You WERE going to run some to see how they functioned, correct?
If it were me I would use the "loose" ones to test. Load one and fire and see if all goes well--I think it will. Then do a mag dump and see how it goes. Or not... With the scarcity of shorty slugs, maybe one is enough?
The same happened to me a few years ago with a couple cases of Russian "close out" birdshot, buck and slug shorties. Rather than repost all the pics etc. (if I can even find them
) that I posted when I got them, I will link to a post that I could find. *** for some reason it is not letting me create a LINK so the url/html follows***
https://mossbergowners.com/forum/index.php?threads/aquila-mini-shells.20710/#post-294528
I thought I had done a more thorough write-up on those but couldn't find the post...
Anyhow, a number of the Russian slugs had come loose in the box, like your shipment. As none were lost from the package, I put them back in the couple boxes/25 that had let them escape, alternating orientation as from the factory, put a little tape to make the boxes secure, then put them into inventory. I didn't think or even check that the slugs may have come loose but I didn't notice anything out of wack or damage from floating around in the box. (I'm sitting here envisioning you shaking EVERY shell to see if it is loose!
)
Anyanyhow, I'm fairly certain I did a mag dump out of the 500 (w/Opsol) at the range and didn't have any issues. That having NOT checked to see if the slugs were loose in the shell. I suppose I would have noticed if the shell was internally rattling like you did, but I didn't (notice). I do NOT think they will post ANY kind of issue but I'm not 100%, either.
Think of the dynamics as you pull the trigger: primer ignites the powder, powder expands as it burns pressurizing the contents of the shell expanding the hull so it seals in the chamber and pushing the slug and cup behind it towards the point of least resistance which is the muzzle. By that time, I think the cup will have stabilized the slug and the slug will NOT have skewed in the bore. Unless they slipped a 16 or 20ga in there by mistake...
My shells came from St. Pete, btw (FL not RU
). I'm in the Daytona area. I think somebody had posted a "deals" link and I bought probably 500 of the various flavors (shot, buck and slug). They came to me in within days.