Hunting with 10 gauge

[Onojutta]

I have the opportunity to buy a 10 bore (gauge) original nineteenth century BP muzzleloading shotgun for a very fair price. I don't buy guns I don't intend to use, so my question is, how does 10 bore do with small game and upland birds? I have always thought of 10 gauge as meant for "coach guns" or defense, or for larger quarry such as geese and big game. Is 10 gauge black powder too much gun for squirrels, grouse, pheasant? How is the recoil?

 

[JoJoLesh]

IDK but one advantage of muzzleloaders is that you can Taylor the load to what you are doing.

A 10 Gage unmentionable would be a lot of squirrel or rabbit, especially with a choke.

A 10 cylinder bore, with a light powder load, may be great for rabbits, and other fast moving game.

 

[Kansas Jake]

I would think a 10 gauge would be fine for upland game. It might be overkill, pun intended, for squirrel but fine for pheasant, grouse, etc. I have no experience but suspect one could load it lighter for such game.

I do have a J P Claborough double 10 gauge in pieces with a badly broken stock I keep thinking I need to restore. The barrel has a bad dent that would need to be taken care of too.

 

[oldwood]

Some folks might disagree, but a lot of experience hunting w/shotguns both unmentionables and m/l shotguns make me say , "bigger is better" . A 10 ga. m/l shotgun can use tailored loads for the game being hunted. I/E.....Squirrels , medium loading , 1 and 5/8 oz. # 4 , 5 , 6 shot. Same for pheasant , geese full load w/ heavier shot , etc.. It is easy to turn a big bore into a smaller bore as the situation demands. It is more difficult to make a small ga. into a larger ga. w/o sacrificing kill distance , etc.. ..................oldwood

 

[Feltwad]

You say the gun is a original most likely it is true cylinder if a D/B most likely it will have 32 inch barrel and if a S/B 32 -36 inch or longer. You will find that the weight of a 10 bore is heavier than a 12 so a light load for a 10 would be 3 drms FFG to 1. 1/2 oz of 5 or 6 shot. . you do not need a heavy load of powder and shot to shoot a pheasant or partridge and grouse If I was shooting winged game with a 10 bore I would load a 12 bore load of 2.3/4 drms of FFg to 1.1/4 oz of 5 or 6 shot
Feltwad

 

[griffiga]

I don't have a 10 gauge, but I have a J Hollis 11 that is really close. What I find is that I don't have to use heavy loads for it to be useful. One benefit to a muzzle loading shotgun is that you can tailor your loads to your needs at the moment. I regularly shoot 1 to 1 1/4 oz shot loads with 60-70 grains FFG and it works very nicely without much kick. I have shot 1 1/2 oz loads with 90-100 grains FFG and you do sit up and notice.