12 Ga. That is choked Problems

[paulvallandigham]

Runner: The advantage of the OS cards is that slick surface pushing against the back of the shot column as it goes out the barrel. For the best, uniform patterns, you want all the shot released from the barrel at the same time. That slick, thin card makes sure that by the time it reaches the muzzle, the gases behind it are pushing against all sides of the card equally. Bending the edges the way you now describe loading your .250" wad, by pushing directly down on the wad with your rod, ruins the consistency of the seal you would otherwise have if you use Jim Rackham's system of multiple OS cards instead. Sealing the gas is how you get that even push to your shot right as it leaves the muzzle so that patterns will be more round, with shot evenly dispersed through the pattern.

Modern Cartridges have gone to using the molded plastic shotcups and wads because the combined wad and cup protects the shot from rubbing the barrel, while the wad at the base and the smooth plastic bottom of the cup push all the shot evenly and square to the bore when it leaves the muzzle. In your choked barrels, you can almost duplicate the performance of modern plastic shotcups by using OS cards. Since the shot can still rub against the sides of the bore as the shot travels the length of the barrel, you are going to rub flats on the sides of those pellets, and they will drop out of the pattern early in flight. You can reduces this affect by lubing your barrel after seating the OS cards on the shot.

 

[Runner]

Paul, I get consistant better than choke patterns as it is. I did not get these kinds of patterns with shot cups. Wish I had! Would have saved many sore shoulders from this little gun.
The CVA cups are ok if you cut them all the way down, but every now and then a pattern will blow. They are also expensive. By the way, that is normal cardboard wad under the plastic for me. The knight cups did not work well at all, being designed for 2 ounce loads and such. The heavy weight steel shot cups with the wings cut in the base over a card board wad is still the best large shot steel loading I have found. They actually seem to respond predictably to how deep you cut them and how many petals also. It will also push a load of fives way on out there, but the close range pattern is pretty small!
I don't use any lube when I am hunting with the Trapper, but I use one of the unmentionables for powder. When I get down to 7.5's, then half a lubed wad helps the pattern a little. I use most of my lubed fiber wads by tearing them up and putting a compressed pinch down on the powder in my rifles. The rifles like it a lot better than the shotgun ever did!
I have not tried the multi card system or the felt wads yet. If I get the urge to experiment, I will shoot targets with each and post the results.
Hope all are having a great day!

 

[Britsmoothy]

Sometimes you know- I wonder how many of them stray pellets make up for a bad shot :hatsoff:

 

[steeltrap]

:thumbsup: I had a much better day today at the range. My wonderwads came with todays UPS and they load much better. And seem to work fine. Since the barrel was used, And I had no experence with smoothbores I started off pretty light. I was shooting Goex FFg and started with 70 grains of powder and 7/8 oz. # 6 lead shot and worked up from there. I fired about 8 or ten shots total today at the Trap field. I used two wonderwads over the powder with each shot. Which seemed to work fine. My last two shots I had increased to 90 grains FFg powder and 1 1/4 oz. shot. It seemed to handel the load OK and I broke about 50% of the birds at the 16 yard line. With the test loads. I only shoot about 80% with My modern shotgun. So I think once I do some pattern testing on cardboard I will bring up My average. So all and all I'M very happy with todays results. I have a load that is heavy enough for squirrels with the 90 grains and 1 1/4 oz. shot. But want to do the pattern testing before I go to the woods. THANKS to Everyone for Your help. SINCERLY ADC Trapper :v

 

[Leatherbark]

I always wondered if those stray pellets may stray into the squirril. I like my patterns to put a few shots that cover the area that the bead covers on[url] target........In[/url] other words if I use one of those little shoot and see round targets to aim at, say a 2inch size. I like my patterns to put several shots in it because that is what I'm aiming at.......................Bob