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My single shot journey to 12gauge

John A,~

Like yours my .357-Magnum Handi Rifle has a very long chamber and almost accepts MAXIMUM brass. I considered the reamer idea once but I came up with something else instead. I bought Hornady XTP 180-gr bullets that have TWO cannelures and crimp in the bottom cannelure so the cartridge is just a little bit short of a MAXIMUM. There is a LOT of bullet outside the case.

https://www.hornady.com/bullets/handgun/38-cal-357-180-gr-xtp#!/

Then I load to MAXIMUM data minus about 15% and it really launches them! And I believe I could load these even hotter should I want to.
 
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I've never went that far, but IIRC, just loading a hair long with max charge according to load data with longshot powder, I easily get 1850 fps with 125 Hornady XTP HP's. That's really moving along too.
 
1812.jpeg 0127191759b.jpg 0127191759a.jpg 0127191759.jpg Ok I'm home, pkg was delivered inside 2 nice shiny adapters for,the 12ga. I'm behind on time for days so info, is yes love the adapters. The 12 to 20 is a no brainer, cost 24 bucs. Why ?? Well for me versatility not just a shtf thing, puppy training 20s lower report is a good stepping stone, quail i prefer a 20 small bird. Etc...... Sooo does it work ???? Like a champ its pretty darn good to about 30 yards with just #7s. Heres a couple targets , the destructor hole is,10,yes, theres a 20yd pattern, and a 30yd(serviceable at 30ish but about it) plenty for,small,game. Much to do still, yes I shot the .22mag ;),i giggled, youll have to,wait for that, its interesting.
 
Cut shells ?? 12gauge heard of em before wasnt sure what they was.. Till Mossberg forum last year i think John A. Posted about. Well see this hole, it works, in a pinch il says A big fat YUP that's gonna leave about a 20mm ish mark I dont think much would survive. Just another reason or arrow in the quiver, for the ever adaptable shotgun. I said we aint done much to do with the plain old break barrel.0128191408_20190128170522509.jpg
 
The adapters worked better than I expected they would. Especially at longer distances.

Still looking forward to hearing what you think about creek pebbles. They work about as well as buckshot does. And is actually what my Grandfather said he used when he was a teenager during the depression years.

Couldn't afford buckshot? No problem. Buy some cheaper bird shot, dump the bird shot out and walk down to the creek to find those little white roundish rocks and crush (crimp) the shell back over the top the best you could. (yes that was with paper shells)

Pappaw told me all about it.

And Mammaw told me all about fishing on dry land too. Said wasn't much fish in the river after a while, but those hooks worked as well on dry land as they did in the water.

Thank you Lord for my humble upbringing and blessing me with family that passed stuff on to us younger generation.
 
@John A. Amen to that brother,
i pretty much knew the 20 in a 12 would be good, seen some stuff on that.
When folks fished on they Land much less trespassing.............
And love the cut,shell by the way, thats a nasty lil suprise, with actual potential usage in a bind
 
Heres a couple more from,today. Im done cold I,I have snot sickles, what ya have is a shot with 3" oobuck 12 gauge 15yards very effective, then I put adapter in and tried a 20 gauge 00buck 15 yards couple loose ones but I'm gonna say very effective anyway(may have fliched a lil after the 3" 12? ). Finally i tried may fav for 20 gauge general purpose hunting a #6 at 20yds and in my world that works rite all day long. 0129191127.jpg 0129191124a.jpg 0129191124.jpg
 
Those patterns look better than I thought. I didn't think the short tubes would do near as well as they have.

Looks like you've got some pretty good things to put in your pack.
 
Those patterns look better than I thought. I didn't think the short tubes would do near as well as they have.

Looks like you've got some pretty good things to put in your pack.
Son and I debated extensivley prior to purchase, cost vs just use or buy another gun if ya needed it ?? I'm gonna say 24 bucs well spent at,this point.
 
