at close range it packs a non-lethal wallop, stings like hell and gets under the skin and burns. Doesn’t really work past, say, 20 yards as is lacks the density to maintain energy downrange. It was my grandfather’s preferred method for keeping stray dogs out of his garbage cans. Worked especially well with the old brass reusable shogun shells that were a bit shorter than 2/34 inch shells. I guess they were 2 1/2 inches, but maybe someone more familiar can fill me in. I have seen him use dried peas too. He used to keep a couple loaded on his dresser all the time. In fact, I still have one of the shells (empty now of course)
Thanks!
I was wrongly expecting the blast wave to turn the rock salt to dust before it left the barrel.