Loading Process

[bads1buell]

First time smoothbore shooter here and looking for correct process of loading shot down the barrel. Could someone explain in detail what I will need to accomplish this task? Rifle is a 54/28ga Colerain smoothbore barrel. Wanting to work up a squirrel load.

Thanks

 

[ncmtmike]

(1) Powder
(2)over powder card
(3)wad
(4)shot
(5)over shot card

(6) put squirrel in game bag :thumbsup:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

MIKE, ....Important Safety Tip... make sure you shoot and kill said squirrel BEFORE you try to put it into the game bag...:haha: ... I've seen what happens to a feller who put's a stunned and only wounded squirrel into a game bag....:haha:



Another way is:

Tear open cartridge, and pour pre-measured powder charge down the barrel.

Insert now empty paper cartridge into bore, and ram down on top of paper to form wad.

Insert second cartridge made from newsprint that holds the pre-measured shot charge. Ram it down so that it's seated on the wad.

Half-cock smoothbore, prime flintlock pan from horn, shut pan, replace horn plug.

Start hunting.

LD

 

[ncmtmike]

LD,,bet that would be akin to having a weed-eater in your shorts huh? :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:

 

[Billnpatti]

Mtmike gave you the basic information on how to load your gun. Now, with that basic information, you will need to determine exactly what load your gun prefers. You can vary the amount of powder, the amount of shot and the number of wads and cards. Some guns will want only one over powder wad while others may want a wad and a half or two wads. Still others will prefer only a half of a wad. When I refer to "half wads", I am speaking of splitting the thickness in half. The OP wads are made of a fiber and can easily be split if you need more or less wad over your powder. Some guns like only a single over shot card and others will shoot better with two OS cards. I know one person who uses a very small punch or icepick to punch an off center hole in his OS cards. He loads two cards and makes sure not to align the holes. The holes allow air not to become trapped undeer the shot card and pushing it up off the shot. He also claimed that the holes allowed the OS cards to fly away to the side and not make a hole in the shot pattern. Lots to think about and you will just need to either find a range that has a shotgun patterning board or get some large sheets of paper and draw a 30 inch circle on each sheet. Put the sheets of paper up and stand back about 20 or 25 yards and fire at the center of the circle. Then remove the paper and count the number of pellets that hit within the circle. Try different amounts of powder and shot along with varying the number of wads and half wads over your powder and one or two cards over your shot. It will take lots of experimenting to find what will make your gun give the nicest pattern for your purposes.

Here's something to think about trying http://www.muzzleloadingshotguns.com/articles/candlecartridges

 

[bads1buell]

(1) Powder
(2)over powder card
(3)wad
(4)shot
(5)over shot card

Are you referring to this? If so can you elaborate on which wad first. Wad-A etc in order... Also how much shot and what size please.
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/170/1

 

[ncmtmike]

okay,,using your link to TOTW: Powder charge
Wad A
Wad C
Shot? Varies
Wad B

I use 1 ounce shot #5 over 60 gr,3f mine is .62/20 gauge

Maybe some guys here that shoot your gauge will chime in.

 

[54ball]

I use lubed Spanish moss but tow or any fibrous wad would suffice.

With a measure I pour my charge from the horn. Then I empty the charge from the measure into the bore. I pick the piece up slightly and return it to the ground to settle the grains.

I reach into my pouch and retrieve a moss wad. Sometimes I will ram this down on the charge, sometimes I'll just push it down the bore enough to receive the shot. It depends on how fouled the bore is.

Next I pour shot into the same measure and pour it on top of my wad in the bore.

I retrieve another wad place it on top of the shot and ram it home.

Then I prime from the horn and my piece is ready to fire.

 

[bads1buell]

Thanks everyone it makes more sense now. Now I have to find some shot any ideas?

 

[Grenadier1758]

A over all else, it's powder first.

A well stocked sporting goods store should have shot unless you live in a state where lead shot is prohibited. Then you have to order legal shot from an on line supplier such as Graf ad sons.

 

[jamesthomas]

To start out finding which No. shot to use (No.6's, 5's or 7 1/2's etc.). I would just buy a box of shells at a sporting goods store and use the shot out of them instead of buying a 10lb. sack of 7 1/2's and finding out you can't get a good pattern with them. Buy a box of 12ga. of No. 6's, 5's if you can find them, and a box of 7 1/2's. Tear them apart and just use the shot out of them NOT the powder.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Something else that I noticed is that you have a 54 cal / 28 gauge gun. I am speculating that it is a flintlock. If so be sure to use real black powder such as GOEX, Schuetzen or Graf's brand. The substitutes work poorly at best and more than frustratingly unreliable other times.

I hope that we are answering your questions and you will be able to enjoy your new smoothbore.

 

[bads1buell]

Thanks to all that replied.

How much lead shot should I be using in a 28ga

#5?
#6?

Ordered everything from Circle Fly Wads.

 

[nwtradegun]

powder, circle fly wad, shot circle fly wad. then make squrril stew

 

[nwtradegun]

almost forgot, then send me an invite.

 

[nwtradegun]

you can find small bags of shot on evil bay

 

[hunts4deer]

#5 or #4 are good for squirrel. Start with a measure equal to caliber. So a .54 would use a 55 grain powder measure and use the same measure for shot. That will give you about 7/8 oz of shot. You could easily go up 10 grains in powder and shot, but probably not necessary.

The old rule from the 18th century is equal volumes of powder and shot or, up to 1/3 more shot than powder for a denser pattern. (but more shot than powder slows down the velocity a little, so some people move up one shot size to compensate i.e., #5 to #4)

Hunting squirrels with a flintlock is more fun than you can imagine.

 

[juancho]

MIKE, ....Important Safety Tip... make sure you shoot and kill said squirrel BEFORE you try to put it into the game bag... ... I've seen what happens to a feller who put's a stunned and only wounded squirrel into a game bag....

That makes me feel a lot better , knowing somebody else is as stupid as I am :rotf:
I had to drop the bag and stump on it. :redface:

 

[Ken Cormier]

Shot at said tree rat. Rat fell out of tree went over. Then the fun started picked up said rat by the tail. Rat woke up ****** bite said hunters hand Then said Hunter dropped gun tried to grab said rat bites other hand shake rat off. Then said Hunter steps on gun stock BIG scratch in gun. 60 grains 3f with tow over powder same measure of shot tow over shot. :surrender: