Author Topic: .44 cap and ball for wing shooting!? (Read 1090 times)

Whizzz · « **on:** February 18, 2004, 12:17:52 AM »

Just to throw the cat among the pigeons...

I have always wondered whether it would be possible to load a .44 Cap and Ball with birdshot (load and shot similar to .410 shotgun round) and use it for wing shooting. I assume the rifling will be an issue and barrel length vs loss of power and accuracy could also be a problem.

Is it at all feasible!?

MOGorilla · « **Reply #1 on:** February 18, 2004, 02:09:09 AM »

I remember shooting shot in .22s when I was a kid. We had it for snakes. Tore the bore up pretty bad.

Dalton Masterson · « **Reply #2 on:** February 18, 2004, 04:16:58 AM »

the packaging on wonder wads have instructions using #9 shot and wonderwads as under and overshot wads. I havent' tried it though. DM

Dan Chamberlain · « **Reply #3 on:** February 18, 2004, 09:24:32 AM »

I don't believe wonder wads would sustain the shot in unfired chambers. Recoil would cause the shot and wads to move forward. If you could cut an over the shot card similar to the kind used in shotguns, it would be better, but those tend to move as well. Still and all, I can't imagine enough performance out of a .44 caliber chamber short of a Walker, that would permit wing shooting at anything larger than a dragonfly.

Dan C

Dalton Masterson · « **Reply #4 on:** February 18, 2004, 09:37:17 AM »

I do tend to agree with you on the wonder wads moving in the chamber. Same with the dragonfly!

DM

Ramrod · « **Reply #5 on:** February 18, 2004, 12:07:56 PM »

I did this a long time ago when I had a Walker, I tied the shot up in liitle cloth bags and used about a half charge (25-30 grains in that cannon). I would have used wads over the shot if I had heard of them then. Not very effective but I did kill a sparrow on the wing with it. Fun experiment anyway.

Blackhawk44 · « **Reply #6 on:** February 18, 2004, 02:01:36 PM »

Having made shot loads for a number of handguns, you learn to measure range in feet, not yards. The spinning shot load creates a hole in the center of the pattern that only gets larger with range. 15-18ft of range for any type of "pattern" is about it, makes no difference whether cap n ball or Speer shot capsule.

Will52100 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 18, 2004, 02:34:30 PM »

Tried it once with a 60 army just to see what would happen. Loaded 30 grains of powder with a wonder wad, took apart a shot shell to get the #9 shot and filled the chamber with shoot and covered with anouther wonder wad.

The wads in the other chambers didn't move, but there wasn't much range and like was said they scatered a good bit and rang is measured in feet.

More of a curiosity than anything.

Gatofeo · « **Reply #8 on:** February 19, 2004, 05:51:30 PM »

I tried No. 9 shot with Wonder Wads in my 1858 Remington a couple of summers ago.
Not a success.
As stated, the shot pattern is doughnut shaped. Patterns are atrocious. I tried it against a 4X4 foot piece of plywood, beginning at 25 yards.
The shot was literally all over the board.
Then I moved closer, about 15 yards. Shot pattern was likely three feet in diameter; it was hard to tell with the previous shot in it.
One thing was certain: penetration was poor. Many of the pellets were stuck only halfway in the plywood. The sheet looked like it had pimples.
So I moved to within 7 yards.
BAD MISTAKE!
Some of the shot bounced back and peppered me.
END OF EXPERIMENT.
I wasn't hurt by the shot, just startled. One of the shot ticked my eyeglass (good reason to wear shooting glasses whenever you shoot ANY firearm).
I decided that loading any cap and ball revolver with shot was nearly useless unless you wanted to kill mice at very close range, without regard to damage.
I've also tried shot loads in my 1851 Navy in .36 caliber. Such a small amount of shot could be fitted in the cylinder that it was nearly useless.
Smith & Wesson recently introduced the .50 caliber revolver.
Now, if someone introduced a .58-caliber cap and ball revolver, with a cylinder about 4 inches long, THEN you could probably get enough powder and shot into the thing to make it feasible.
But frankly, if you want to shoot shot in a black powder pistol, I'd suggest a single shot. Revolvers, by nature of their design, limit the amount of shot and powder that could be placed in them.
I should think that a reproduction Deringer, such as the one used to kill President Lincoln, might be useful at very close range against snakes, mice, rats and such.
I'd rather leave the snakes alone, they keep the mice and rats down for me much better than a load of shot.

MOGorilla · « **Reply #9 on:** February 20, 2004, 02:17:50 AM »

I have one of those New Orleans Pistols from Classic Arms. It was my first Kit gun. They aren't great shooters, in fact the one I have no longer has the ability to remain at half cock. A couple years ago, I loaded 20 grains bp, a 44 wad (the pistol is ~.41 if I remember, long time since I had ball/patch for it.), and then 2 .32 balls and some bbs, followed by another wad. I would never recommend anyone doing this, but it was an impressive short range weapon. In the future, I would probably put a stiff card in the load as well, if I ever get that crazy bug again.

The Shrink · « **Reply #10 on:** February 25, 2004, 01:22:52 AM »

Whizz

Get a LeMat! I got a 20ga shotgun barrel as a cylinder pin. Designed for larger shot, though. Only once did I shoot it loaded with BB's. They bounced back from 15 yards and stung! Not one on the target, either.

Wayne