12 Ga Pedersoli shotgun and the Sky Chief Turkey load

[aeatwood]

Try 1F if you can lay hands on some. Does a bit tighter than 2f, but dropping the powder 5 gr might do the same. I just like to stay with a square load.

 

[joevic57]

I was a little surprised at the difficulty I had getting an acceptable load for my Pedersoli SxS 12 ga. imp. cyl/modified. With standard lead shot and traditional like loading accessories i.e. waxed paper fiber wads and shot cards the best I could do with limited patterning was 15 yards for the improved cylinder and 20 yards for the modified (for wild turkey #6 shot). I’m certain that I could be comfortable with 20/25 by working on the load, but it takes a lot of time and trial and error that with a modern gun the ammo companies have already worked out for you. Good on you for regaining some ambition. I will continue to work my load as well.

Just food for thought. Try 1FG black powder if you are not already using it....and more shot than powder. I have a vintage Wm. Moore 12 gauge muzzle loader with cylinder bores of course. Here is the best patterning load I have found so far. Load 70 grains by volume 1Fg....nitro hard card.....1-1/8 oz copper plated 7-1/2 shot by weight....thin card.....and the oil soaked fiber wad weighing 50 grains. I don't turkey hunt or anything else these days in my 85th year by the grace of God except those evil wily crows. For more good info on loading muzzle loaders, google VM Starr. Take care and good shooting and Merry Christmas coming up!!

 

[Ponderosaman]

Just food for thought. Try 1FG black powder if you are not already using it....and more shot than powder. I have a vintage Wm. Moore 12 gauge muzzle loader with cylinder bores of course. Here is the best patterning load I have found so far. Load 70 grains by volume 1Fg....nitro hard card.....1-1/8 oz copper plated 7-1/2 shot by weight....thin card.....and the oil soaked fiber wad weighing 50 grains. I don't turkey hunt or anything else these days in my 85th year by the grace of God except those evil wily crows. For more good info on loading muzzle loaders, google VM Starr. Take care and good shooting and Merry Christmas coming up!!

Interesting, I do have some 1F from my pop’s civil war stuff, maybe I’ll give it a try. Thanks. The standard clay/bird load was relatively easy to get shooting well. I think that if I ever try to take a turkey with BP, I might try my pop’s Springfield replica rather than the Pedersoli. It patterned pretty well, though at the time, I didn’t take it seriously, so I’m not certain how it spec’d out for yardage.

 

[8Ball]

I have read somewhere that the .125 nitro card between the powder and the shot must be lubricated... It seems awkward to me. Opinions?...

 

[joevic57]

I have read somewhere that the .125 nitro card between the powder and the shot must be lubricated... It seems awkward to me. Opinions?...

I have mixed feelings about using and nitro card in a muzzle loader. I have produced good patterns with two or three stiff thin and light cards over the powder instead of the nitro card. Main thing is to get a good gas seal and the lighter material the better so a heavy wad does not fly through the shot column and disrupt it. I have done lots of paper punching with my vintage William Moore 12 gauge double barrel with cylinder bored barrels of course and have used everything such as wasp nest, cork, and felt as over powder wads and am still fine tuning. One thing for sure....my old gun likes more shot and less powder, but yours might be different. So, to teach his own and enjoy and stay safe1

 

[Britsmoothy]

I have read somewhere that the .125 nitro card between the powder and the shot must be lubricated... It seems awkward to me. Opinions?...

Throw nitro cards away. Or save them for modern cartridge loading but please don't use them in a muzzloader.

 

[NorthFork]

Throw nitro cards away. Or save them for modern cartridge loading but please don't use them in a muzzloader.

AMEN!

edit -

And use a fine of powder/high pressure/high velocity as you dare! Use a minimum of fffg if not a full charge of ffffg. No sarcasm @Britsmoothy ! I mean it. Until these guys actually try to kill something, they DON'T know! I used ffffg Shuetzen at 110 grains with your method of 3-4 thin cards and #1 (USA size) bismuth of 1 and 3/4 oz in a ten guage sxs to kill geese at 50+ yards this year. Never would of been possible without your tutelage. Thank you!

 

[Sam squanch]

You need the higher velocity of 4 f to match the velocity of modern shotgun cartridges. In a modern, well made muzzleloader, it’s safe. I fiddled around with 1 and 2f for years , wouldn’t do the job in cleanly killing game except up very close. Like 5 yards close.

 

[joevic57]

You need the higher velocity of 4 f to match the velocity of modern shotgun cartridges. In a modern, well made muzzleloader, it’s safe. I fiddled around with 1 and 2f for years , wouldn’t do the job in cleanly killing game except up very close. Like 5 yards c

I cannot argue or debate with one's personal experience and will not. However, I have used 1F in my vintage muzzle loader for the sake of good and even patterns, and my loads shoot through both sides of a tin can at 20 - 25 yards which is the old timer method for determining the killing power of a load. Google VM Starr, an old time SD gunsmith and black powder hunter and shooter, for good advice on loading vintage and modern muzzle loading shotguns with black powder. He used large loads of 1F in hs 11 gauge shotgun to kill crows, geese, and ducks with great success....also, his guns were jug choked. Please do not use 4f in a vintage shotgun with Damascus barrels! Stay says and use the Holy Black!!!

 

[8Ball]

I have mixed feelings about using and nitro card in a muzzle loader. I have produced good patterns with two or three stiff thin and light cards over the powder instead of the nitro card. Main thing is to get a good gas seal and the lighter material the better so a heavy wad does not fly through the shot column and disrupt it. I have done lots of paper punching with my vintage William Moore 12 gauge double barrel with cylinder bored barrels of course and have used everything such as wasp nest, cork, and felt as over powder wads and am still fine tuning. One thing for sure....my old gun likes more shot and less powder, but yours might be different. So, to teach his own and enjoy and stay safe1

Throw nitro cards away. Or save them for modern cartridge loading but please don't use them in a muzzloader.

So there are no Skychief load anymore...