-check, and it's very easy and quick with about an hour dry time.

I've been loading .410 shells in brass cases (with shot cups) for awhile now with good success, and gonna do it with standard cases with cut-off crimps. jd

 

[brokeasajoke]

Card wad and Elmers at the case mouth sounds like a pain, but it's not. I'd trust it over a gas-check, and it's very easy and quick with about an hour dry time.

I've been loading .410 shells in brass cases for awhile (with shot cups) for awhile now with good success, and gonna do it with standard cases with cut-off crimps. jd

What shot cups are you using? Not to hijack the thread. I'm using claybuster 410 wads over an over powder card then card on top.

 

[jds holler]

What shot cups are you using? Not to hijack the thread. I'm using claybuster 410 wads over an over powder card then card on top.

I'm using the 1/2 oz Claybusters or knock-offs of them so far. I've also got Remingtons, and I think Feds in my box of stuff. I got a big box of 410 cast-off stuff at a gunshow for peanuts. -- primed cases, wads, of several types, new empties, once fired empties--
jd

 

[k260]

The castboolits forum has a section dedicated to pistol shot shell loads, lots of good info.

 

[shoot&brew]

Where do you guys get load data for shotshells?

 

[big5ifty]

This was done with .44 Mag, same principle for your 500. The nice thing is these are robust, if you drop them you don't have shot and powder all over.

44 mag Snake Shot

 

[brokeasajoke]

Where do you guys get load data for shotshells?

Speer used to list it in their capsule boxes but SLOW is your friend as you get less doughnut/ring effect from the rifling. I normally use titegroup and W231 even in my 410 all brass cases. Crimped gas check on top is probably the most robust and reliable method but elmers glue on top of the over shot card works pretty good and cheap. Crimped gas check may help with complete and cleaner burns as this is the biggest draw back I've seen with titegroup especially in the all brass 410 cases

 

[ebb]

Cast Boolits

This is the dedicated cast bullet forum!

castboolits.gunloads.com

 

[philip brousseau]

I bought a bag of 444 marlin brass to use to make sort of a garden gun loads to use in a beretta folding 410.

 

[Fuj]

Be advised.....Had an issue in a .357 that tied the pistol up huge.
Shot quite a few loaded Speer capsules some time back with good
results, but.....I let one loose, and could not rotate the cylinder on
the follow up shot. One of the capsules in another chamber broke
and spilled it's shot. Never used capsules after that......In a Ruger
Black Hawk convertable, I made a spare cylinder to accept cut down
30/30 brass and using cards and #9 shot. Used WW231

 

[Walt Krafft]

I was using factory shot cartridges in a 38 and a capsule moved forward under recoil and locked the gun up. I might have been loading a combination of shot and jhp ammo. Way too many years ago. Be aware it may be a problem.

 

[brokeasajoke]

One thing about the new Speer capsule material compared to the old, is it is less ridged and brittle but harder to seat (easier to mushroom). I recommend personally to not size the fired cases for Speer capsules (new material). The new material is much more flexible. I have both styles. They do make mylar wraps for shot if leading is a concern.

 

[Kittitas George]

For 38/357 I used 38 cases, powder, gas check, with the open side up, #9 shot, gas check down, slight crimp, then seal with melted wax. From the back of a horse, a snake will be stone cold dead, not even a wiggle. It was more than 50 years ago I loaded these, I don't remember the recipe, shot capsules weren't available and I still have an almost full box of gas checks.

 

[358WCF]

Not up to date on all the options for your 500, but you said any other revolver.

There's an article on making shotshells for pistols in the 11th edition Handloaders Digest (fleabay may have it for a few $$) that I used for 44 shotshells made from either 30-40 Krag or 303 Brit cases trimmed, rims reduced-diameter & thickness, & fireformed. They're full cylinder length (slight bottleneck) & use 410 wads cut to length. Been using #8 lead shot & they're flat nasty at 10-15 feet. No over powder wad has been needed with the 410 wads & the top is sealed with thin cardboard & 5 min. epoxy. A hammer & an old 44 case with primer hole drilled out, sharpened with a DBT works nicely for making top wads. Thinking about trying 45ACP from 308 brass someday.

Without the wads leading was pretty bad after 20 forming shots. A Lewis lead remover saved a lot of work.

Without a lathe the brass was fairly ugly & a PITA to make on a valve grinder, but it lasts forever. These are low pressure loads. Powder charge is ~8gr of Unique & the shot weighs around 150gr. if I remember right.

A few years back I scored some 445 Super Mag brass & the planets aligned. They're suitable for both 44 Mag & Special w/o trimming. Thinking a 41 Mag sizer was used for the small bottleneck. Still have the original batch of converted brass, but it's buried at the back of the shelf.

I wonder if something like 348 Winchester or 450 NE brass with the rims reduced might work for your 500?