Question about Shotshell development for Survival

S

Smash05

Joined
Jul 16, 2007
Messages
1,794
Normally when I walk into the woods armed, it is with a GP100 in 357mag. Now, I am normally loaded to deal with two and four legged predators, but lately have been giving more thought to general survival purposes, knowing that this particular revolver is quite flexible. I was wondering if developing a #6 birdshot load for small game would be worthwhile? As of now I throw a box of 148gr wadcutters in the bag as a general low velocity load - wondering if I can do better. The traditional Rat Shot loads from CCI probably aren't enough. I have my own reloading tools, and a local shop also works up loads for people on request - so its a matter of either going over there or doing it myself. Thoughts?
 
I would not waste the time. Any small game you run across in a survival situation can be easily dispatched with an accurate revolver. Your 148 grain wadcutters are perfect for this.
 
Mannlicher said:
I would not waste the time. Any small game you run across in a survival situation can be easily dispatched with an accurate revolver. Your 148 grain wadcutters are perfect for this.
Click to expand...

I concur - the payload of shot is too small and limits both range and the size of game you can harvest. I've used .38/.357, .44 Special and .45 Colt shotshells. .44/.45 are marginal at 12-15', .38/.357 was pointless as anything other than something to amaze your buddies with at hand-thrown clays...


blake
 
I agree.At the range a shot shell would be effective,it would be just as easy to make an accurate shot on small game with a wadcutter.The shot shells are good for snakes,especially in the water from a boat.
 
I went through such load development myself, but forget the actual recipe I used. In any case, perhaps a "snake load" is worth considering. basically, load a small powder charge and seat a vegetable-fibre wad card over it (I cut my own by hammering a sharpened empty casing into the material to cut the discs). Then, use #9 or #12 shot and cap it with a 000 lead round ball. The round ball sides will be sliced off as it is pressed into the case. IIRC, you end up with about a 70gr. solid projectile, which will engage the rifling grooves accompanied by the birdshot. I only used this load to kill 1 snake and punch some paper, so I cannot speak for its effectiveness on other game.
 
Handgun shotshells are OK for snakes, and that's about it. I spent the good part of a grouse season trying to bag a ruffie with my Thompson/Center Contender with a 10" .410 barrel and failed. I managed to hit four of 25 clay birds at the skeet field with that set-up, and that's a much more substantial load than you could come up with for a wheelgun, for sure. I'd hate to try to keep myself fed with a .357 and shot loads!!!!

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
I played around with the same idea many years ago and could never get the pattern needed to take small game at a reasonable distance. If the accuracy is good, the 148 gr. wadcutters should do well on small game.
 
The GP100 is a tack driver, so I will stick with the 148 wad cutters as the survival load, with the 158gr loads for woods defense.
 
.38 shotshells won't do as much as people think they'll do. You can buy a dozen in a flat plastic pack from CCI, just to try them out. I think you'll find they have an abysmally short effective range ( around 10 feet?) due to the rifling spinning the shot pattern so much that it dissipates into a rapidly expanding donut shaped pattern.

For small game, you will want low(?)powered soft lead bullets with the biggest flat on the nose you can get (full wadcutters, or semi-wadcutters). These don't put any appreciable wear on your barrel, and are the preferred ammo for my .38 Game effect is excellent.


Only difference is, I have tended over the years towards +p .38 lead reloads for all revolver uses. I have almost completely forsaken .357 ammo for casual hunting and shooting chores. I suppose that makes my Model 19 into a good approximation of a 6-shot 9mm!

CHEERS
 
Just doesn't seem worth it the more I look at it. You would ideally want larger shot for small game. If you can't really get that, than it is not really worth it. I wonder how 130grain practice loads would do on small game.
 
I would think that the a light RNL (I've seen 90 grain cast RNL in loading manuals) may be even better than the wadcutter for slipping through a bunny or other small game without tearing it to pieces.
 
Lighter weight bullets will tend to shoot low. This shouldn't present too much of a problem. Just be sure to sight in with whatever your preferred hunting ammo turns out to be.
 
reconranger said:
If you must feed yourself with a revolver, .22 cal is the way to go!
Click to expand...

The issue is carrying one revolver into the woods for all purposes. I 357mag with 158gr sp's is great for defending against a Bear attack, but would absolutely shread a rabbit if I needed to shoot one to survive. I think it is largely moot as I doubt I would need to hunt to survive withing the first 72 hours of a survival situation - but it never hurts to be prepared. The 357Magnum revolver is quite flexible, and the purpose of this thread was to meat out exactly how useful it might be in the wilds.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top