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Buckshot in pistols?

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AtlatlMan

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Something I have wondered about for years is whether there is any historical evidence at all that smoothbore pistols were ever loaded with swan shot, buck and ball etc. Given my own experience with them, with less than stellar accuracy at embarrassingly close range, one would think more then one fella at some point opted to use one as a sawn off scattergun.
 
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Ever hear of the LeMat ? LeMat Revolver - Wikipedia
 
I'm pretty certain the various .69 pistols were used with Buck and Ball at some point and also the .54 American military smoothbore pistols.

I guarantee some Buck cartridges were made for these pistols. Guys back then thought outside the box just like we do.
 
I'm wondering what diameter shot might be used.
I am certain that one of my .44's would handle, say, a standard ball over 8 or 10 #5 or #4 shot. Can't really see 3 standard #0 or #00 buck, plus the usual pistol ball, being used.
What say the rest of you?
 
My experimentation with buckshot out of my fowler has been pretty underwhelming. However, at pistol range, I would think a little buck or bird shot would certainly be pretty nasty combined with the ball. Especially if you are like 5 feet away. If anything it makes sure that red coat pauses with pain while you draw your tomahawk. I am going to mess with it next time I am at the range😂. I would think it ups the chance of you hitting whatever you are shooting at within pistol distance
 
Something I have wondered about for years is whether there is any historical evidence at all that smoothbore pistols were ever loaded with swan shot, buck and ball etc.

Well, there were blunderbuss-type handguns around in the late 1700s and early 1800s ... I'm guessing at least some could have used shot, just like their shoulder-fired cousins.

Here's a flintlock one from circa 1780:

https://historical.ha.com/itm/handg...ted-british-blunderbuss-pistol/a/6074-52302.s

And a percussion one:

https://www.cowanauctions.com/lot/percussion-blunderbuss-pistol-by-johann-contriner-186397
 
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