Buckshot in Fowlers

[Ridge]

I would really like to try shooting buckshot out of my 20 gauge fowler. I've been shooting rifles for a long time now, but flintock shotgunning is new to me. I bought a box of .32 cal roundballs, my question is how many balls should load and how much powder? I assume everything else is the same as loading shot? i.e. overpowder card, cushion wad, overshot wad.......

What about buck and ball?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ffffg]

ok here goes.. buck shot is fine for some, i wont argue that, but here are the negatives.. the scatter of large shot for large game in such a small gun,with no choke, without a followup shot instantly avaible in short range situations as it is used is not a good idea.. in my opinion it is a very bad idea.. for large game go with the one shot hit or miss best scenario with a round ball... i use coated smaller shot in my smoothbores so it doesnt interfere with round ball accuracy.. i like knickel plated shot availble from balistic products.. yes it is expensive.. my experience with buckshot and slugs is that the lead removal process is lenghthy and tough going... to each his own.. my 25th edition hodgdons powder manuel show 20 number three buck for 20 gauge.. this buckshot is too small for deer at smoothbore velocities..using the wrong size shot will cause more leading and (i dont now this for sure) but it seems like it could cause high pressures... dave..

 

[smokeblower]

I shoot 18 .311 cal buckshot through my 1842 Springfield smoothbore reproduction. Using 100g or 2f goex. it is a .69 cal = 14 ga. I use the same wads and cards as birdshot.

 

[Ridge]

I don't intend to hunt with it........I just want to be able to shoot it.

 

[Ridge]

I'm only shooting 70 grains of powder in a normal load, if you are putting 18 in a 14 guage, I figure I can safely shoot a dozen in my 20?

 

[CoyoteJoe]

To get any sort of useable pattern, buck needs to fit the gun bore in uniform layers. Pellets larger than .310" will not fit two pellets side by side without squashing.
If pellet size doesn't fit the bore they will pile up in a random fashion and when fired will jam against each other and be badly deformed. That's likely the cause of the leading mentioned.
Twenty gage shotshells are loaded only with #2 and #3 buck because larger sizes don't fit the bore.
So far as weight alone, yes 12 of those balls should be safe to fire but I don't expect it would be a very effective pattern.
One never knows about buckshot, some loads from some guns do very well and some are worthless.
Every gun and every load is an individual case, your load should be safe and only testing on paper will decide its' usefulness.
:imo:

 

[Rebel]

#4 buck will layer with 4 balls to a stack in a .20 ga. Although it will work, i have found that it is not much good for anything past 15 yds or so. As for buck and ball loads, i think for just playing around you might have some fun, but would NOT recommend it for hunting big game. You might find that two layers of #4 buck on top of your ball will work ok, but again, the distance is going to be short range. .32 cal round balls are really too large to use. :imo:

 

[hairsmith]

I have never tried this, so the question is has any one else.....
Tying the buckshot up in a cloth pouch of lubed patch material and loading it compleat and tied.
Does it stay together ? How does it shoot ?
Just board and thinking.....

Hairsmith

 

[Rebel]

I figure you would wind up with one solid projectile. How is the tied bag supposed to open?

 

[musketman]

Tying the buckshot up in a cloth pouch of lubed patch material and loading it compleat and tied.
Does it stay together ? How does it shoot ?
Just board and thinking.....

Hairsmith

I suspect it would make it to the target area in tact (depending on how well you sew), once it hit though, it would explode in all directions leaving a rather nasty wound in it's wake...

You would have to sew them in somewhat loosely, otherwise the buckshot would not move about enough to allow the shot bag to go down the barrel...

This seems like a waste of good patching material, lesser cloth would work better for this experiment, something that rips easy, load it over a 1/2 inch fiber wad to prevent burn through of the lighter material...

