BP shotgun

[Deckel]

Hi all,
I was wundering how people use to load their BP shotgun.
Do they premake their cartridge or they fill the blackpowder, insert a wad, the shots and an other wad to keep the shot in place ?
But if they do it as the second manner, don't the shot destroy the interior of the cannon since it scrape it...
Thanks, Deckel

 

[SCATTERSHOT]

My granddad told me he used to load his using newspaper as a wadding. Before that, folks used tow, or whatever they had as wadding. The shot, being lead, doesn't hurt the barrel.

 

[paulvallandigham]

REad the articles on this site, particular the one by V.M. Starr about how to load a ML shotgun. The problem with using make shift wadding is apparent at the patterning boards, and if you fire the loads over a chronograph. Velocities and patterns are all over the place. Consistency is prized because it allows you to learn how to hold and shoot the shotgun so you can hit something when you want to, and not rely on pure chance.
[url] http://members.aye.net/~bspen/index.html[/url]

 

[Berk]

You have to be careful using paper and other things that may catch fire. If it is dry out wadding of this type may be left smoldering and cause a fire.

Berk