Grouse loads for 12 ga

[Mr Mortimer]

Supprised to see choked barrels. I only used two choked that where made from a BL barrel all the Wm Bader, North Star or NZ made brls I used where just true cylinder , Didn't seem a problem to the customers . Two shot for UK in international matches .Only made them in flintlock . There was some 'Galyon' ? offered in percussion but no flints at that time . The' Mortimer' came later. All mine had the Nocks Patent breaching unless they didn't want that plan . Most being 12 bore I wish now Ide bought more 16 bore tubes from Mr Bader. Very good for Govt Carbine patterns But many I used Getz for ones over 36" . Not that you couldn't load the chokes just had to fuss more with wadding .
Rudyard

My repro Mortimer is cylinder bore. No choke. I've played around a bit and found, as I'm sure you all know, wads make quite adifference in the pattern. One nitro card onlt under shot plus a thin overshot wad spreads some shot out 10 feet at 25 yards, at least. Hit an ornamental windmill that far away. Fortunately it needs painting anyway. 1 card plus cushion wad gives 3 feet on the paper. The plastic wad gives about 2 feet at the same distance. Quite a difference from a straight tube.

 

[Mr Mortimer]

There is an old writing that says 1/3 more shot than nitrous dust. It means 1/3 more shot than powder. I shot 70grs of 2fpowder and 90grs of shot. I use the same volumetric measure. This load works well in both my 20 and my 12 ga.

Played with that a bit too. Mort seems to like 3 powder to 4 shot, but I need to do more shooting. Darn...... This is so much more fun than unmentionables.

 

[beardedhorse]

Not sure what kind of grouse you hunt. Here in Colorado it is mostly blue or dusky grouse. Sage grouse has a very short season because of lek decrease but I have been seeing them come back during pronghorn season when sage season is over. I use a Curly Gostomski trade gun barreled smoothbore close to 12 gauge. It is cylinder bore. Equal volumes of 2F powder and No. 6 shot 90 grains with two over shot cards between powder and shot and overshot card with a tiny hole in the middle. No cushion wads as they blow holes in the pattern on my set up. With my 11 gauge double barrel William Moore I have to go to a larger diameter card and similar load. Works equally well on grouse and pheasant if you get on them before they get past 20-25 yards. Dropping the powder charge 10 grains gives me the heavier lead ratio. Have a friend who shoots cannon and will try to get some 1F powder to shoot and pattern.

 

[NorthFork]

@Mr Mortimer

Search for SkyChief load on this forum.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

For grouse I'd recommend a 2 1/2 dram charge of fff and an ounce of number 7 shot. That is considered a square load using a shot dipper set for once ounce. That equals 2 1/2 drams of powder. Have a tight over powder wad and half of a cushion wad. under the shot. At Friendship, Ind., at eh NMLRA trap range most use fff Goex powder. It burns cleaner.

YES since you have a choke "tighter" than modified, you can reduce the shot size a bit, and #7 is likely the largest that you want to use. You may find that #8 actually works for you in that gun as you will be launching a very tight pattern compared to the IC choke that many grouse hunters use.

2Fg or 3Fg and 70 grains (2.5 drams) is what you want to try. I'd say 2Fg but you will need to experiment.

Ditch the 1Fg as it isn't quite fast enough. I know as I went from 2Fg to 1Fg in an 11 gauge musket, and went from slaying squirrels to just pişşing them off

LD