Shotgun Cartridges for AK Rifles Show Limited Effectiveness Against Drones

Improvised shotgun cartridges made from AK rifle ammunition by Russian forces appear to lack sufficient stopping power to reliably bring down drones, according to footage shared by Ukrainian operators.

A Ukrainian military unit known as Gostri Kartuzy published video evidence of a DJI Mavic drone that had been hit by one of the modified cartridges.

The drone sustained minimal damage and was quickly returned to service.

“You’ve probably seen the video of Russians modifying AK rounds by replacing the bullet with 5.5 mm buckshot. These were promoted as effective against drones,” the unit shared. “Today, one of our drones was hit by such a homemade round. If a regular bullet had hit it, the damage would have been much greater.”

The video shows that the round lacked the energy to penetrate the drone’s plastic casing in several areas.

After returning and inspecting the drone, it was immediately ready to return to combat work.

Homemade Cartridges for AK

Reports on Russian soldiers converting standard 5.45×39 mm tracer rounds into improvised shotgun shells emerged in December 2024.

In videos posted online, Russian troops demonstrated the conversion process and field-tested the rounds in automatic fire from AK rifles.

To make the improvised cartridges, Russian soldiers filled heat-shrink tubing with 4 mm buckshot, sealed it using a heat gun, then inserted the payload into a second heat-shrink tube. This was then inserted into the cartridge casing, replacing the original bullet, and crimped in place using pliers.

In testing at a distance of about 50 meters, the buckshot was able to pierce tin targets, suggesting potential to hit drones at close range. However, battlefield results have shown the rounds are largely ineffective for consistent drone defense.

By February 2025, some Russian private firms had begun producing similar 7.62×39 mm shotgun-style cartridges using 3D-printed projectiles.

In March, Ukraine’s DrukArmy volunteer initiative launched production of 3D-printed shotgun adapters for machine guns, aimed at enhancing anti-drone capabilities. The adapters are compatible with Soviet-era calibers such as 5.45×39 and 7.62×39, as well as NATO-standard 5.56×45 mm ammunition.