 

[Ohio Rusty]

When I stay out overnight, I ALWAYS load a heavy charge of buckshot in my fowler and my smoothbore pistol. Having problems with packs of wild dogs several times, and hoardes of coyotes in my area, I want something like a buckshot load that will kill, maim and stop all in one trigger pull. Mine has been 12 30 caliber ball over an overpowder card and felt wad. In the pistol it's maybe 15 lead BB shot with 60 grains of 2F. Man is that a handfull when it goes off, but it will destroy man or beast out to 20 feet ....
We can't hunt with buckshot in Ohio, but we can protect ourselves with it.
Ohio Rusty

 

[Ridge]

Ohio Rusty.........Is yours a 20 gauge? How much powder do you back it with?

To be honest, this is exactly why I want to learn to load mine with buckshot and/or buck and ball. I figure when I'm camping alone somewhere I'm only going to get one shot off, might as well be something that I have a chance of hitting with in the dark. One of the places I camp has become over run with coyotes........only a matter of time before they start turning up rabid.

 

[musketman]

Ohio Rusty.........Is yours a 20 gauge? How much powder do you back it with?

To be honest, this is exactly why I want to learn to load mine with buckshot and/or buck and ball. I figure when I'm camping alone somewhere I'm only going to get one shot off, might as well be something that I have a chance of hitting with in the dark. One of the places I camp has become over run with coyotes........only a matter of time before they start turning up rabid.

For the reason you discribed, I would go with just buckshot instead of buck and ball...

You stand a better chance of hitting something with 15 balls than you do with 4...

 

[tg]

I have tied 6 .300 balls in a piece of patching and put it atop a .600 rb in my smoothrifel and there was one round hole and one ragged 2" hole at 25 yds the shot with out the bag was within 12 inches of the ball at 20 yds,and spread well around the ball hole, trial and error are the only way to find out what will work for your needs, the weight of your total load should not exceed that of the heaviest conical for the bore size of the gun is a good rule of thumb

 

[Wes/Tex]

Have used buckshot in a number of smoothbore guns from .750" down to .580". As others have already stated, it's purely a short range deal even with the larger sized shot. The best results have come with loads worked up with 3 balls to each level in the same way 12 guage 00 buck is done. Shot loads done up with some sort of buffering have given the best results since it prevents over distortion of the individual shot. For cleaning alleys and repelling boarders it's the 'cat's pajamas', but for most undertakings it's just so-so unless point-blank.

Buck & ball is another neat idea with limited results except at close range. Have found loads with a level of buckshot and a patched bore-sized ball to work best but the shot usually pattern below the level of the ball except real inside 25 yards. Fun though!! Just keep in mind the total weight of ball and buckshot when you start playing with these loads, pressure can run up quick.

 

[Boonetract]

I'm not a big fan of 00 in a .62. I carry #4 in my bag, and normally load 1 1/4 oz with two over powder cards over 60 grains of fffg. I too have been the victim of a dog pack, and i imagine #4 in Rusty's pistol combo would be great. I'm having a friend of mine smooth out a rifled .54 flint pistol just for that reason. I had to snap shoot #4 with no over powder card once, just pouring shot on top of powder. From that experience, I now carry one paper rolled #4 (1/1/4 oz) cartridge in my bag. The paper acts as a over shot card when tamped down. :results:

 

[rayb]

For cleaning alleys and repelling boarders it's the 'cat's pajamas', but for most undertakings it's just so-so unless point-blank.

??There are pirate ships working on the Colorado River between Austin & LaGrange? :crackup: :crackup:

I thought they had cleaned them up a few years ago...



rayb

 

[Wes/Tex]

"There are pirate ships working on the Colorado River between Austin & La Grange?"

Sure, they're pyrite pirates!! "Arrgh, Jim me boy. A light charge and a heavy ball from this here piece...." Well, you get the idea!!! :crackup: :crackup:

 

[Rat]

Although I could throw a handful of .375" revolver balls down the barrel of Bess for night duty, I figure one huge ball from Bess, and six .375's from the pistol will do some damage...if that don't do the trick, I've got a wicked razor-sharp tommy-hawk for my right hand, and a BIG old razor sharp sheath knife for the other...and they don't need no reloading!!!



Rat

 

[Ridge]

Well, you guys convinced me........I went to the gunstore and ordered 5lbs of #3's and 5lbs of #4's. Hopefully I'll get to play with some loads this weekend.