Shot in a rifled barrel

[NSBrown]

A couple of questions:

Does firing shot in a rifled barrel do damage to the barrel?

If shot can be fired from a rifled barrel, is there a good way to build the load?

[William Worth]

What I have seen of rifled barrels that have had shot through them is they are leaded badly and the pattern is spun out into a very wide doughnut like ring.

[omark]

i agree with william. and im sure modern steel shot would irreversibly damage the rifling. leading can be removed but patterns would be bad.  mark

[Daryl]

I used to shoot the odd shot load through my .58 Hawken- to 20 yards, it was murderous on grouse - got three with one shot - once, ground-sloucing. It shot really wide, but in that heavy rifle, I used about 1 1/2 ounces of 9's. No birds were ripped up badly.  Those where the days I wanted a side-by-side, rifled tube one side, smoothbore the other.

 

[NSBrown]

The reason I asked the question is I am going to be on the trail for 30 days or more and I will be carrying .54 cal early Virginia rifle with a Rayl round-bottomed rifled barrel. I have imagined needing to take a shot at a squirrel or bunny every now and then.

Daryl, your answer inclines me to go ahead with the occasional shot. It's nothing I plan to make a habit of.

[Daryl]

Proper cleaning is all it seemed to need after shooting shot. I didn't experience leading that needed any further attention, but - I do use a very tight patch or double on the jag when cleaning - never say any lead on it, though - that I remember, that is.  I also shot a lot of elongated balls from it - conicals, if you will, form 480gr. to 610gr., then 1,000gr. as well. They didn't lead, either.

A rough barrel will pick up lead in a rifle, just as it will in a shotgun, though - something to watch for but not be particularly hesitant about are my feelings.

Shot did work well for close range grouse - but an 11 pound Hawken doesn't make a good wing shooting pelter.

[northmn]

Another option may be to try developing a load using a paper sleeve around the shot as mentioned in another thread.  For a rifled barrel using maybe two sleeves.  You cut them into rectangles about the depth of the shot load.  You put in overpowder wadding, the sleeve, then fill the sleeve with shot, then a over shot wad and seat it all.  Paper cartridges may also be an option.  With my poorer eyesight etc, than I had a few years ago I can understand shot as an option, but also consider that a light powder charge with a RB will also harvest small game with little more damage than done by a small bore.  You try to head shoot anyway. 

DP