20ga load max

[burch]

I have a Jackie Brown 62cal/20ga flinter with a 36"bbl. What is the min and max loads some of you guys are using ? Also, my gun shoots right and low. What do I do to get it to POA other than Kentucky windage.
burch :surrender:

 

[tenngun]

The proof shot for that gun is probably way beyond whatever is needed. 100 grains 2 of 80 grains 3 will give you top performance on any thing that walks around the woods of North America. 70/1oz or 1 and 1/4 oz shot will give you turkey tree rats and bunnies for dinner.
60 - 80 grains behind a ball will give you good groups and go through and through deer at 50 yards, the top range many of us shoot with a smoothie

 

[robinsroost]

Burch, my 20ga is a SBS Pedrisoli and my load is 70 grains of FFFg and 7/8oz of shot. So far, it has worked on everything I have tried. BTW, I still have my house in Sun Lake Estates, in Canaveral Groves.......robin :wink:

 

[Tinker2]

What is the min and max loads some of you guys are using ?

I have two 62cal/20ga one a flintlock the other an underhammer percussion.
I only shoot shot in the underhammer and only PRB in in the flintlock
Both guns were built with the intention to shoot 55 grains of FFg
Shot load is equal volume load.

What are you shooting now? From a bench?


William Alexander

 

[Alden]

Unless there is something else driving it, i.e. it's specifically a comparatively thin-walled double-barrel shotgun and/or a relatively short barrel (less than equivalent calibres* where much powder is wasted anyway) where I'd load less, max double for me on a full sized longun meant to take it is double the bore of the correct powder -- 120 grains of FFg (do NOT use FFFg!) in your 36"-case would be just a pinch too much maximum as far as I'm concerned.

*62 x .62 = 38"

 

[tenngun]

When you said double, do you mean you shoot 60 grains regularly?

 

[Zonie]

Just my opinion but I think the common shot shell loads are pretty indicative of what a good load would be.

For instance in a 20 guage, 2 3/4 Dram for upland hunting and 3 Dram for fowl along with a 1 ounce shot load was pretty common.
2 3/4 Drams equals 75 grains of powder.
3 Drams equals 82 grains of powder.

While knowing what the maximum powder loads for a 20 guage smoothbore is interesting, it usually isn't needed.

IMO, these same powder loads would be suitable for shooting a roundball.

 

[Alden]

When you said double, do you mean you shoot 60 grains regularly?

Oops! Ignore my first "double" -- should read max "load" would be double the bore unless it's less for reasons indicated.

And, yes, maybe for a short-barreled .50 longun, but certainly for anything narrower, I'm using FFFg...

 

[tenngun]

Well ml is ml. Think in terms of the historic abilities of the gun, and not like a modern gun. Never study ballistic tables because even if loaded for bear a ml will come up wanting. Even with the advantage of a minie range should not be pressed to far, and prb should be kept to a 100 yards or less, and smoothies much shorter. With shot think in terms of half that. Moderate velocities works great with this. Loading for bear won't add any range to the ball and little to a minie. Fat charges will in fact blow your shot pattern apart.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I shoot between 70 grains [2½ drams] and 80 grains [3 drams], and from 7/8 ounce of shot to 1 ounce in my Pedersoli 20 ga. SxS caplock, but it is choked Improved Cylinder on the right, Modified on the left.

Shot size can be 7½ or 5 depending on if I'm doing birds or squirrels.

Right now I'm pre-loading paper cartridges with 70 grains of 3fg, and 1 ounce of 5's for a squirrel hunt in the morning. This will be with a trade gun and no choke.

LD

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have a Jackie Brown 62cal/20ga flinter with a 36"bbl. What is the min and max loads some of you guys are using ? Also, my gun shoots right and low. What do I do to get it to POA other than Kentucky windage.
burch :surrender:

I have never tried to max out a load in my JB 20 ga. fowler. Can't think of an intelligent reason why I would want to. :idunno:
I do prefer moderate charges in the 50 to 70 gr. range.
Shooting a rb accurately is still a challenge I haven't mastered. With no rear sight, I am advised by somone who knows, one must find the proper 'anchor point' for hold and shoot enough to develop muscle memory to be consistent.

