In my early '60's "NRA Illustrated Shotgun Handbook" is a reprint of a late-'50's/early-'60's test of cut shells using birdshot standard and magnum loads.
The loads were pressure tested by H.P. White Labs. Results were lower pressure, wider velocity variation, and very misshappen patterns at longer range, plus poor sealing resulting in gas/particles hitting shooter's faces.
Also, several times during testing, the the forward part of the shell casing stuck in the chamber preventing the next shell from being chambered. This prompted warnings that such could happen in the forcing cone or choke, thereby creating a bore obstruction.
Most of which has already been mentioned in this thread, BUT the pressure/velocity data was done due to concerns of higher pressure from heavier total payload being moved down-bore, but the shells were so inefficient from poor sealing that this turned out to not be the case.
Many years ago P.O.Ackley conducted a test with a .270 pressure gun. He first fired a normal load with the normal 150 grain .277" bullet and recorded pressures.
He then opened the chamber throat and fired the same powder load with 150 grain 7mm bullets.
Then went to .308, .311, .323, and finally .358" 150 grain bullets, all over the same powder charge and noted very little difference in pressure, for the most part the oversize bullets produced lower pressures. He concluded that so long as the chamber neck and throat are large enough to freely accept the round it makes no difference if the bullet is well over bore size.
Well I'm impressed. Beats filling them with wax that gets all over your shotgun.
Really that is a nice neat entrance hole to the post.
yeah I was impressed as well, especially since it was from 30 yards away!
Cant wait till spring now gophers will be fun with cheap slugs!
You could always just stop being cheap and get into reloading already.
That being said though shotshell reloading is a pain compared to brass.
I dont think I could reload shot shells for less than $23/100rnds
My costs are slightly lower than that. But I'm getting a top quality target load not the Wal-Mart crap.
Start loading buckshot and slugs, and you'll be saving big time.
big time in indeed!
just reloaded 100 cast slugs for $25 and 100 cast "00 buck" for $20 + my time + press cost ($65) + casting mold cost ($30 slug + $70 buck)




























