Another Sky Chief Load Convert

[TGJaeger]

I haven’t had time to work on patterning my rebuilt TC New Englander. So today when my dear little wife told me I could have this afternoon off, I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed the little gun, shot components and headed to the range. I started out with the most basic square load. Using the Lee dipper chart I picked out the 60 grain dipper for both ffg Goex and #6 shot. I used a single nitro overpowder card and one over shot card. After 5 shots, I was extremely disappointed. I wouldn’t have hit a bluerock at 25 yards. I started changing up the powder charges and shot loads - No joy. Had a new pound of 3f Swiss, so switched to it and same load. Didn’t even need to put up a new pattern sheet. Could’ve counted all the hits from an ounce of 6’s on one hand. Tried dropping the powder load to 50 grains and increased the shot to 1 1/4 oz of shot. The pattern evened out but was close to 30” across and thin. Loaded up the same load but added the sopping wet fiber wad. Touched her off and I could see the pattern from the firing line. Beautiful, round, nicely filled out 18” pattern. Shot same/same next three shots. Except for point of impact shifting some, my fault I’m sure, all were great patterns. Very happy. Tried the 50 yard targets and well, that load is still in progress.

 

[Skychief]

That's great to read TG!

Best of luck, Skychief.

 

[TGJaeger]

Skychief,
I have to admit I had my doubts about the great big, heavy fiber wad leaving the barrel ahead of the shot. Seems to me to go against physics. Should produce a great big donut shaped pattern....not the complete opposite. As the Beetles song said, “Now I’m a believer”!

 

[Old Hawkeye]

Wasn't that the Monkeys???

 

[Britsmoothy]

That's beetle fans for ya....completely tone deaf.

 

[Skychief]

Skychief,
I have to admit I had my doubts about the great big, heavy fiber wad leaving the barrel ahead of the shot. Seems to me to go against physics. Should produce a great big donut shaped pattern....not the complete opposite. As the Beetles song said, “Now I’m a believer”!

Glad that you gave it a shot (ahem, excuse me)!

 

[TGJaeger]

That's beetle fans for ya....completely tone deaf.

^^^^^

This, after I had finally begun to forgive the British for their treatment of the Colonies!

 

[TGJaeger]

Glad that you gave it a shot (ahem, excuse me)!

 

[NorthFork]

 

[Zonie]

I wonder. Could it be that the big oil soaked fiber wad plows a hole thru the air, protecting the shot from the air blast that would cause them to disperse for 5 or so yards downrange? Then, when it gets deflected to the side by the blast of wind, the shot column starts to open up to produce those nice, tight patterns at 20 or more yards?

That's about the only thing that makes sense to me.
There's no denying that Sky Ckief's heavy fiber wad on top of the shot does improve things.

 

[Eric Krewson]

I think it is like drafting a car in a nascar race, the wad gets rid of the turbulence that would cause the shot to start to disperse right out of the barrel.

 

[smoothshooter]

Skychief,
I have to admit I had my doubts about the great big, heavy fiber wad leaving the barrel ahead of the shot. Seems to me to go against physics. Should produce a great big donut shaped pattern....not the complete opposite. As the Beetles song said, “Now I’m a believer”!

I suspect the wet felt wad over the shot reduces friction and virtually eliminates fouling from the previous shot, thereby causing less deformation of the shot as it passes out the barrel.

 

[nkbj]

For 14 to 12 gauge, how thick does the over shot wad need to be?

 

[Daryl Crawford]

For my 20g I use the Ox Yoke Prelubed Cushion Wads. They are about a half an inch long and I soak them in a tin with olive oil. It seems this load works for me so long as I don't us a paper shot cup. Right now I'm getting a donut if I use a paper shot cup. Powder, nitro card, shot, and a wet cushion wad seems to give me what I need.

 

[TGJaeger]

Daryl,
I am really curious what your 20 ga load, that had the paper cup looked like? Did the cup, minus the overshot wad, perform any better than the “un-cupped” load? Did you try any buffering?

 

[Daryl Crawford]

I fired 70gr 2f, a nitro card, paper cup lubed with olive oil/bees wax and 80gr (by volume) of 5-shot, and a fiber wad on top gave me a bit of a donut. When I do the same load, but avoid the shot cup, my pattern improved. I didn't use any buffering material.
I plan to play with shot cups some more. I've heard from some that a shot cup, and the oil soaked wad on top really gave a good pattern out to 25-30 yards. I'll need to experiment more.

 

[Feltwad]

I have always found that the best for me is a volume load with two 1/8 card over powder and one 1/16 over shot there is no need for oil wads plus other components ,also what has been said for patenting is for paper targets and sitting shots there is a totally different shot pattern on a winged shot which is known has a string pattern and the skill is putting that pattern in the right place for clean kill . The use of different wads is not new it was used in the percussion era using oakum . horsehair wads and others dipped in oil and tallow are only but a few . On a day decoying pigeon or crows I can fire in the excess of 100 shots so the volume load is the best
Feltwad

 

[Eric Krewson]

My fowler is jug choked full but doesn't shoot near as dense a pattern as I would have hoped, it is more between an improved cylinder and modified, that is until I put a sky chief load in it, then it shines.

25 yards, I think this is 1 1/2 oz of #6 shot and 90 gr of 1F;

Ready for action;

 

[GANGGREEN]

I've asked this before, but what does 1.5 ounce of shot amount to in a volumetric measurer? I'm trying to get my "special turkey choke" barrel to shoot well and I think I'm getting close, but would like to know what people are using for shot. I also purchased some Hevi-shot last year (7.5 shot I think) to try as well.

My fowler is jug choked full but doesn't shoot near as dense a pattern as I would have hoped, it is more between an improved cylinder and modified, that is until I put a sky chief load in it, then it shines.

25 yards, I think this is 1 1/2 oz of #6 shot and 90 gr of 1F;
View attachment 51572

Ready for action;

View attachment 51573

 

[toot]

the picture belongs on a calendar.