Blunderbuss Service Loads

[Coot]

Normal practice in the F&I & AWI was for military small arms to be loaded using paper cartridges. I can find info on musket loads & cartridges but not fot the blunderbuss. The Royal Navy and Royal Artillery were known to have limited numbers of these weapons but I cannot find any info on a) what size shot was used? & b) what seperated the shot from the powder in the cartridge? I assume that something like #0 shot and a slightly subcaliber wad (thick leather or felt) was inside the paper cartridge and rammed down as a unit after the powder was poured down the barrel. Anyone know the real answer? Thanks.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Have never found a separate load listed for blunderbuss. Would think the same as a carbine which is suppose to be 75% of a musket load. A lot of musket guys load about 80 grains of FFg so 60 grains would be about right. Full musket loads would be a bit of a 'thump' in a short gun. As for shot, etc. I woud think something in a buckshot size would be about right of a combat load although I had a lot of fun shooting handfulls of .22 cases I picked up around where we shot. Hardly an authentic load but made shreds out of a 10W-30 can!

 

[Coot]

Thanks for the input. Paul's loads formula (another post) also works out to a 60 grain load for a .75 bore with 12" straight cylinder length before you get to the flare. Think I will try the 60 grains & slowly add #0 shot untill the kick starts to be heavy.

 

[paulvallandigham]

YOu should be able tp shoot an ounce and a half of shot before the recoil becomes noticeable. That is still a lot of shot, considering the limited uses you can have for buckshot. 2 oz. should be the top load, although I have seen people shooting more than that. 60 grains is only 2 1/4 drams roughly, so even at 2 ounces, the recoil will be manageable with that powder charge.

I have a friend who make an 8 gauge single barrel shotgun because he wanted one. He has been known to shoot 45 drams of powder( 110 grs.) and 3 oz of shot. Now, that kicks, even out of that heavy gun of his!

 

[paulvallandigham]

YOu should be able tp shoot an ounce and a half of shot before the recoil becomes noticeable. That is still a lot of shot, considering the limited uses you can have for buckshot. 2 oz. should be the top load, although I have seen people shooting more than that. 60 grains is only 2 1/4 drams roughly, so even at 2 ounces, the recoil will be manageable with that powder charge.

I have a friend who made an 8 gauge single barrel shotgun because he wanted one. He has been known to shoot 45 drams of powder( 110 grs.) and 3 oz of shot. Now, that kicks, even out of that heavy gun of his!