What would happen if you used sand instead of buckshot in shotgun shells?

Answer 1

Heythere, that was a good one.
I’ll give you a thumbs up just for the giggles I got from that mental image!

I can see it now, someone is going to go and try to Sand Blast a Cat.

Now to answer the question.
First off sand is very sharp edged and packs really tight under pressure.
With that in mind it may cut through the wad column and create excessive friction on the berral and packs tighter in the wad column causing the chamber pressure to jump high enough to blow the weapon.
You very well may just be building a very expensive form of a pipe bomb, that you will be holding in your hands when you detonate it.

This is something I would not do, and I reload shotgun shell.

Bad Idea!!!!!

D58

Answer 2

Sand would not be an effective substance to use as ammunition in a shotgun. The gun would still fire, but the grains are so small that air resistance would slow them down to non-dangerous speeds a few feet after they left the barrel. I would suggest using something with a bit more mass - maybe ball bearings?

Answer 3

Regarding running off a cat, I think 'kitty litter" would work better than sand.

Seriously now, smooth bore cannons used to be loaded with quite a variety of projectiles including rocks, steel shot, grape shot, chains and glass. Yes, sand will shoot but it won't be effective for anything.

Answer 4

I'm not sure but it would be a fun experiment for someone other than me to try. I'd be interested in finding out if some of the sand melted and bits of glass came flying out. That would just be cool.

Answer 5

Sand is so light that air resistence would quickly slow the grains down. You would probably just get a cloud or burst of sand out the barrel that would rapidly disappear.

Answer 6

At close range you could probably blast all the hair off a cat. Other than that, you probably would not do anything accept get sand in your eyes and waste sand.

Answer 7

You would shoot out a big dust cloud. I knew a guy that used to load unpopped popcorn in shotgun shells to use on the neighborhood dogs that got in the trash cans. It wouldn't kill the dog and the same dogs never came back to his trash cans.

Answer 8

Dont think sand would shoot very well. But I know from experience that someone can use rock salt. And it is a pain in the ***. Literaly

Answer 9

A big bust of sant would come flying out of the barrel a few feet and then not much of anything else.

Answer 10

you will get a puff of dust out the end of the barrel....extending maybe 3 feet.
PS
I AM NOT RECOMMENDING THIS ....but we used to reload shotgun shells with uncooked rice or un-popped popcorn....and shot at each other......I KNOW ....This was over 35 years ago and we were very very stupid.