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I was browsing the latest edition of the Double Gun Journal and noticed an adverisement in the back pages for shot shells loaded with cubic shot. I have seen theee for sale before but never purchased any.

I found an article in the 1973 Gun Digest that discueed cubic shot and other"brush loads" that is an interesting reference on the subject.

I recaived an email response from the advertiser, who says he will mail me pricing and shipping information. The good news is that he claims to have 16 gauge shells in 2 3/4 and 2 1/2" lengths available.

I will post pricing when I receive it from the seller.

Cubic shot is a very old idea stemming from necessity. Back before shot towers were common, finer shot sizes were cut from lead ribbons, bars or wire and rolled into balls. Unrolled shot was used for very close in shooting. This was also before the concept of choke was well developed.

Some firms still offer cubic shot for the same purpose today. However, it is unpredictable and therefore, unreliable IMO. A well designed and properly used spreader insert will give much more predictable and reliable results in a modern full choked shotgun.

Joined: 19 Feb 2008 Posts: 443

Cubic shot can't be any worse than the stuff Thinman shoots and his homemade crap shoots just fine. How, I do not know. I shake my head every time he opens a shell from his bag to show me and then pulls two more out and busts everything in sight.

sv

Thin man has some mysterious force working for him. He can do a lot of stuff that defys the laws of nature and physics. Laughing

Member Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 665 Location: Louisiana

Along with Danmark's(?) cubic shot, I have used the old Orvis disc shaped shot as well as paper Winchester and Remington "brush" and "scatter" loads.
The cubic shot is, IMO, entirely unpredictable and the Orvis disc shaped payload isn't any better. Just junk in the field.
The older Rem. and Win. factory loads were useable and Lutz published an article in Handloader Digest several years ago titled "Controlling the Spreader Load" which gave particulars for reloading facotry clones.
Jay Menefee's Polywad Spreader is the only product I know of that will give useful and predictable results and the posting on this site by Mike Campbell gave precise instructions as to how to maximize the spreader's usefullness.
Try it, you'll like it.

Amen Brother Woodcock. I guess common sense is still fairly common in your neck of the woods. Very Happy

All righty then. I won't bother anyone with the results of what I find out regarding these shells. Thanks for the advice..

Hey, LongRanger,

I've got an open mind and would love to know what you find out, especially your personal experience. I've used polywad spreader discs, X-stream inserts, and even pieces or plastic straws in hopes of getting a good pattern with tightly choked guns. Haven't tried the cubic shot but will await your report.
Some of us don't know it all.

Jeff

Member Joined: 27 Oct 2006 Posts: 161 Location: New Mexico

I was in high school in 1973, and wore out that copy of Gun Digest. I remember the article on square shot.

The 73' edition was orange and had a bighorn sheep on the cover.

Can't remember a thing about school though. Very Happy

Sure you do Slim. You probabaly remember how you hated some of it, just like I did. Laughing

The problem with public education is that it is too damned public for a dumbass like me. Very Happy

don't use cubic or flattened disc shot on live game, I have used both and have experienced chewed up flesh way beyond what is experienced with round shot, in particular feather draw (small feathers pulled into the wound) with the odd shaped shot is horrific.

While Polywad and X-stream inserts don't always yield perfect pattern distribution expermentation has shown me they work well enough and I have paired them with nickel silver shot and gotten good effects in thick grouse cover with low to nonexistent feather draw.

Guest

Just a hint about the polywads, first pick a load that patterns well in your gun in the first place. Follow the directions on the polywad package, don't just assume you can add the polywad without any alterations to the existing load.

The other item that will mess up the patterns when using 16 ga spreaders is trying to open anything less than a .015 choke. With that little amount of choke the spreaders do their job too well. The spreaders were meant to open .020 and tighter chokes. Although I have had good luck with my .010 (I/C) Briley choked 1100. I like shooting short range clay rabbit targets with a 1 oz. spreader load of 9's going about 1300.

Member Joined: 28 Oct 2005 Posts: 665 Location: Louisiana

I would invite those of you who wish to pursue spreader load effectiveness to review Mike Campbell's post of July 10, 2008. Mike has provided pictures and commentary that, I believe, will allow reloaders to craft truly effective, consistent spreader loads.

Guest

Yes Mike had some good ideas that worked, that is a good source for info.