Just got a pedersoli side by side 12 gauge

Ordered it and should arrive today. I downloaded the manual and it doesn't say what size percussion cap to use.

Which cap have you guys found works the best for these?

Any tips for shooting them?

#11

formernuke said:

Ordered it and should arrive today. I downloaded the manual and it doesn't say what size percussion cap to use.

Which cap have you guys found works the best for these?

Any tips for shooting them?

Click to expand...

The Pedersoli 12 gauge double I currently use is over 45 years old, so possibly what follows won’t apply, but I use #11 caps on nipples made out of hardened 416 stainless steel from TOW. My Pedersoli has heavier lock springs and it crushes Hot-Shot Nipples after a few shots.

SDSmlf said:

The Pedersoli 12 gauge double I currently use is over 45 years old, so possibly what follows won’t apply, but I use #11 caps on nipples made out of hardened 416 stainless steel from TOW. My Pedersoli has heavier lock springs and it crushes Hot-Shot Nipples after a few shots.

Click to expand...

Mine has the number 686, so probably about the same age.

What loads have you found works best in it? I'm using 2f powder.

Don't be afraid to ask questions.

2f is fine.

What are you hunting?

What have you got for it so far?

Here's the charts I have.

Is popular to use less powder than the chart recommends. 10 to 20 grains less..

a "square load" is popular also and that's basically the chart.

formernuke said:

Mine has the number 686, so probably about the same age.

What loads have you found works best in it? I'm using 2f powder.

Click to expand...

Not sure of the exact serial number of mine (too many guns to consider committing all to memory), but pretty sure without checking it begins with a 5 and has three digits.

What loads work best? More than I can count. This past weekend shot a round of skeet with mine. Used a Lee measuring scoop, 2.2CC to be exact, for a so called square load. Two scoops of 3F Swiss (maybe 70 grains) and two scoops of 7-1/2 shot, maybe 440 grains, with a tight fitting (11 gauge) card between the powder and shot, and one over the shot.

A good way to start is to use the same volume of powder and shot, aka the square load.

As a reference, I’ve tried the Skychief load and it works, but as far as actual patterns, the two card loading method I mentioned above seems to work as well, if not a tad better, though I haven’t done any scientific testing to compare. I just draw a vertical and horizontal line on piece paper with a circle around the intersection point of the two lines (your choice of circle size) and count the hits in each of the four quadrants.

Best way to figure out what load(s) work best in your particular gun is to go out and shoot it. Unless you are looking for just one load, keep notes and pay attention to them. Not rocket science.

Date it via the two letters in a box.

60 to 70 gn of 3f or 4f.
80 to 90 gn volume measure of shot.


Thin overshot cards X3 for a wad. One on the shot.

Cut cards from a 19mm leather punch.

I use CCI #11 or Remington #10s on my newly made Pedersoli SxS. Works well.

Trigger said:

Don't be afraid to ask questions.

2f is fine.

What are you hunting?

What have you got for it so far?

Here's the charts I have.

Is popular to use less powder than the chart recommends. 10 to 20 grains less..

a "square load" is popular also and that's basically the chart.

Click to expand...

Probably pheasant duck and clay pigeons.

Pheasant..

I don't know much on duck. I'm just ok at skeet. Havnt tried trap..

Pheasant. I been crippling some birds for the dog and she loves that. I kinda like the load. It's doesn't bang up the birds too bad.

" Pedersoli 10ga "
My load changed a little though. And I havnt tried it on Pheasant yet.
Currently.. 75grn 3f .. 1.5oz #5 lead.

I was using.. 75grns 2f .. 1.5oz #6.

I been using wool fiber wads with overshot cards.. just because I bought them and they do OK.
1 os cards 1 wool fiber over powder
1 os card over the shot

And

Just Overshot cards.... Britsmoothy
3 os cards over powder.
1 os card overshot.

I have killed a fair amount of clays with 2F 75 grains by volume. The same scoop gives me 1 1/8 ounce of 7 shot.

thanks everyone, this is giving me some good starting points for loads.

I'm debating on the over powder and over shot cards.

formernuke said:

thanks everyone, this is giving me some good starting points for loads.

I'm debating on the over powder and over shot cards.

Click to expand...

What is there to debate? Just throw the over powder cards away.

Mine patterns best with 65 Gr. 2F behind 1 1/8 oz. shot using 2 over powder card wads and 1 OS wad. I should say that his load gives me the best pattern density as my Pedersoli has a chrome bore with removable chokes.

formernuke said:

thanks everyone, this is giving me some good starting points for loads.

I'm debating on the over powder and over shot cards.

Click to expand...

I did that my first year. Over powder. Overshot.

They load a little harder the thicker over powder cards, its OK. They didn't pattern as good for me. They killed birds good.

It's a start. Try them out.

with my loads I use the plastic wads. fill one with shot ram it over the powder get another wad cut the flaps off it and ram it over the shot. works real good for me with 70 gr of powder

Snap! Just got the same piece.
Busy rummaging through the shooting cupboard for all the nick knacks and gubbins required to feed and run these things.
Hoping to get out and pop a cap soon IF it stops raining cats and dogs here recently!!

JohnnyF said:

Snap! Just got the same piece.
Busy rummaging through the shooting cupboard for all the nick knacks and gubbins required to feed and run these things.
Hoping to get out and pop a cap soon IF it stops raining cats and dogs here recently!!
View attachment 351525

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Johnny, if them over powder cards are tight you might break your rammer.
Just stamp thin cards.

Cut the fibre wads in half. Make them go twice as far!