Just ordered a .69cal bluderbuss. loads used?

[[GF]Burke]

Just ordered my lady the "18th Century Blunderbuss" 69cal. for Christmas. I have lead and molds for 00buck (9 pellets). Then I'd assume to use about 80grains of RS. Some over powder wading and over shot wad. 3f for the pan. Probably ok there.
I'd like her to be able to shoot a round ball/1 big solid lead also. Currently I shoot 50cal stuff and have molds for that. But also I do have the ' Lee 1oz Slug Mold' which is .681. Think that would be ok? Use a patch? I know it's a short smoothbore, but what would give the best results for say...80yrds and in for a 'slug' style load?
Or any tips on things to add to her kit. I'd like to get her a brass powder charge holder... etc. Bits to go with it.
Just getting ready.

 

[Many Klatch]

It is not easy to aim a blunderbuss, the bell at the muzzle makes it difficult. I don't know how big your lady is but an 80 grain charge and a full load of buckshot might be more recoil than she will be comfortable with. The blunderbuss is a short range weapon, meant to intimidate people downrange. Forget shooting round ball and hitting targets farther than 12 yards. Stick with black powder and 00 Buck shot.

FWIW, there are records of Hessian troops during the Rev War loading 10 gauge Blunderbuss with three charges of powder (300 grains) and a handfull of buckshot and another handfull of 50 caliber ball. This load was best shot from the hip.

 

[Grenadier1758]

And probably forget about the use of RS Pyrodex. Ignition will be delayed at best unless you use a black powder starter charge. @Many Klatch is correct. A blunderbuss is a short range firearm for ranges measuring in feet, not yards and at targets that don't require any aiming, just general pointing.

 

[[GF]Burke]

Niiice. Right on. Yeah, she is small but has no problem with .50cal. 30.30 or 12g.
Makes sense about the bell and aiming for sure. Think we will stick to buck/glass/nails/rocks, etc. ha.

 

[Greg Blackburn]

I wondered if you really could shoot "just about whatever" out of it.

 

[SDSmlf]

I have an inexpensive Spanish made one, 26 gauge (56 caliber) with a 13-1/2“ long barrel. As others mentioned, not easy to shoot accurately. But it is a blast to shoot. The kids, large and small seem to love it. I bring it out on the 4th or anytime there is crowd and need or want an obnoxious noise maker. Put balloons up a few feet in front of the kids, load 30/50 grains (depending on size of the kid) or so of whatever is ‘excess inventory’ powder under a cottonball, and enough ‘stuff’ comes out of the muzzle to pop balloons, make smoke and a big boom. The kids think they’re Captain Jack and line up to shoot it. Good chance to teach gun handling safety and introduce young (and old) to ‘traditional’ muzzleloading. Unfortunately, it is usually as close to it as many will ever get.

Have only tried shot and buckshot a few times. Hard to get on target consistently past 15 yards or so, but if you were clearing a room or a ship deck, could be the right gun.

 

[[GF]Burke]

I think she'll love it. Last year she got a .357 GoldenBoy. We like the old stuff.
18th Century Pirate Blunderbuss - Black Powder Muzzleloader (anyone buy stuff from these guys?)

 

[Alexander Efremenko]

To determine the effective range of a blunderbuss,
With both hands, give it a good hard toss from the waist.
Measure has far it went, deduct 10 feet from that number. That is your effective range.
The same method works for smoothbore pistols also, but use a one handed overhead throw....

As said, feet not yards. We tested mine a couple weeks ago with buck and ball. And just buck shot.
At about 15 yards the pattern starts leaving a man sizes silhouette, at 20 ,more shot is off target than on

 

[rickystl]

I concur with Alexander. Maximum usable range is about 15 yards. Try about 70-80 grains of FFG, an over powder card, a greased wad, 10 each 00 buck, and an over shot card. Start at 7 yards. Use a piece of white paper about 3' tall X 2' wide. Point the top of the bell (muzzle) at the lower edge of the paper.

Rick

 

[SDSmlf]

To determine the effective range of a blunderbuss,
With both hands, give it a good hard toss from the waist.
Measure has far it went, deduct 10 feet from that number. That is your effective range.
The same method works for smoothbore pistols also, but use a one handed overhead throw....

As said, feet not yards. We tested mine a couple weeks ago with buck and ball. And just buck shot.
At about 15 yards the pattern starts leaving a man sizes silhouette, at 20 ,more shot is off target than on

Remember pretty similar results out of the 56 caliber 13-1/2” barrel on mine, though it’s been a while and don’t have notes. If I remember correctly with a dozen or so 1-1/2 buckshot as a load, was only seeing a few on a SR target (28” square) somewhere around 20 or 25 yards. After a few shots decided not to waste any more of my 32 caliber ammunition. Believe it was around 15 yards where a clay pigeon was safe more often than not from a load of #6 shot. Did not experiment enough to determine if poor performance was because of the gun, load, shooter or a combination of the reasons. Didn’t matter to me, it’s really just a noise maker as far as I’m concerned, and it did that very well. Don’t plan on boarding any ships in the near future, so I’m set.

 

[[GF]Burke]

Yep, for desert fun. Probably the most she'd do is blast a jack. I might have to get a bulk bag of #7 shot or something. I can't make that easily.

 

[tenngun]

To determine the effective range of a blunderbuss,
With both hands, give it a good hard toss from the waist.
Measure has far it went, deduct 10 feet from that number. That is your effective range.
The same method works for smoothbore pistols also, but use a one handed overhead throw....

