480 Ruger Shotshells

[Viper225]

I have been thinking about constructing a shotshell load for the 480 Ruger for the last year. Today I got further than thinking. I had read an article on using fabricated card wads to construct the shotshells for a 44 magnum.
I got the old mic out and did some checking. I had a leather punch that looked like it would punch out .500 wads. This looked like just what the doctor ordered. I punched out a few wads from some Dixie paper plates. They are .012 thick, and ended up being .510 in diameter. Just about perfect. Note Card Stock is .010, so the paper plate was a hair thicker.
I primed the Speer cases with Winchester Large Pistol Primers.
My first load I used 5.0 grains of Clays for the charge.
I placed 4 card wads over the powder charge one at a time using a 38 Special shell case to get the wad started straight, then tamping it home with a large allen wrench. (I will make a tool for this using a 38 case with a dowel rod inside it, and a handle).
After placing the 4 card wads over the powder charge I added enough #9 shot to fill the case leaving .100 space above the over shot card wad.
I checked the shot weight, and it was app 170 grains.
I tested the first shell on a coke can at app 6 feet.
The test gun was a 7.5 Inch Barrel Ruger Super RedHawk.
Examining the can it looked like the shot charge had impacted in approximately a 2" diameter area, destroying the center of the can. Way better than I had expected.
I then loaded a second round and this time shot a 16 oz water bottle at approximately 10 feet. The bottle was DOA also.
My findings are that one better take aim at close range on snakes, or you may miss them.
I then loaded up 4 more rounds for further testing, and super glued the over shot card in place.
I then did a little playing with Quick Load. I manually entered a 170 grain lead bullet (as close as I could get to the shot charge) seated to .75. Looked like around 1150 fps with no pressure issues. I dropped the charge to 4.0 grains of Clays, and upped the shot charge to 180 grains. This brought the speed down to around 1000 fps.
I loaded 4 rounds with this recipe for testing tomorrow. The shot charge ended up being a hair under 180 grains, or 225 pieces of #9 Shot.
For comparison a Speer 38 Shot Capsule holds 100 grains, a 44 Shot Capsule holds 135 grains, and a 45 Colt Shot Capsule holds 153 grains.

My Findings so far:
The shotshells using card wads seem to hold a better pattern than the Plastic Shot Capsules.
You can write the shot size on the over shot card. This could be handy to keep track of which shells are for hunting, and which are for snakes.

My next round of testing will see if firing my Summer Plinking Load, a 400 grain Lee over 7.0 grains of Unique will blow the over shot card, dumping the shot. I also need to check the pattern on paper to get a real handle on the shot pattern size at different distances.

So Far We are Looking Good!

Bob

[GP100man]

Try 2 cards to open your pattern qwiker . Or even 1 ??

I do the same thing except I get a 357 max case to chamber in a 357mag , much better patterns & no worries of the capsule breakin.

I seal by puttin a little crimp on then waterproof carpenters glue .

I know ya don`t wanna hear this ,but check your local laws `bout hunting with "short" barreled shot guns !

I had to be the legal beagle type & ask my DNR officer , glad I did though , he said shootin snakes OK, hunting was a BIG NO-NO, but still could`nt show me where it said it ,just that a handgun hunt needed to meet the criteria stated in the hand book.

[Viper225]

Snakes would be my main target with shot shells. In my neck of the woods we have CopperHeads, Cotton Mouth's, Timber Rattlers, and Pigmy Rattlers.
I have heard rumors that our state DRN has traded Turkeys for some kind of Rattlers also. I am hoping this was just a made up story. I would hate to think we have anyone working at DRN who my tax dollars are paying that is that simple. In my opinion if we had no poison snakes it would suit me fine.

I will need to adjust the number of over powder cards, and see how that impacts pattern size.
What are you using for cards? One article I was reading they were using Foam To-Go Boxes to make the cards out of. The paper plates seem to be working fine.

Bob

[Magnum Wheel Man]

might try something like this...

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=170807

I've been duplicating 3" .410 shells with 444 Marlin cases...

I was using over shot cards, but wanted something else instead of glueing the overshot cards, & I wanted something I could slip a couple in my pocket & not worry about them coming apart...

I think you'll find the 28 ga might fit in your .480 ??? I was using the nitro cards for over the powder, & a standard overshot card, but found that if I used a Nitro card also as an overshot card a standard roll crimp held the card nicely with no need for glue