Braved the chilly a little more , in case ya didnt know it, i hate staying inside since a little boy.
Ok soooo the .22mag adapter for 12gauge. Its a hefty booger. Let me preface no one except me should ever ever put stuff in chambers that aint marked for it period dont ya do it you may die you may cause irreparable damage to,yourself or the atmosphere and cause earth to,die.
I got a 22mag vs the 22lr most trapper types get cause I like more power, AND I NOT YOU can also shoot 22lr through them, yes the,case bulges a lil bit, no YOU should never even consider it.
Heres a target, its a 8inch circle on copy paper with a lil blue dot that I aimed at each time. All shots from 10yds to 40 yds in circle BUT surely not a sniper weapon. So why ???? Well simply 50 22mags is a small box and light about like 3 shotgun shells, whats purpose ?? Originally trapper types toting I gun to dispatch critters limited ability on targets of,opportunity grouse or turkey or even deer etc..... Well a shotgun opens that up but ya still can shoot a teeny hole in an angry bobcat at a few feet and not wreck the hide savvy ?? Also , maybe ya live in New yorkistan and cant have a handgun for your dispatcher while also toting a shotty or,a rifle ??? Follow . maybe you just poor as all heck Appalachian American and 1 gun is all ya ever gonna have.... Who knows.
Or like me just Cause I wanna.
So, see target 2 typical dispatch distance 10yd shots just fine for head shot, moving to 20 yds id hit vitals on most larger mammalians 30 yds flipped ends or me ? But still in vitals, 40 same just right few inches, I think thats about max,range to,hit at consistent. Practice when,warmer some more. Also, tumblers yepper they do, lethal hmmmmm you decide my guess is about 1300fps of 40grn buzzsaw through ya lungs, similar to,say 5.56 at 500 yrs devastation maybe not dramatic, debilitating probably so.
Just more options when foraging per say.0129191412_20190129141422947.jpg
Ymmv
 
There's probably been more animals taken with 22lr than 30-30 and 30-06 combined.
You may be right. What I do know is the 22mag is a very angry dangerous child, its not the darling baby the 22lr is , nor is it the oldest mature big strong all grown centerfire. Its the angry middle child doing crazy stuff for attention, :crazy: beware the lil mag.
 
0131191159.jpg 0131191205.jpg 0131191213.jpg 0131191216.jpg Ok, crazy black powder shooting in the 12gauge comin up.
@John A. As requested well not exactly I have gone creekside for some nice smooth symmetrical stones yet, I,believe they will make a difference. What I did was police up a few granite rocks from,driveway not symmetrical at all but what the heck, lets send em, I shot at 15 yards and target youll see were I circle the rock impacts in and around 8x11 target, pretty big pattern couple landed vital zone , how effective ?? I'm gonna say better than harsh language and yelling I,suppose...
Next, I had culled the nut bolt drawer, hmmm that looks promising and really painful, same target 15 yards I,put lines thru the hits, I believe 6 good hits in vitals.
I,used 100grns blk pwdr substitute, dirty omg nasty see pic, thats just 2 shots and gun was,very clean to start. I scrubbed her up all,good shiny bore again, pics wouldn't come,out to,good sorry. Anyhow fun exercise, I will try some smooth stones and maybe some carpet tacks next ???? I was pondering perhaps doing a grapeshot type packing wrapping the projectiles in some old cloth or,something. Well,see I basically know,what I wanna know already.
 
I bought jug of 777 at walmart last year, mostly for stump removal ;)

It is dirty, but it will work in a pinch. Smokey too.

I had never thought about wrapping the shot. That's a great idea.
 
yes 777 seems dirty BUT I cleans really easy, way easier than actual BP or pyrodex.
Using it,in actual muzzleoading rifle is nice you can get about twice as many shots between cleaning swipes. But in the shoty wow its nasty, the report is strange also, I can't compare to a BP shotgun though ive never fired one ????
 
To be honest, I don't think that I ever have either.

I've fired shot in a BP rifle, but never have used any kind of black powder loads in a shotgun.

I do have a couple of links saved and printed out that converts grains to drams, which you see listed on a lot of boxes of shells. There are a bunch of pictures of old crimpers and stuff that I love researching.

http://www.tbullock.com/bpsg.html

http://www.curtrich.com/bpsubsdummies.html

And one of my favorite sites that cover a lot of material: http://www.cherrytreefamily.com/muzzleloading.htm

Less powder, more lead, shoots far, kills dead.
More powder, less lead, kicks hard, wide spread.
 
0206191234.jpg There was turkey talk over supper yesterday. Momma is insane intense crrtified turkey nut, i am not. I dont really turkey hunt, ive got a couple over the years as targets of,ooportunity and ive put people,where ive seen turkeys,but thats it I dont call,turkey talk turkey any of,that. But it did, stir my thoughts on my new old single boomer ? Given a turkey head at say 40yds ? Will it suffice fixed modified with a plain ole shot shell, I ain't buying 3 dollar turkey loads EVER ! Its a bit hard to,see in picture but theres 12 pellet holes thru,that mini-coke bottle at a measure 40 yards , with a basic 7.5 high speed dove load I have no idea how tough a turkey skull is ?? Need to try this with a #6 , not intersted,in wounded turkey ?? Looks promising though I,wouldnt pass up,the shot.
 
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