Lookin' to make my own 9mm or 45acp shotshells

**Jake Mc.** · September 29th, 2009, 09:06 PM

Anyone ever done this, or know of where to get info on doin' this?

I know you can buy them already made, but I'm interested in making my own for the "fun hobby" value of it...

**Bama Man** · September 29th, 2009, 09:27 PM

I don't think it would be feasible, as the plastic shot caps would never feed correctly from a mag, and would probably break feeding into the chamber.
Loading and firing them as a "single shot" would take the fun out of it.

**Bama Man** · September 29th, 2009, 09:35 PM

I don't think it would be possible to use the .357 sized shot-shell plastic caps designed for the .38 or .357 revolvers for 9mm and still get anything to chamber,and most likely, the shotshell caps designed for the .45 Colt would make the cartridge too long to chamber in the .45 acp chamber.
I have never heard of a .355 shot-shell cap, and I would be very leary of ever trying to shove the .357 diameter shot-shell cap down a .355 barrel.

**Iron Sights** · September 29th, 2009, 09:36 PM

I’m just curious, what would they be good for that the .22 shot shell won't do? The .22 shot shells seem to be the more efficient way to go and a lot safer.

**knight0334** · September 29th, 2009, 09:37 PM

Buy a revolver and roll your own for 38/357, 44spl/mag, and 45LC and save yourself an ass load of headaches.

(re)loading them for an autoloader isn't very feasible. They dont cycle on their own because of the lack of mass and energy, which means little recoil to operate the gun. And the potential to break a capsule or dislodge one while manually cycling a round from a mag is rather high.

**Jake Mc.** · September 29th, 2009, 10:15 PM

Like I said, CCI makes them for Autoloaders. I've used them in my 9mm and 45acp. Both feed function and cycle just fine. I use them for snakes and other varmint around the house. Most recent was a couple hours ago on a possum that took over my back porch.

I found a set of RCBS dies for about $150 to make them, but was hoping someone here had a CHEAPER idea.

As for using the .22 version, they don't do the job as well on the bigger animals. Plus the range SUCKS!

As for buying a revolver, No thanks. To put it kindly, a "wheel gun" isn't my style. (not to mention buying the overpriced RCBS dies would be cheaper)

**budman46** · September 30th, 2009, 11:41 AM

jake mc.

i've seen dies used to make .45 acp shotshells from .308 win brass but the process is tedious, the dies are dear, and the loads won't cycle the action.

i agree with those suggesting revolvers for shotshell use; just experimenting, i made .357 and .41 mag shotshells delivering decent 8" patterns at 8-10' that penetrated one side of a steel tomato juice can with #7 1/2 shot. good medicine for any snake, i'd guess.

i size a case, prime and bell the case mouth as normal, then add an appropriate charge of b'eye, red dot, 231, etc. i tamp down a small piece of paper towel as a wad, fill with shot, seat a gas check (flange up) and crimp using the bullet seater die. no special equipment is necessary.

shorter barrels are supposed to give more consistent patterns; my 2.5" .357 and 4" .41 did a nice job, but i needed a good brass brush to get the leading out afterwards.

the .41's averaged 135 grains of #7 1/2 shot.

budman

**justashooter** · October 4th, 2009, 11:01 AM

45 ACP shotshells can be made from any of the standard base .473 brass such as 308, 30-06, 8X57, etc. 9mm shotshells can be made from 223 or similar based brass. the brass is formed by driving it thru a washer that has been reamed to bullet diameter into a piece of pipe with a bench vise to make a step or shoulder where the case mouth normally is. the brass is then cut to just a bit under typical OAL and chamfered on the exterior for ease in feeding.

see the following pages taken from a poster on the FAL FILES.