http://www.muzzleloadingshotguns.com/articles
I use only black in all my muzzleloaders. I would use equal volumes of powder and shot, that is pretty standard. You can try omiting the cushion wad. I would try both 2F and 1F. The old brass shotshells I have taken apart usually had very coarse powder, proabably 1F. Maybe tat mean that the old timers prefered coarser powder?
Second, better pattern means tighter? How much tighter? Are we talking nice even 40 yard duck killing VS. train wreck patterns? Would it really make any real difference in hunting?
With modern shotguns, I often find that I use too much choke and expensive tungsten handloaded shells. Trouble is I normally actually kill the close ones and the far ones are a problem. I can't shoot as well as I once did. Having a 70 yard tungsten slingen' fire breathing monster of a shotgun is of little practical use.
Anyway, the site I linked to has a ton of good information. Maybe an easy shooting load that makes nice even patterns would kill more birds? Maybe the tightest patten on the board is not the best for hunting in the real world. Just ideas to ponder.
Regarding th eother post, packing a powder flask, shot snakes, caps, two kinds of wads, cleaning supplies, and so on is complicated enough. Does it need to be furhter complicated by duplex loads?