 

[Eterry]

As far as your smoothie not hitting POA most Smith's would bend the barrel...and by "bend" I mean tweak...I recall a post on here not to long ago that talked about that very thing...maybe someone had a link to the post.

 

[Frank/Pa]

I have a Jackie Brown 62cal/20ga flinter with a 36"bbl. What is the min and max loads some of you guys are using ? Also, my gun shoots right and low. What do I do to get it to POA other than Kentucky windage.
burch :surrender:

Depends how much right and how low. Maybe all you have to do is file the front sight to bring up point of impact and move the front sight to the right.

 

[pargent]

For what it is worth the largest load I have tried and the one that works the best on clays is80 grns 3f with 2 oz of 7 1/2 shot , this will leave a bruise after 20 shots , lightest load is 70grns 2f with 1 1/2 oz 7 1/2 shot .Gun is a 36"barrel 20g chiefs gun

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have a Jackie Brown 62cal/20ga flinter with a 36"bbl. What is the min and max loads some of you guys are using ? Also, my gun shoots right and low. What do I do to get it to POA other than Kentucky windage.
burch :surrender:

Depends how much right and how low. Maybe all you have to do is file the front sight to bring up point of impact and move the front sight to the right.

Methinks, first you just shoot it a lot to find where you are hitting consistently. Then try changing hold (e.g. "anchor point") before doing any barrel bending or sight filing.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I have a Jackie Brown 62cal/20ga flinter with a 36"bbl. What is the min and max loads some of you guys are using ? Also, my gun shoots right and low. What do I do to get it to POA other than Kentucky windage.
burch :surrender:

There's a couple of factors at play here in the use of sights on a flintlock fowler.

To start off there's the sight picture. Most new to fowlers want to shoot them like a rifle with the bead just showing above the tang. With that sight picture, the shot will always go low. You eye is the rear sight and the rear sight must be raised. What I have determined is the proper sight picture is to have about as much of the barrel visible as the height of the sight. Lots of good happen as a result. The shot impact is higher and you have better visibility of the target. Learn where your cheek mates to the stock to have that kind of sight picture to line up bead, barrel and tang bolt slot.

As far as the ball going to the right, I am guessing that you are right handed. You are pulling the gun to the right as you pull the trigger. The cure for that is practice or a visit to a muzzle loading gunsmith who can smooth out the trigger. I'm going to suggest practice as the first step.

Work with you fowler and your technique before you start bending barrels. A bent barrel for right or left will be on target at one distance. So, think long and hard before you start bending barrels.

 

[Dewey]

Exactly ... it's all about finding your sight picture.

For windage, if you have a turtle front sight like mine, you ain't gonna be moving it. I use the relationship between the sight and the tang screw (slot in screw is parallel to barrel to help with this) to adjust my left-right point of aim.

Btw, I've used up to 80 gr 3F with wads and either a 0.610 ball or 1 1/4 oz of 7 1/2 shot for a max load.

 

[Tinker2]

I have never tried to max out a load in my JB 20 ga. fowler. Can't think of an intelligent reason why I would want to. :idunno:
I do prefer moderate charges in the 50 to 70 gr. range.

I glad I am not the only one that uses moderate charges
I was beginning to think I was the only one
I don’t think of my 55 grains of FF as a light charge

Never been part of the magnum mindset.
Nothing wrong with that if that that what you think it takes



William Alexander

 

[ray j.]

This is about the load I figured I'd start with my 16 ga. , only using 2f..

 

[Dewey]

This is about the load I figured I'd start with my 16 ga. , only using 2f..

I said I TRIED that.

It is not what I am sticking with.

But see: Smoothbore Loads

to find out why I tried that size load.