I've shot enough of these to see EVERY SINGLE THING MENTIONED IN THIS THREAD happen. EXCEPT a burst open split barrel. I've NEVER seen it happen. I and my friends have shot untold numbers of these home made slugs, testing for penetration, testing for accuracy, testing for just how far can you hit anything with one of these things.
You need factory loaded shells so they are sealed closed tight at the end. THE CHEAPEST SHELL WALMART SOLD AT THE TIME always seemed to work best. You need ones with a full length, one piece wad and shot cup. You want to fully cut through the outside plastic of the hull but not cut in to the wad. You want to cut the hull at the exact bottom of the shot cup, so the shot is in the front half and everything else is in the powder end. This will hold it all together a lot better in your pocket or in the gun until you shoot it. You DO NOT need to leave "a little hair of plastic holding both ends together" if you cut in the right place. If the first one falls apart adjust the position of the cut on the rest and remember it. If you leave ANY of the hull connected you increase the risk of it just shooting out the shot like a normal shot gun shell.
I've shot these from every type and choke of shotgun EXCEPT a rifled barrel. It never blew up or damaged any gun barrel. It is a "trick" as old as the hills, prohibition and depression times they were using these.
This is NOT and endorsement or recommendation. It is just plain factual information straight from what I observe as a 20 something along with a couple or three other "kids" who would try and do about anything, especially if the "old man" of the group said he had done it and did it first. He was probably 40 at the time.
Slugs and rifles are better, even a 44 pistol is better, but ducking down in the grass and making one of these is better than watching a coyote go on his merry way like he was king of the valley. It is just something to learn, something to know how, and put it in your trick bag for "some day you might need to know this..." That is all.
You need factory loaded shells so they are sealed closed tight at the end. THE CHEAPEST SHELL WALMART SOLD AT THE TIME always seemed to work best. You need ones with a full length, one piece wad and shot cup. You want to fully cut through the outside plastic of the hull but not cut in to the wad. You want to cut the hull at the exact bottom of the shot cup, so the shot is in the front half and everything else is in the powder end. This will hold it all together a lot better in your pocket or in the gun until you shoot it. You DO NOT need to leave "a little hair of plastic holding both ends together" if you cut in the right place. If the first one falls apart adjust the position of the cut on the rest and remember it. If you leave ANY of the hull connected you increase the risk of it just shooting out the shot like a normal shot gun shell.
I've shot these from every type and choke of shotgun EXCEPT a rifled barrel. It never blew up or damaged any gun barrel. It is a "trick" as old as the hills, prohibition and depression times they were using these.
This is NOT and endorsement or recommendation. It is just plain factual information straight from what I observe as a 20 something along with a couple or three other "kids" who would try and do about anything, especially if the "old man" of the group said he had done it and did it first. He was probably 40 at the time.
Slugs and rifles are better, even a 44 pistol is better, but ducking down in the grass and making one of these is better than watching a coyote go on his merry way like he was king of the valley. It is just something to learn, something to know how, and put it in your trick bag for "some day you might need to know this..." That is all.
