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  1. #11
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    Default Re: Swartklip Shotgun shells

    i had tons of swartklip from my uncle

    the penetrator slugs were super fun

  2. #12
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    Default Re: Swartklip Shotgun shells

    Quote Originally Posted by BBCT View Post
    The reliability also depends on how well it was stored.

    I've fired paper cased properly stored Eley shotgun ammo that must have been well over 50 years old and it has gone bang in a most convincing manner (and smells even better than Swartklip, by the way ;-) ). I have also tried to fire plastic cased ammo less than 20 years old that has been stored in a humid environment and it just went click.

    It's quite easy to make a reasonably accurate judgement on the condition. As previously mentioned, check the condition of the brass (or brass coated steel). If it's less than perfect, set it aside. Also look to see if the lead shot has started to swell as this is a sign that it has been in a humid environment.

    I'm trying to upload some pictures to Imgur so I can give some examples but struggling. Will come back later & edit this post when I get it right.

    Edit: Managed to get it sorted out. In the first pic you can see the little bumps in the plastic case and in the second pic you can see what the shot looks like when you cut the case open. It has obviously got damp and it is safe to assume that propellant will have got damp too.

    Paper cased ammo is normally very easy to tell because damage due to humidity/damp is visible on the paper itself and you can also see that the shot is swelling.

    Either way, I wouldn't rely on it to do a critical job. I like to fire 1 round of the paper cased Eley every now & then & keep the empty in my pocket for the day so I can sniff it at leisure. After that it stays on my desk until the smell disappears......



    ..... And, by the way, those particular shells in the picture did all go bang, but out of about 40 shots, 5 or so were a bit muted.

  3. #13
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    Default Re: Swartklip Shotgun shells

    Quote Originally Posted by BBCT View Post
    ..... And, by the way, those particular shells in the picture did all go bang, but out of about 40 shots, 5 or so were a bit muted.
    Thanks!

    Really informative post! (the original pictures one specifically)

  4. #14
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    Default Re: Swartklip Shotgun shells

    Does anyone have any info on Swartklip Thundershot / knalskoot, I was donated a box of 10 (Sealed) the only info on the box is 12G-70-10.

  5. #15
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    Default Re: Swartklip Shotgun shells

    Quote Originally Posted by rickdd57 View Post
    Does anyone have any info on Swartklip Thundershot / knalskoot, I was donated a box of 10 (Sealed) the only info on the box is 12G-70-10.
    They shoot a "cracker" with a short fuse that makes it explode about 50m from the muzzle. The "projectile" contains some aluminum powder mixed with probably black powder, that makes a nice flash and bang, especially if you make it pop up in the air. Recoil is negligible and it won't cycle a semi-auto. These are quite scarce and probably collectible by now.

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by A-R View Post
    They shoot a "cracker" with a short fuse that makes it explode about 50m from the muzzle. The "projectile" contains some aluminum powder mixed with probably black powder, that makes a nice flash and bang, especially if you make it pop up in the air. Recoil is negligible and it won't cycle a semi-auto. These are quite scarce and probably collectible by now.
    Not the most reliable things either.
    Cattle die, kindred die, every man is mortal:
    But I know one thing that never dies,
    the glory of the great dead.
    Havamal

  7. #17
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    Default Re: Swartklip Shotgun shells

    Quote Originally Posted by SSP View Post
    Not the most reliable things either.
    Indeed. Not that it matters much if you are trying to scare the birds out of your grain field.

    This ammo was definitely not intended for serious purposes.

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by A-R View Post
    Indeed. Not that it matters much if you are trying to scare the birds out of your grain field.

    This ammo was definitely not intended for serious purposes.
    True enough.
    Cattle die, kindred die, every man is mortal:
    But I know one thing that never dies,
    the glory of the great dead.
    Havamal

  9. #19
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    Default Re: Swartklip Shotgun shells

    Quote Originally Posted by rickdd57 View Post
    Does anyone have any info on Swartklip Thundershot / knalskoot, I was donated a box of 10 (Sealed) the only info on the box is 12G-70-10.
    I found a box of 10 at the back of a shelf at a local gunshop one day a few years back so I bought it. Put 1 round aside for my collection and decided to shoot out the others for a bit of fun. I tried 3 or 4. All of them went "pop" (as already stated recoil is negligible) and launched the projectile/cracker but none of the crackers went bang. The barrel was dirty beyond belief afterwards, I think the propellant is black powder too. The rest of the box was put aside to hand out to other collectors.

  10. #20
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    Default Re: Swartklip Shotgun shells

    Does any one have a photo of one of these?

    I wonder how many shooters have had heart failure when inadvertently shooting one of these things from a box of deceased estate hand me downs.
    I must have shot many thousands of of old mix and surprise shells from mixed bags and shoe box's, but never one of these, unless of course the ones I shot were "fail to bang ones"

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