I have an idea and wonder if it’s been done

[Fisherking]

I carry my 62 for grouse and I wondered if I had a light shot charge of #6s, say 7/8th oz, and happened upon a deer or elk, whether I could just drop a roundball over it with a card? Has anyone tested this? Is it too much?

I usually charge 65 grains of 3f. I know a 1 1/8 charge of shot kicks like a mile in a 6 1/3 pound gun.

 

[Celt5494]

I carry my 62 for grouse and I wondered if I had a light shot charge of #6s, say 7/8th oz, and happened upon a deer or elk, whether I could just drop a roundball over it with a card? Has anyone tested this? Is it too much?

I usually charge 65 grains of 3f. I know a 1 1/8 charge of shot kicks like a mile in a 6 1/3 pound gun.

That is a very good question. I would say go out and do some field testing of your own to see what the results might be.

 

[Fisherking]

I’d rather not over charge if someone had experience or advice here. I’m not a “hold my beer and watch this” kind of guy.

 

[LongWalker]

I've experimented with it, and done it a few times in the field. If the recoil from 1 1/8 ounce of shot with that charge is uncomfortable, the recoil of approximately double your usual 7/8 oz load is going to get your attention.

 

[ppg1949]

I agree with you about being wary of overcharging your weapon. But I read an article on this in some forgotten magazine. You’re basically talking about a buck & ball load. Try this forum search for buck and ball load. Or google search “Mike Nesbit Buck & Ball”. He wrote an article on this subject. Good luck and be safe.

 

[Bushfire]

Pretty well anything that could have been done with a muzzleloader has been done. If it shoots well no reason why you couldn’t do it.

 

[Fisherking]

Mike Nesbit… I am on it.

I haven’t shot buck and ball but I’ve scoured YouTube and have read some past threads here. I just thought I’d ask and keep reading before I pull the trigger.

 

[Daveboone]

I would thoroughly check your local game laws to see if it is legal. Most specify a single projectile.

 

[Brokennock]

This has come up here at least once before. If I recall correctly, excessive recoil was the biggest issue, followed by poor accuracy. I could very well be wrong but there might have been on cracked stock or similar mentioned by or about someone who already had a heavier shot load in the gun.

As with the general advice on shot loads and patterning that more shot than powder often gives better patterns, I also ask here regarding the extra weight of the projectile payload,,,, at what weight projectile load do we see a loss of effective projectile velocity? When we add a roundball to a light load of powder and shot, do we still have enough energy to move the shot and ball efficiently?

 

[Thingamajiggy]

Buck and ball loads were a thing so I would think a 7/8's load of shot with a ball over would be ok to shoot, but as Dave Boone said, would have to check local game laws. Here in PA, that would not be legal.

 

[stikshooter]

Buck and ball loads were a thing so I would think a 7/8's load of shot with a ball over would be ok to shoot, but as Dave Boone said, would have to check local game laws. Here in PA, that would not be legal.

A thing while stopping aggressors ,not necessarily killing anything beyond a very short range and lots of luck , and said aggressors not having more arrows/tomahawks than you!/Ed

 

[Thingamajiggy]

A thing while stopping aggressors ,not necessarily killing anything beyond a very short range and lots of luck , and said aggressors not having more arrows/tomahawks than you!/Ed

Yep, was not stating to the efficacy to doing such a thing, just answering his question on whether it would be ok to shoot or be too much.

 

[Packrat]

Always shot Buck & Ball out of my 1816 Harpers Ferry 69 caliber. It was amazing at steak shoots

 

[smoothshooter]

Mike Nesbit… I am on it.

I haven’t shot buck and ball but I’ve scoured YouTube and have read some past threads here. I just thought I’d ask and keep reading before I pull the trigger.

I would try it with slightly reduced shot load under the ball first.

 

[SOLANCO]

I've experimented with it, and done it a few times in the field. If the recoil from 1 1/8 ounce of shot with that charge is uncomfortable, the recoil of approximately double your usual 7/8 oz load is going to get your attention.

Managing recoil is perhaps better understood by competitors in unmentionable shooting events. I have yet to see anyone shoot a round of sporting clays with a muzzle loader. In the shotgun sports pulling the butt firmly into the pocket beside your shoulder joint is considered by many to be critical. You will rarely get a good rifle sight picture without an appropriate cheek weld which mitigates recoil.

Many here advocate as HC mounting the butt crescent on the upper arm. It is counterintuitive for me but I can make it work . But I can not make it work for shooting flying. And I do not think that upper arm mount would handle heavy recoil at all well.

 

[SOLANCO]

Managing recoil is perhaps better understood by competitors in unmentionable shooting events. I have yet to see anyone shoot a round of sporting clays with a muzzle loader. In the shotgun sports pulling the butt firmly into the pocket beside your shoulder joint is considered by many to be critical. You will rarely get a good rifle sight picture without an appropriate cheek weld which mitigates recoil.

Many here advocate as HC mounting the butt crescent on the upper arm. It is counterintuitive for me but I can make it work . But I can not make it work for shooting flying. And I do not think that upper arm mount would handle heavy recoil at all well.

The other factor in handling recoil is gun fit. Not many of us are willing to tinker with our stocks. Cutting. Adding comb. Lengthening. I have seen it done successfully in terms of improving the shooter's accuracy. But I have never seen it done pretty.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I carry my 62 for grouse and I wondered if I had a light shot charge of #6s, say 7/8th oz, and happened upon a deer or elk, whether I could just drop a roundball over it with a card? Has anyone tested this? Is it too much?

I usually charge 65 grains of 3f. I know a 1 1/8 charge of shot kicks like a mile in a 6 1/3 pound gun.

It could be done. The deer or elk better be close for the ball to be properly placed. The use of multiple shot would have to be allowed by the hunting regulations. You will think that 1 1/8 ounce of shot was a kick from a very gentle mule.

 

[chorizo]

I shoot some stout (100 grains of FFFg T7 with a 58 cal 550 grain (1 1/4 oz) conical @1350 fps or 110 gr of FFFg T7 with a 54 cal 485gr (1 1/8oz) conical 1550fps both in 6lb 10oz guns), but not unreasonable loads, in my Thumper Carbines and invariably get one or two comments like "you are going to shoot your shoulder into a taco" or "does that load spin you around".

A couple of things are going on...either those that comment are super sensitive to recoil or may have never shot a load like that and are talking out of their anal orifice, or are using the upper arm gun butt placement style of shooting, or have a very poor fitting gun and have poor stock placement because of it.

Having done some calculations and shot these loads, most all of them are far less than the standard 1 3/8 oz "goose load" with modern ammo in like weight guns and the recoil, while uncomfortable off of a bench, in normal hunting stances...(kneeling, sitting, standing) are plenty manageable and not noticeable when hunting.

@SOLANCO hits the nail on the head in his comments....poor gun fit, poor stock placement on the body (or upper arm mount) and generally poor shooting practices fail to mitigate what would normally be acceptable recoil.

a 1 1/4 oz , 3.5 dram load is equal to 547 grains @ 1300 fps

See chart below

 

[Fisherking]

It could be done. The deer or elk better be close for the ball to be properly placed. The use of multiple shot would have to be allowed by the hunting regulations. You will think that 1 1/8 ounce of shot was a kick from a very gentle mule.

Very gently mule… do you know many?

That was so good, I may have to reuse it.

 

[Reds]

Illegal in WVA as well