Every time out I experiment a bit and always learn something. I did a "scratch" or "clean-up" hunt at my club. Basically, you are finding birds that were previously release. There had been weather issues and no hunts for 3-days, so these bird were out at least 4-days and who knows how long really.
This day, I shot the 20b Pedersoli (mine measures 19b) because I was going to keep the hunt short and the weight of the gun wouldn't be an issue. I used a "square load" of 1-ounce but instead of the usual Lawrence #7.5 Copper Plated shot, I used "Chilled, Hardened" #6 shot. I don't know the brand because I don't have the whole bag but it has red and blue print on the cloth 25# bag.
I had a good day shooting and did not miss any birds, so all were shot with the first barrel which measures slightly less than IC. These were all over solid points and walked up out of the brush, so the distance to shot was probably 30-yards or less. Each bird fell dead instantly upon the shot. Usually, with the 7.5 shot I get a few that are knocked down but not dead. Also, some are clearly hit with 7.5s, but they continue on a ways before hitting the ground - kind of crash landing instead of falling out of the sky. Again, today with the 6s every bird fell straight down upon impact.
Nothing else remarkable about the hunt. At home the cleaning was a breeze. It seems the more I shoot this gun, the easier the cleaning becomes. That is, the less patches, strokes and effort it takes to get it clean. I started by taking out the nipples and sending a blast of Electronic Contact Cleaner (ECC) though each nipple hole. Then I use a patch soaked with Windex/Murphy's Oil Soap in one barrel, flip it over and in the other barrel. Next a clean, dry patch in the first barrel and flipped over, used in the second barrel. Next I use 91% isopropyl alcohol on a patch up and down each barrel. These were mostly clean, with very little black ring showing from twisting the patch round and round when it is fully inserted against the breach. Last, a patch with lube ( I use non-aerosol WD40) down each tube. Then wipe gun with lubed patch that came out of barrels. Spray nipples with ECC and spray through nipple in each direction. I'm now using a choke-tube anti seize for the nipples. I find they come out much easier than when I used straight grease. Put nipples back in. The whole cleaning was completed in 6 minutes.
Next time out I'll try something else - just because!
This day, I shot the 20b Pedersoli (mine measures 19b) because I was going to keep the hunt short and the weight of the gun wouldn't be an issue. I used a "square load" of 1-ounce but instead of the usual Lawrence #7.5 Copper Plated shot, I used "Chilled, Hardened" #6 shot. I don't know the brand because I don't have the whole bag but it has red and blue print on the cloth 25# bag.
I had a good day shooting and did not miss any birds, so all were shot with the first barrel which measures slightly less than IC. These were all over solid points and walked up out of the brush, so the distance to shot was probably 30-yards or less. Each bird fell dead instantly upon the shot. Usually, with the 7.5 shot I get a few that are knocked down but not dead. Also, some are clearly hit with 7.5s, but they continue on a ways before hitting the ground - kind of crash landing instead of falling out of the sky. Again, today with the 6s every bird fell straight down upon impact.
Nothing else remarkable about the hunt. At home the cleaning was a breeze. It seems the more I shoot this gun, the easier the cleaning becomes. That is, the less patches, strokes and effort it takes to get it clean. I started by taking out the nipples and sending a blast of Electronic Contact Cleaner (ECC) though each nipple hole. Then I use a patch soaked with Windex/Murphy's Oil Soap in one barrel, flip it over and in the other barrel. Next a clean, dry patch in the first barrel and flipped over, used in the second barrel. Next I use 91% isopropyl alcohol on a patch up and down each barrel. These were mostly clean, with very little black ring showing from twisting the patch round and round when it is fully inserted against the breach. Last, a patch with lube ( I use non-aerosol WD40) down each tube. Then wipe gun with lubed patch that came out of barrels. Spray nipples with ECC and spray through nipple in each direction. I'm now using a choke-tube anti seize for the nipples. I find they come out much easier than when I used straight grease. Put nipples back in. The whole cleaning was completed in 6 minutes.
Next time out I'll try something else - just because!
