20 guage load question

[user 2647]

I recently purchased a 20 ga. fowler and was wondering what powder charge to use with round ball? I will be useing Goex 2f powder.

 

[No Deer]

A good rule of thumb is to start with one grain per caliber. Each gun will be different and will use a different amount. You will have to experiment to see what your gun likes. Start with 60 grains and shoot a 3 shot group. Adjust your charge up by 5 grains and shot another 3 shot group. Keep repeating and checking your group size after each 3 shot group. You should see the group size get smaller as you go up until you reach a point where it begins to spread back out. When you see that happen, the last charge size you shot before the group opened back up is the one you want to use. You can then also experiment with patch thickness if you want to try to find the best combination for that too.
You could also try 3f powder. I use 3f in my 20 ga. smoothie, I think it works better than 2f.
Happy shooting.

 

[user 2647]

Thanks for the info No Deer I'll give that a try and see how she does. :thumbsup:

 

[11th corps]

I agree about the 3F. I seem to get more consistent ignition with 3 instead of 2F.

 

Just to be different--I use 2fg in my 20 gauge fusil. The big round ball in this caliber (typically .595-.600 ball)requires a decent amount of powder to get it rolling. For a 2fg load I'd start with more like 70-75 gr ffg (I am presently trying 75). If you switch to fffg you can back off on the load a bit. Alot of folks these days are using fffg for every caliber/gauge, but some guns like 2fg and if you already have some: try it.

 

[musketman]

I recently purchased a 20 ga. fowler and was wondering what powder charge to use with round ball? I will be useing Goex 2f powder.

Lots of good solid information in here, it's worth a look...
[url] http://home.insightbb.com/~bspen/[/url]

Scroll down to his "My Smoothbore Loads" section...

 

[whitetaildg]

Good Website ,Musketman -- Speaking of smoothbores what would you think of the 1842U.S. percussion smoothbore musket by Taylor's ?? You think that would shoot Round ball & patch--And #5 shot good??

 

[whitetaildg]

Another thing Musketman, What is the shortest barrel you can get away with and still be accurate??

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

The Taylor's 1842 is made by ArmiSport, and is a fine gun. It will handle patched ball loads with no problem. As for shot, think of the gun as a heavy duty shotgun. I use everthing from one ounce to ounce and a half shot loads-say a light 16 gauge load to a heavy 12 gauge load. Put a sling on it and you can tote it around all day with no discomfort. Great gun!

 

[musketman]

Another thing Musketman, What is the shortest barrel you can get away with and still be accurate??

That all depends on what range you wish to shoot accurately at...

Even the blunderbuss is very accurate within it's limitations...

I apt for long barrels, but that is just my own personal choise...

Historic records and documentations will tell of barrel lengths for certain muskets, if you wish to folow the PC patterns to their fullest...

 

[musketman]

Good Website ,Musketman -- Speaking of smoothbores what would you think of the 1842U.S. percussion smoothbore musket by Taylor's ?? You think that would shoot Round ball & patch--And #5 shot good??

Most musket will shoot both good, once you work up the right load that is, remember, even guns from the same model will shoot differently, every gun has an ideal load, the fun part is finding it...

 

[whitetaildg]

Thanks , Russ T Frizzen


.680 or ..685 round ball and where do get your supplies?

 

[whitetaildg]

Thanks , Musketman!!

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I use .672 balls and a .010 patch. Often, for the first shot I use an .015 patch and then switch to the thinner patch as fouling builds up. I usually put a card wad down on the powder first--especially if I think the gun will not be fired right away. Keeps the patch lube from soaking into the charge. I load 80 grains of ffg. This load is good out to 60 or 70 yards or so. You can buy ready made balls from Track of the Wolf, but it is much more economical to cast your own.

 

[flint62]

Pilgrim, Here's what I use in my 20 ga. fowler.
.600 rb, pillow tick patch, lubed with ballistol/water. If I'm shooting a trailwalk I use 75 gr. 3f. Any targets under 35 yards and I cut the charge to 50gr. At 50 yards with this load, and!! as long as there is no cranial flatulence on my part this load will hold onder 3 inches.
Good luck :hatsoff: Kevin

 

[whitetaildg]

Thanks, Russ T Frizzen ,

What card wad do you buy , for a 12 gauge?

Do you always put a card wad over powder for a round ball?


How accurate are the roundballs at 50 yards? And what is your shotgun load consist of?

THANKS-- Russ

 

[user 2647]

Thanks for all the information, now if this Indiana weather will settle down so I can get out to shoot!

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

I use 14 gauge wads from Track. The card wad over the powder in a PRB load just keeps the lube on the patch from migrating into the powder. The ball load will shoot consistently into a deer's vital area from 50 to 70 yards.
Shot loads consist of a card wad over the powder, then a lubed buffer wad, then the shot and finally another card wad. To make loading the card wads a bit easier I generally poke a tiny hole in the center of them--this lets the air escape. The powder/shot ratio varies, but usually works out to a little less powder to shot, by volume. These guns are quite stout and will handle an ounce and a half of shot over 4 drams of ffg without problem. They will make a fine deer gun and a great turkey gun. too.

 

[whitetaildg]

Thanks alot Russ,

Now I have got to look for one!

 

[paulvallandigham]

I think Rustynail made a typo. IF you try to use 14 gauge wads in a 12 gauge, they will be too small, and will not seal. Buy the 12 gauge wads, or, if your barrel is on the larger size, then buy the 13 gauge. Measure the bore of the gun, to be sure. The card wads seal the gases behind the load, whether it is a PRB or shot, and give more consistent velocities, than other loading techniques do. The cards will also scrape some of the crud in a smoothbore barrel as you push them DOWN the barrel. If you use a lubricated cleaning patch on your jag as you drive your PRB down the barrel, you will lube the barrel in front of the ball, soften any fouling that might remain, and get even more uniform velocities, as well as have a " One-Shot-Dirty" barrel shot after shot.