thoughts on minishells

[Capybara]

I like 3 1/2" shells for HD.........more lead.

Might possibly be a bit overkill? Literally ;-)

[newbutold]

Might possibly be a bit overkill? Literally ;-)

No such thing in my house.......

[shadowofnight]

100 percent reliable in my 500, using the opsol insert...both firing and cycling.

They ( Aguilla slugs ) sure smack the **** out of popper sized resetting metal targets, lots of energy on target...would use them in a defense situation for sure.

Bought another opsol insert for my 88, but haven't tried it yet.
Have a few more shotguns as well, for full power/length stuff...but the 500 and 88 are dedicated to the mini's.

[Capybara]

Good for you. I have done that very thing except I never use the jello mold. I use pork meat covered with old clothes at justifiable defense distances. Shotgun and my CCW ammo.
It really forces and open mind approach. You may find results surprising and unpredictable. I know I did.

*for apartment dwellers I found turkey loads are very good because of the shared walls.
*bird shot should also be tested. 1 1/8 oz bird shot makes a significant rat hole at apartment distances.

I was very unpleasantly surprised when I did the same tests a few years ago with all of my handguns. The overall conclusion I came to was that compared to rifles or shotguns, the terminal ballistics on 90% of handguns and loads is surprisingly wimpy. Sure, a .45-70, 500 S&W or other big boy cartridge is impressive but the 9mm, .40 and .45 ACP loads that all of us rely on in a CCW pistol, especially when shot out of a 3" barrel, are really inadequate to stop a meth-fueled pissed off banger wanting to remove your head.

I'll always remember shooting my wimpy 9x18 P64 at one of my steel targets from about 15' away and finding the bullet actually lodged into the link in the chain holding up the steel gong. No bullet deformation. At all. I could have reloaded that projectile and shot it again, it looked like I walked up and put it into the chain. Granted, it was a FMJ round and not HP and yes, I know, placement, placement, placement, but it just cracked me up at what the muzzle and terminal energy are for rounds like the .380 ACP and 9x18 Mak, particularly. I read a statistic that something 78-80% of people shot with a handgun survive. Those same numbers with a shotgun or a rifle were MUCH lower. What I like about a shotgun at closer ranges is that you don't really have to worry as much about projectile penetration as a shotgun simply removes sections of its target. I did once dispatch a Coyote at close range with a shotgun, the damage birdshot did at 5' was impressive. Shotgun with #4 buck seems like the way to go to me for HD.

[FeuerFrei]

I was very unpleasantly surprised when I did the same tests a few years ago with all of my handguns. The overall conclusion I came to was that compared to rifles or shotguns, the terminal ballistics on 90% of handguns and loads is surprisingly wimpy. Sure, a .45-70, 500 S&W or other big boy cartridge is impressive but the 9mm, .40 and .45 ACP loads that all of us rely on in a CCW pistol, especially when shot out of a 3" barrel, are really inadequate to stop a meth-fueled pissed off banger wanting to remove your head.

I'll always remember shooting my wimpy 9x18 P64 at one of my steel targets from about 15' away and finding the bullet actually lodged into the link in the chain holding up the steel gong. No bullet deformation. At all. I could have reloaded that projectile and shot it again, it looked like I walked up and put it into the chain. Granted, it was a FMJ round and not HP and yes, I know, placement, placement, placement, but it just cracked me up at what the muzzle and terminal energy are for rounds like the .380 ACP and 9x18 Mak, particularly. I read a statistic that something 78-80% of people shot with a handgun survive. Those same numbers with a shotgun or a rifle were MUCH lower. What I like about a shotgun at closer ranges is that you don't really have to worry as much about projectile penetration as a shotgun simply removes sections of its target. I did once dispatch a Coyote at close range with a shotgun, the damage birdshot did at 5' was impressive. Shotgun with #4 buck seems like the way to go to me for HD.

Let me leave you with a data point I discovered about #4.

I built a couple test walls about 3'X3' and set them apart about 12' and tried the #4 2 3/4.
It went thru the first wall like it was butter and some pellets went thru the second wall, Turkey load failed to go thru the second wall. Same with 1 1/8 oz bird load.
I concluded that the distance between the walls made the difference.

*I don't have to say interior doors are a bad joke.

Good luck with your testing.

[-hanko]

I'd guess mini-shells don't meet the FBI penetration requirements.

"Stopping power" is a nebulous standard, I try to stick with the basics.

[pennstater]

I perfer 2-3/4 for reliability and i really like the 27 pellet #4 loads. If i ever have to use my shotgun for HD I am very confident it will be a one or 2 shot scenario.
Last thing i would want would be less than 100% reliability and weaker ammo.

THIS!^^^^^

MLC

[Dirtlaw]

Mini shells demonstrate the strength of the shotgun platform -- versatility.

[NoHeavyHitter]

Mini shells are the best! Super cheap and easy to load. A local range lets me call in on Sundays (when they shoot lots of skeet) and I volunteer to haul the garbage cans from the lines out to the dumpster in exchange for getting all the free hulls I could ever want.

I use the "all-plastic on the inside" shells. After sizing, depriming, and trimming, I put them in a laundry bag and run them through the wash. They come out looking like brand new since the original crimp gets cut off. I have a set of various length pieces of copper tubing that I use to cut to proper length for which ever load I'm putting together.

I also have a cutter to make my own over-shot cards which is how I keep shot loads contained when using a roll-crimp tool.

I'm surprised that the high cost of short-shells hasn't gotten more people into loading their own...

[FalconLair]

my little OPSol is arriving today and i ordered a 20 round box of minishells, give them a try - 7.5 birdshot, something to have some fun with

only problem is i'll be done after one reload

[wpod]

If I'm using my shotgun to defend my family or myself, I want to stop the threat ASAP.
OO & slugs reside in the mag and on the side-saddle respectively.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[sMp]

Use them in my side by side but not my 590a1.

[crufflers]

I wonder how much energy a Aguila mini-slug has compared to a 2.75" slug and a 3" slug.

[crufflers]

OK, this guy says about half...

[FalconLair]

keep in mind these minishells will never be used by me for home defense - well, i shouldn't say "never" because if im ever in a situation where i need it and its the only thing i can access i won't care what loads i have inside - im sure they can do some damage too

hopefully i've prepared myself in advance of a situation to have access to my designated HD firearm which is my Beretta PX4 and a 17 round magazine but you never know

by all means these minishells are just something to have some fun with in the desert