Can I shoot a round ball in my 12 ga. Navy Arms Double barrel shotgun?

[white_tail]

I have a Navy Arms 12 ga. shotgun with the right barrel checks at .751" and the left barrel at .768", can I shoot round ball in her? If, so what do I need to do to do correctly?

 

[Rebel]

If your bores measurements are right then it sounds like you have a Navy Arms .10 ga. and not a .12. You can shoot rd balls as long as you can load them. If they go in, they will come back out. With those bores i would say a patched .715 or .735 rd ball over 90-100 grs of 2f powder should work.

 

[white_tail]

The bores sizes are correct, the box that the gun came in states" 12 ga. Magnum deluxe Double Barrel shoots all 12, 10 and light 8 ga. Equivalent percussion loads” That's why I am alittle confused.

 

[BrownBear]

Sounds like the one barrel is choked a little. The NA double I had a long (LONG) time ago wasn't choked. It shot PRB's when loaded down the bore, but I never got the kind of accuracy I wanted- due both to lack of load development and lack of a rear sight on the gun. Short answer, the gun went bang and the ball went downrange with no sign of problems. Shorter answer, I couldn't hit well enough with it to go on doing it for long.

I'd sure cut your costs for the experiment, bumming a few balls from someone or buying a box of balls. If you like it, then go ahead and spend some money. If you don't like it, you aren't out anything.

 

[No Deer]

I have a 12 ga. Navy arms double. I only shot one round ball out of each side, at 25 yards without working up any kind of load, I was only off a couple of inches from the center of the target. I got it converted to flintlock, and had the barrels jug choked. I have not tried to shoot a round ball out of it yet since then, but don't anticipate any problems shooting them...just hitting something :rotf:

 

[white_tail]

No Deer is your shotgun a "Armi F.lli Pietta Gussago BS Italy "? I am looking for information on this company and of course the gun itself.

 

[No Deer]

It is a Pietta, but that is all I know about it. I bought it used from a member of my club.

 

[Rebel]

The Navy Arms double barrel .12 ga i had was a Pietta. Mine was real good with .690 rd balls even out to 50 yds. It would shoot one large hole 4 shot groups, (2 shots each barrel) at 25 yds and do about 3" at 50. I used 90-100 grs of Pyrodex RS, an over powder wad, half a lubed fiber cushion wad and a patched .690 rd ball.
P.S. I also had a temporary rear site on it that i just super glued on to aide in sighting.

 

[white_tail]

Do you know your serial number? I have N2199, I am wondering how many guns were manufactured.

 

[white_tail]

What are your bore sizes? My right barrel checks .751" and the left at .768". I feel that a .690" would be a little loose in my barrel. I am thinking about tring .730" with a .015" thick patch around her and shooting on the bench with clamps for the first two shots, (safety is the reason) I want to see grandchildren.

 

[Rebel]

I don't have mine any more so i can't mic it but the measurements you are getting still sound like a .10 ga to me. A .12 ga cyl bore should be .729 and an .11 ga is .751. A .10 ga is .775. So it sounds like your .12 is overbored or you got a choked .10 ga.?

 

[Deadeye]

My Pietta Navy double measures .730 both barrels
I shoot .715 balls and .015 pillowtick with 100 2F. Both barrels will group about 4" at 50 yds.
Are you sure your measurements are correct?

 

[No Deer]

Do you know your serial number? I have N2199, I am wondering how many guns were manufactured.

Mine is just over 5100

 

[white_tail]

Yes, the bore sizes are correct. I called and talked to Navy Arms they stated that when these guns came into to them, they hired college student to measure the bores and catalog the results. The bores were all over the place, in between gauges.

 

[Deadeye]

then, assuming the college student knew what he was doing, you have a one of a kind guage and will have some work to do to find what works best.
My serial # is in the 5600s.

 

[white_tail]

I checked the bores with a telescoping gauge and measured the telescoping with a pair of 0-1” micrometers, the only other way to get a better size is to set-up a dial bore gauge. It’s the size of an 11 gauge (.751), I am quessing that I can shoot a .735 roundball. wouldn't you think so?

 

[flaming canvas]

Makes me wonder if the bores are the same diameter from the breech to the muzzle.

Mine mikes .730 on each barrel. SN 3xxx

 

[white_tail]

I do not know I really do not want to remove the breech plug to find out. I am looking to find .735 round balls locally if I can, and try shooting them. As afar shooting the gun with lead shot I am going to try using 11ga. wads and test the pattern with different shot sizes and load combinations. I would like to use her during the spring turkey season. I just need for the old bird to look down the barrels.

 

[Deadeye]

.735 should be the right size for the .750 barrel.
I have a .750 barrel and that's what I use. That's a 600 gr. ball.

 

[mykeal]

Finally found my bore data:

Pedersoli SxS 12 ga: L=0.699", R=0.699"
CVA kit SxS 12 ga: L=0.724", R=0.722"
Pietta (Navy Arms) SxS 12 ga: L=0.739", R=0.744"

The Pedersoli appears to be a 12 ga choked "improved modified", or almost full. The CVA is very close to a cylinder bore 12 ga. The Navy Arms (Pietta) has the widest discrepancy between the barrels and also the largest deviation from a 12 ga standard; It's virtually an improved choke 11 ga.