Shot loads in .54 pistol?

shurshot · July 18, 2009, 07:40 AM

Does anyone have experience using shot loads in a .54 pistol? I'm wondering if there is a plastic shot cup (28 ga?) that will fit in my Lyman Plains pistol barrel, or am I going to have to use wads/cardboad with 1/2 ounce or 7/8 ounce of birdshot.? I'm thinking with a short bbl and no choke, this would throw a pretty wide pattern, but at 10 yards or so, might be an effective small game load. Has anyone tried this with a rifled .54 pistol?

Hawg · July 18, 2009, 01:18 PM

It'll probably do ok up to 10 feet or so. The shot will follow the rifling and the pattern will be donut shaped with a hole in the middle. The pattern(and hole) will get progressively bigger the farther it goes.

simonkenton · July 18, 2009, 06:56 PM

I have tried #12 ratshot in the .50 TC Hawken.
My goal was to bust the demonic carpenter bee.
Mr. Carpenter Bee wanted to eat my log cabin.
This load was gang busters up to 25 feet.
But, as was stated, the load gripped the rifling, and fired in a donut pattern.
Good around the edges and a big hole in the middle.
But, at 25 feet or less it is murder on carpenter bees.

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July 18, 2009, 07:40 AM	#1
shurshot Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2006 Posts: 1,819	Shot loads in .54 pistol? Does anyone have experience using shot loads in a .54 pistol? I'm wondering if there is a plastic shot cup (28 ga?) that will fit in my Lyman Plains pistol barrel, or am I going to have to use wads/cardboad with 1/2 ounce or 7/8 ounce of birdshot.? I'm thinking with a short bbl and no choke, this would throw a pretty wide pattern, but at 10 yards or so, might be an effective small game load. Has anyone tried this with a rifled .54 pistol?

July 18, 2009, 01:18 PM	#2
Hawg Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2007 Location: Mississippi Posts: 16,188	It'll probably do ok up to 10 feet or so. The shot will follow the rifling and the pattern will be donut shaped with a hole in the middle. The pattern(and hole) will get progressively bigger the farther it goes.

July 18, 2009, 06:56 PM	#3
simonkenton Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Posts: 891	I have tried #12 ratshot in the .50 TC Hawken. My goal was to bust the demonic carpenter bee. Mr. Carpenter Bee wanted to eat my log cabin. This load was gang busters up to 25 feet. But, as was stated, the load gripped the rifling, and fired in a donut pattern. Good around the edges and a big hole in the middle. But, at 25 feet or less it is murder on carpenter bees.