I need to preface this with "DO NOT ATTEMPT" plus "IF YOU ATTEMPT TO SHOOT THIS LOAD YOU ARE STUPID".

While growing up during the late thirties and the forties several people in our neck of the woods used what was an effective but dangerous shotgun deer load. Using low base shotgun shells containing shot designed to take quail, dove, squirrel and simular game, hunters desiring to take deer illegally would cut the paper shell almost entirely into leaving only a thread holding the forward half and rear half of the shell together. When fired the forward half containing the shot pellets would all be propelled out the muzzle and more often than not remain together until it hit the target. This created a slug containing paper pellets and sometimes the wadding bewtween powder and pellets. I only knew of one shotgun that falied to handle this load. The front 6 inches of the muzzle was split in several places and curled outward. Luckily no damage occured to the shooter. It worked and deer hit with this load usually died quickly and was consumed by family members of the hunter. Is there nothing beyond the limits of what some gun nuts will try? I couldn't tell any difference in the taste of the meat.

I need to preface this with "DO NOT ATTEMPT" plus "IF YOU ATTEMPT TO SHOOT THIS LOAD YOU ARE STUPID".

While growing up during the late thirties and the forties several people in our neck of the woods used what was an effective but dangerous shotgun deer load. Using low base shotgun shells containing shot designed to take quail, dove, squirrel and simular game, hunters desiring to take deer illegally would cut the paper shell almost entirely into leaving only a thread holding the forward half and rear half of the shell together. When fired the forward half containing the shot pellets would all be propelled out the muzzle and more often than not remain together until it hit the target. This created a slug containing paper pellets and sometimes the wadding bewtween powder and pellets. I only knew of one shotgun that falied to handle this load. The front 6 inches of the muzzle was split in several places and curled outward. Luckily no damage occured to the shooter. It worked and deer hit with this load usually died quickly and was consumed by family members of the hunter. Is there nothing beyond the limits of what some gun nuts will try? I couldn't tell any difference in the taste of the meat.

Wish I could remember the American rifleman issue...belive it was the late 1950's...were they tested "cut shells" (which is what we always called them).

Tested for pressure, they wre sure it would rate much higher. Turned out not to be as drastic an increase as they predicted although i do rember there being more of an increase in the old extra-full choked guns of that time. Their guess at the time was the sudden and immediate increase in volume.

So far as i know, no data on doing this with modern plastic shells...this bit of tom-foolishness seemed to die out with paper shells....don't think it would be a wise thing to do.

Was a time when I was at Nichols State university (Thibodaux,LA) and discovered the bound copies of the American Rifleman during a study session....certainly didn't do my grades much good, but over the years there belive I went through each issue.

back in the 1950's, the American rifleman still did actual testing....things like the "Cut shells" or the filed0tip-GI-ball load....or pulling 30-06 ball and seating the bullet backwards. Stuff that they wouldn't dare test today without facing a raft of fainting lawyers.

Our favorite was to empty the shot and replace it with splitshot sinkers with string crimped on. My brother once took a deer with a glass marble in a 20ga shot cup range at 20ft. The cut shell was used in our family but most often it was from a coach gun aka from the window. In other words a single shot with around a 16inch lopped off bbl (no choke) Most often back then the family would set up wire snares and turn the farms dogs loose in the swamp, this was productive. Whole kernal corn on a short piece of fish line and a #10 hook provided us with partridge often. Though back then the .22 Whippet single shot filled the larder more often than any other. This family savior heirloom is still in use. My father bought it in a church sale during the depression for two hard earned dollars along with a box of shells. Far as the filed GI ball is concerned, that I would not do as I got a 8X57 given to me with 4 jackets stuck in the bbl from that I drove them out and the rifle was not hurt (amazing), I have loaded the fmj backwards and it worked well. I have heard of folks squirting glue in with the shot before cutting a shell also, never tried it myself. Back in the thirties and forties in Michigans Upper Peninsula a lot of folks got by anyway they could and taught their children the different ways of surviving and I have taught my children these things though they may never need it, passing down lore from one generation to the next is the best thing you can teach your family. Nowadays the corn and a snelled hook will still take partridge if you are a mind to. Remember that and you have two things to do with your fishing gear. Good luck.

Nowadays the corn and a snelled hook will still take partridge if you are a mind to. Remember that and you have two things to do with your fishing gear. Good luck.

My Dad taught me the same trick w/ the corn on a hook. When I was a kid and learning to cast, I was so bad that the hook usually ended up in the trees where only a bird could get it anyway.

Thats called 'ringing' a shell. Should only be used in an emergency when you have no other choice.

An older fellow, long dead, told me this story. He said that during WWII they coudn't get slugs for deer. According to him, they took the barrel off an old .45 and poured it full of lead. They would then pound it out of the pistol barrel and saw it into slugs for the .410. They would pour out the shot and replace it with these home made "slugs"
His job, as he was too young to join the Army, was to keep the larded full. He said the recoil varied with the length of the slug.

Our favorite was to empty the shot and replace it with splitshot sinkers with string crimped on. My brother once took a deer with a glass marble in a 20ga shot cup range at 20ft. The cut shell was used in our family but most often it was from a coach gun aka from the window. In other words a single shot with around a 16inch lopped off bbl (no choke) Most often back then the family would set up wire snares and turn the farms dogs loose in the swamp, this was productive. Whole kernal corn on a short piece of fish line and a #10 hook provided us with partridge often. Though back then the .22 Whippet single shot filled the larder more often than any other. This family savior heirloom is still in use. My father bought it in a church sale during the depression for two hard earned dollars along with a box of shells. Far as the filed GI ball is concerned, that I would not do as I got a 8X57 given to me with 4 jackets stuck in the bbl from that I drove them out and the rifle was not hurt (amazing), I have loaded the fmj backwards and it worked well. I have heard of folks squirting glue in with the shot before cutting a shell also, never tried it myself. Back in the thirties and forties in Michigans Upper Peninsula a lot of folks got by anyway they could and taught their children the different ways of surviving and I have taught my children these things though they may never need it, passing down lore from one generation to the next is the best thing you can teach your family. Nowadays the corn and a snelled hook will still take partridge if you are a mind to. Remember that and you have two things to do with your fishing gear. Good luck.

Corn works good for turkeys and trout too. Played with a few "cutshells" in my day. Took the shot out of some and replaced it with ball bearings. Shot them out of a sawed off 12 gauge, Probably got bobbed because somene split the end with these shells. Used to take 16 gauge and 20 gauge shells and wrap them with newspaper and shoot them out of a 12 gauge too. Never blew anything up and would kill good out to 25 yards or so. Neighbor (back then) had a 12 gauge muzzle loader. Seen him shoot gravel, Busted up glass, nails, about anything he could shove down the barrel. Seen snares used too. Wire or small cable work best. I can think of a few more but better keep quiet about them God Bless Steve

A few years ago while working in NYC my father met an old gentlemen fishing for pheasants in a NYC park.

Ozarkwhittler,
When I was a JO based in the western US, we were out hunting Chukar and I was introduced to this method by one of the older guys with whom I was hunting. I tried it in my O/U, to no ill effect. If you needed a slug in an emergency it will suffice, but I hate to think what it does for the choke. Probably no worse than steel shot though.