As said, feet not yards. We tested mine a couple weeks ago with buck and ball. And just buck shot.
At about 15 yards the pattern starts leaving a man sizes silhouette, at 20 ,more shot is off target than on

I don’t recall the exact words so I won’t want to quote it but in an old shooting manual it describes blunderbuss useful for defending staircases, ships decks and stagecoaches. One man autopsied after having been murdered in his coach was fount to have shot from his groin to his neck. Roughly a two foot spread when shot from a blunderbuss just a few feet away
I bet your results were all the original makes and shooters expected

 

[toot]

you don't aim one one. you just point and shoot-clear the decks, MATY.! most people hold the but against your breast/ chest.

 

[Rokon]

Just ordered my lady the "18th Century Blunderbuss" 69cal. for Christmas. I have lead and molds for 00buck (9 pellets). Then I'd assume to use about 80grains of RS. Some over powder wading and over shot wad. 3f for the pan. Probably ok there.
I'd like her to be able to shoot a round ball/1 big solid lead also. Currently I shoot 50cal stuff and have molds for that. But also I do have the ' Lee 1oz Slug Mold' which is .681. Think that would be ok? Use a patch? I know it's a short smoothbore, but what would give the best results for say...80yrds and in for a 'slug' style load?
Or any tips on things to add to her kit. I'd like to get her a brass powder charge holder... etc. Bits to go with it.
Just getting ready.

I have the dubious distinction of being one of two competitors to shoot the one and only Blunderbuss NMLRA match at the winter nationals several years ago. We shot round ball at a stationary target and shot from a rocking buggy seat at a stationary metal target and later a round of trap. I was shooting an English, large belled, miltary style blunderbuss while my competitor was shooting a small belled blunderbuss assembled from a kit. He had filed a notch at the 12 o'clock position on his bell which was a good idea as a front sight. Frankly I was surprised how well we both did shooting round balls on target. So, your back sight is your eye and the top of the bell is your front sight. For round ball shooting, I wrapped a greased patch around my ball and tied it off. In terms of shot patterns, you are simply shooting a cylinder bore of whatever caliber.The bell having nothing to do with the patterning effect of the gun. Don't have my notes ion front of me, but I'll retrieve them and let you know what my competition loads were.

 

[JCKelly]

Where was this gun made?

If it is of Indian origin, I suggest you start right now looking for a new replacement lady.

Seriously, do not let her (current Lady) shoot this thing. It is not designed for shooting. The website will say something about ease of shipping. That is BS of the most dangerous kind.

 

[tenngun]

I wondered if you really could shoot "just about whatever" out of it.

No.
They shot lead shot from them back in the day. Maybe in an emergency so wher scrap was thrown down the gun. If it didn’t blow up it was certainly ruined.

 

[flntlokr]

Just ordered my lady the "18th Century Blunderbuss" 69cal. for Christmas. I have lead and molds for 00buck (9 pellets). Then I'd assume to use about 80grains of RS. Some over powder wading and over shot wad. 3f for the pan. Probably ok there.
I'd like her to be able to shoot a round ball/1 big solid lead also. Currently I shoot 50cal stuff and have molds for that. But also I do have the ' Lee 1oz Slug Mold' which is .681. Think that would be ok? Use a patch? I know it's a short smoothbore, but what would give the best results for say...80yrds and in for a 'slug' style load?
Or any tips on things to add to her kit. I'd like to get her a brass powder charge holder... etc. Bits to go with it.
Just getting rea

Depends on what she wants to do with it. Any load suitable for a 12 gauge shotgun is good to go (I sometimes take mine and try to hit clays; best I have done is about 3 in 20). If she is just using it as a noisemaker, about 155gr of 1 or 2F packed down hard will produce a bang heard for miles.

 

[toot]

Just ordered my lady the "18th Century Blunderbuss" 69cal. for Christmas. I have lead and molds for 00buck (9 pellets). Then I'd assume to use about 80grains of RS. Some over powder wading and over shot wad. 3f for the pan. Probably ok there.
I'd like her to be able to shoot a round ball/1 big solid lead also. Currently I shoot 50cal stuff and have molds for that. But also I do have the ' Lee 1oz Slug Mold' which is .681. Think that would be ok? Use a patch? I know it's a short smoothbore, but what would give the best results for say...80yrds and in for a 'slug' style load?
Or any tips on things to add to her kit. I'd like to get her a brass powder charge holder... etc. Bits to go with it.
Just getting ready.

just remember that they were SHOT GUNS! point and shoot, no sights and if they had one you could not see it because of the flailed end / muzzle.

 

[JCKelly]

"I wondered if you really could shoot "just about whatever" out of it."

Gentlemen, with all respect, you may occasionally shoot the breech plug out of an Indian blunderbuss.

 

[rickystl]

Here is my third shot testing my 11 gauge. You'll probably get a similar pattern at 7 yards. The target is 3' tall X 2' wide. I pointed the top of the bell (muzzle) at the lower edge of the paper.

The recoil was something like being kicked by a Missouri mule. LOL
Later on, I found that using 10 .31 (00) balls and lowering the powder charge to about 75grs. of FFG produced a better pattern with a more reasonable recoil.
The pattern spreads dramatically at 15 yards, and is basically useless after that range. These are definitely close range weapons. But they would be very effective for their original intended purpose.

Interesting to note that the blunderbuss was especially popular in Spain. They continued making them all the way through the percussion era even after their own military stopped using them. Apparently they could easily hide one under a cloak for personal protection.

Rick