Shotshells for handguns?

[The SoCal Gunner]

Here is a question I read from another gun owner asking about the opinion ofCCI shotshells that are made for handguns. The CCI website shows that they produce these shotshells for most of the mainstream handgun calibers. With the Taurus line of revolvers which accept shotshells as well as pistol ammunition being illegal to own in CA, how does using shotshells for a 9mm or .40s&w make a regular handgun any different?

[N6ATF]

Not sure I understand the setup.

It's not firing a single projectile, it's firing many? Highly unlikely lethality to humans, possible lethality to small animals, from what I've read.

[CSACANNONEER]

I've used shotshells in semi's and, while they do work, they typically don't have enough power to eject the spent casing. So, you have to manually work the action for each shot. I'm not following what you said about revolvers. It is legal to use shotshells in regular revolvers and it would be the type of handgun that I recommend shooting shotshells from. I've killed many a buzzworm with shotshells fired from my SP101. BTW, it is easy to make/load your own shotshells (using Speers plastic shot capsules) and brings the cost down to about $10/50.

[The SoCal Gunner]

The Taurus Judge for example is considered a short barreled shotgun by CA law. What makes a regular handgun, that can use the CCI shotshells, different than the Taurus Judge? Is the Judge considered a short barreled shotgun because it was specifically designed to use a shotshell?

[JawBone]

Is the Judge considered a short barreled shotgun because it was specifically designed to use a shotshell?

Yes.

It is because of the way the PC12020 is worded:

(c) (1) As used in this section, a "short-barreled shotgun" means any of the following:

(A) A firearm which is designed or redesigned to fire a fixed shotgun shell and having a barrel or barrels of less than 18 inches in length...

[N6ATF]

http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=339001

gstewart
guest


Joined: 12 Sep 2007
Posts: 1

Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:30 pm Post subject:

Here is a link to the new Taurus Judge. It say's the barrell is rifled?

http://www.taurususa.com/video/taurus-theJudge-video.cfm

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hagfan72
guest


Joined: 14 Apr 2007
Posts: 121
Location: deer trail, co
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:10 pm Post subject:

Yes, the barrel is rifled. OTherwise, it would be an illegally short shotgun. ALso, they claim the rifling helps to open the .410 pattern faster for close quarters shooting.

[mike100]

I do remember buying some 38 spl snakeshot cartridges back in the 90's from local gunshops. They are less powerful than the original handgun cartridge though. I suppose you could use it in a lever action carbine..not sure about those things..good question.

[pnkssbtz]

The Taurs Judge takes .410 shot shells. That is why its a short barrelled shotgun.

The .410 is a DESIGNED to be a shotgun shell, and the Taurus Judge was designed to shoot it.

Taking a regular pistol cartridge and converting it to fire shot is not the same as designing/converting the gun to take a shot gun cartridge.

[maxicon]

ALso, they claim the rifling helps to open the .410 pattern faster for close quarters shooting.

Heh! It's not like the pattern needs help opening up. I've shot .410 from derringers, and at 7 yards, you're lucky to get them all on the paper with a full-size silhouette target. The total energy of a .410 load is good, but the energy in individual birdshot pellets is extremely low. Buck's better, but you only get 4-5 pellets. A slug would do OK, but at that point, you might as well be shooting .45 LC, where the powder's designed for a short barrel - a shotgun shell is going to have a lot of the powder burning outside the short barrel.

As for regular pistol shotshells, I've shot a good number of them from handguns in a bunch of calibers, and I consider them to be pretty close to worthless. They'd probably work fine for lizards, small snakes, swarms of bees, and such at very close ranges, but the spread is extreme, energy per pellet is tiny, and they generally don't cycle semi-autos.

[krim]

The Box o Truth does shotshells.

[Bobula]

Have bought some in .40, wouldn't penetrate 1/8 inch aluminum sheet at 5 yards....

[ibanezfoo]

Theres a youtube video of some kids up for a Darwin award shooting each other with pistol shot shells. Unfortunately they don't die.

-Bryan

[N6ATF]

Good evidence to back up what some have only said.

Link?

[ivanimal]

. BTW, it is easy to make/load your own shotshells (using Speers plastic shot capsules) and brings the cost down to about $10/50.

I have done this for 357 magnum loads with great success. the hardest part is finding the small shot. Larger shot works but not as well.

[CSACANNONEER]

I have done this for 357 magnum loads with great success. the hardest part is finding the small shot. Larger shot works but not as well.

I've used #9s and never had a problem. I was at a commercial bullet casters shop a couple years ago and he gave me about 5lbs of #10s. So that's what I've been using lately. I've never had a problem with shotshells not doing what I need them to do - dispatching snakes at < 10'.