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While some of you banter results over on the "summary" thread I shot something!

Earlier comments exchanged today got me thinking.... I didn't think Magnum grade shot showed expansion in my experience.... But I had to know!

I soaked a couple of phone books for a minimal paper test to see if more testing might be warranted.

I chose West Coast "Magnum" 8's are they were a nice round and even lot. I loaded them to 1205fps at 3ft.

At 20 yards impact Lyman says the velocity is 850fps. Penetration was 2.3" deep. Maximum "trauma" (un-scientific biggest hole in wet paper diameter) measured .150" and was 1/4" deep.

No measurable frontal area pellet change (expansion) was found. Although these were core samples of the total pattern pellet setback damage was noted.

Here is a sample of pellets extracted.

At 40 yards impact Lyman says the impact velocity is 660fps. Penetration was 1.75" deep. Maximum "trauma" measured .110" and was 5/16" deep.

No measurable frontal area change (expansion) was found. Although these were core samples of the total pattern pellet setback damage was found even at 40 yards!! Guess all the shot with flat spots isn't flyers???

Here's a sample of 40 yard pellets..

The small shot "trauma" cone is miniscule in wet paper as compared to bullets; even pistol bullets... Maybe bigger shot will display more. This is good substantiation of why multiple hits are need with our shotgun for good results.

Woodcock's comment on bone hits being the cause of expansion I agree with. It seems this limited paper test bears this out as well.

Hope this is of some interest to you.

Slidehammer

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

Well, thank you 'hammer but the observations were made by others and only remembered by me Embarassed

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I would observe however that the deformation in the shot pictured is the result (also from other's data) of setback that occurs upon firing. It is a myth that we 'shoot' round pellets. We LOAD round pellets, some of which remain round upon firing, many of which do not.
Some years ago Shooting Sportsman magazine ran an article depicting a device for determing the antimony content of shot. The device used a steel piston (8oz.?) dropped from a specified height onto a pellet and the resulting change in pellet size was measured, compared to a chart and the percent of antimony was thus revealed.
The upshot of all this is that it took surprising force to deform shot, even if only lightly alloyed with antimony-----flesh doesn't seem to provide enough resistance.
Additionally I would surmise, and I believe your observations bear this out, that out of round shot is not the anathema many believe it to be. Try reclaimed shot, many may be pleasantly surprised both with your scores and the price.

By the way. 7's are the bee's knee's Wink

Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 728

Anyone who has taken a careful look at the non uniform shapes of Hevi Shot and patterned it knows that just because it isn't a perfect sphere doesn't mean it can't fly straight. Air resistance applied to uneven surfaces of an object in flight can provide directional stabilty.