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Buckshot out of my rifle?
- Thread starter ratslayer
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
- Joined
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Loading a muzzleloading shotgun is similar to loading your rifle but there are differences:
After the powder, an overpowder card, and a cushion wad is loaded, then the loose shot, followed by an overshot card - more steps than a rifle with a patched ball. The cards & wad below the shot and the card over the shot will need to be placed with the ramrod as two separate actions. Some shooters use just 1/2 of a cushion wad. There are a number of methods for lubing the wads, just as there are for lubing patches. The cards and wads are available in large packs from places like Track of the Wolf, etc. and come in many sizes as not all guns are bored to the same exact dimensions.
RE shooting shot from a rifled barrel, it can be done but the rifling tends to spin the shot into a donut like pattern which as might be imagined, is not an effective way to shoot shot.
There are many individual preferences and "tricks" to loading and shooting a shotgun but I have tried to stick to the basics. If you do a search of past topics on the Forum, you will see a number of loading tips and discussions re attempts to shoot shot from a rifled barrel.
After the powder, an overpowder card, and a cushion wad is loaded, then the loose shot, followed by an overshot card - more steps than a rifle with a patched ball. The cards & wad below the shot and the card over the shot will need to be placed with the ramrod as two separate actions. Some shooters use just 1/2 of a cushion wad. There are a number of methods for lubing the wads, just as there are for lubing patches. The cards and wads are available in large packs from places like Track of the Wolf, etc. and come in many sizes as not all guns are bored to the same exact dimensions.
RE shooting shot from a rifled barrel, it can be done but the rifling tends to spin the shot into a donut like pattern which as might be imagined, is not an effective way to shoot shot.
There are many individual preferences and "tricks" to loading and shooting a shotgun but I have tried to stick to the basics. If you do a search of past topics on the Forum, you will see a number of loading tips and discussions re attempts to shoot shot from a rifled barrel.
Robert Egler
50 Cal.
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2007
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- 1,319
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I played around a lot with shot out of a rifled barrel a few years ago. I found that it is possible to get decent patterns without the often-mentioned donut hole in the middle, but the pattern does get wide pretty quickly. For #6 or #7 1/2 shot for squirrels the upper limit is maybe 15 yards. I never tried anything bigger than #6, but patterns were wider with 6 than they were with 7 1/2, so my guess is they'd be pretty wide pretty quickly with buckshot.
Finally just bought a smoothbore! :thumbsup:
Finally just bought a smoothbore! :thumbsup:
Many Klatch
69 Cal.
- Joined
- May 19, 2006
- Messages
- 3,498
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The best way to shoot buckshot out of a rifle is one at a time. My wife's .36 works pretty good with 00 Buckshot.
Many Klatch
Many Klatch
