Best method for field use?

[bigbore442001]

I want to play more with my 20 gauge smoothbore pistol. I was thinking of making speedloaders out of 35 mm film canisters, glued end to end. Then I thought, they take up a lot of room.

I also thought of using a shot pouch and powder flask. Keep wads and over shot cards in a pouch. Sort of the way it was done in times past. Then I thought of the shot flask and powder horn getting caught up in brush, etc.

I would like to question those on the board who take to the field with their smoothbores for small game as to what methods of carrying the shooting components( shot and powder) worked the best. I suppose that there isn't the perfect system otherwise everyone would be using it. But I would appreciate any suggestions. Thank you.

 

[musketman]

Pre-rolled paper shot cups filled with wad & premeasured shot...

Powder, shotcup, prime and shoot... (repeat)

Just keep them in your hunting bag until needed...

You can always make them with the powder in there too...

I poke pin holes in mine to help them seperate and open up when fired...

 

[Rebel]

About the same here. I glue my overpowder wad to my cusion wad before lubing it then keep enough for the day in an altoids tin with the paint buned off with a propane torch. I make up paper shotcups out of brown paper lunch bags with the overshot wad already in place in them. So far i just use a fixed measureer for powder and pour from the horn, but you could make up paper tubes and put in your powder and kee it in a seperate tin. There really isn't much need for SPEED loading while muzzleloader hunting. If you don't get it with the first shot chances are it will be gone before you can reload no matter what kind of speeloader gizmo you use. Besides, we are supposed to be out there relaxing and getting away from the fast paced modern world for a while.

 

[FireMaker]

Brown packing paper works real well. It is thinner than a paperbag but when rolled, is strong enough. Some folks glue the one end, but I just give it a twist. I doubt the old one carried around their glue bottle for this use. The twist is geat and works for both shot cartridges and round ball. I have two ways of making cartridges. One is just powder for a noisemaking weekend. The other is with the ball or shot included in the cartridge.

I rip the powder end off and pour down barrel. Then stuff the rest down the barrel and tamp. If it is a Montcalm & Wolfe thing, no paper is allowed in the bore.

 

[Rat]

I carry my shot in self-contained paper "shot cartridges", and my main powder charges in paper "cartriges" also. Then I carry a priming-horn to prime with. I carry the shot and powder "cartridges" in two different belt pouches.

When I'm shooting ball, I carry a small three-hole ball-block, with two balls and wonder-wads in the third hole. Then just a single belt-pouch for the powder cartridges.

Next time I make cartridges, will be with brown-paper, that's a really good idea.

Rat