Good evening folks, just acquired a shotgun. Never shot one and am still wet behind the ears when it comes to BP. I HAVE PLENTY OF 777 (it’s all I can get here in FL). It came with a lot of cork wads. So what would be my next step. I have a bag of 6 1/2 shot but I believe my grandfather used RB in it. Thanks for any response.
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CVA 12 GA.
- Thread starter Hanger
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I've read where a starting point for powder is the bore diameter with the decimal moved two places. If that is true, a 12 gauge at .729 would be 73 grains of powder. Triple 7 works well in all my ML shotguns. I recommend pouring it in gradually so that some gets into the far reaches of the breach. You need something over the powder. A cork wad of the right size would be fine. Then pour shot. A "square load" is essentially when you use the same measure for powder and shot. If you set your adjustable to 73 grains, use the same measure to fill with shot. You need another wad to keep the shot in place. Again, your cork could work fine, although a thick one wouldn't be needed (but would still work). If you're shooting a lot of shots it could be helpful to use a lube to soften any fouling. One way to do that is to put your wad over powder, put a dab of heavy lube (crisco, beeswax mix, something with a grease-like consistency). Then put another thin wad over it, so you've made a grease sandwich. If you change to different wads at some point, some can be soaked with lube. Another old method is to spit in the barrel after loading shot and before the final wad. The Magnum type percussion caps have a good reputation for setting off 777 Powder. The cool thing about a ML smoothbore is the ability of improvising a lot of components in a pinch. Plain old pure cotton balls can be packed in to serve as a wad, or toilet paper, leaves, etc.
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Search the “sky chief” load on this forum. Lots of good info. Nice looking shotgun
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lots of good info from Sparkitoff. However, my experience with 777 was pretty horrible (a significant, but inconsistent lag). In my opinion, the real deal is hugely better for wing shooting. Black powder is hard to find, in part because it cannot be put on a store shelf (even behind the counter); it has to be kept in a powder safe. You can buy it on line, although usually at least 5 pounds at a pop. Powder Inc, Graff and Son, Maine Powder House, but there are a bunch in the South--closer to you. Clubs often get together and buy a lot, have to pay inadvance to keep it legal.
Thanks for all of the replies. I will look into getting different wads for the future. I have been saving wasps nest as I have heard that is good. I have a little over a gallon. My question is do I flatten it before hand, or just with the ramrod. (Going through my grandfather’s things I found 3lbs of goex. He was my mentor and has passed. So for the future I will be picking the brains on this site for guidance.)
TScottW99
40 Cal
I have a CVA 12 gauge single barrel. It has a tight choke on it that won’t allow a nitro card to pass. My Turkey load is 70 grains FFFg BP, 3 overshot cards, 80 grains #6 shot and a lubricated wool wad for overshot. Nice Turkey pattern at 25 yards.
Each gun will be different but finding a load is a lot of fun.
Each gun will be different but finding a load is a lot of fun.
This looks like a good one. I have used ml shotguns for a long time, some hunting, trap, sporting clays and skeet. Before loading snap a couple caps on each barrel. If you can put around 15 or so grains of powder down each barrel with a tamped over shot wad to foof out the barrels to insure they are dry for loading. There is nothing like having a full load down the barrels and not having ignition because the barrels were not dried out. The foof works best with black powder, but the black powder substitute would work. For the load I use the square load of 2 3/4 drams of 777 and an ounce and 1/8th of shot in a 12 ga. I load powder, an over powder wad and half a lubed cushion wad, shot, and an over shot wad. Track of the Wolf has a good wad selection. Mike, a Friendship, Ind., NMLRA vender has really good over powder wads at flintlocks.com. The 777 works very well in the old original guns. I have used it in them for years. My advice would be to pattern the gun at 25 or 35 yards. Have fun.
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I have a bunch of wasp nest reason being it does (nothing for pattern) just cram enough to keep the shot from falling out! If you want pattern check out sky chief method ,mine is a variation as my 12ga Pedersoli has chokes . I make my own wads from Durafelt with a 3/4 in hole punch from harbor Freight (cheap) 2 olive oil saturated over the shot and 2 dry over the powder . Cheap /great patterning no matter choke and it holds the shot tite on powder ,important for killing
squirrel !/Ed
@Hanger, please take note of the fact that we describe loads for our muzzle loading firearms in terms of weight (grains) but we measure that weight by using the equivalent volume that would give us that weight on a scale if we were measuring black powder. With all the substitute powders available and black powder not very available, it is important to measure substitute powders by using a volume measure. Even out shot charges are often given by a volume measurement. Most of us will use the same volume of powder and the same volume of shot. So, @jlatz, is suggesting a volume measurement of 2 3/4 drams (75 grains volume) of 777 and the same volume measurement, 1 1/8 ounces (75 grains volume) of shot.
Enjoy your smoothbore.
Enjoy your smoothbore.
I have assembled a CVA 12-gauge shotgun kit for my brother many years ago and found it to be a nice average quality SXS that shot well. His had no choke - it was cylinder bored. He told me that he used the black powder charge that was listed in his manual that came with his kit. I don't know what it was as he did not tell me. I would think that any of the substitute black powders would work fine in your shotgun.
