Loads for Pedersoli 12 ga.?

[Ted A.]

Just wondering what others mayhave found as good loads in Pedersoli percussion 12 SXS shotguns.

I plan to shoot lead balls as well as shot. I just got a .690 cal. RB mold.

I have some Circle Fly overpowder wads, cushion wads, and overshot wads. I've heard people say you don't need the overpowder wad and just use the cushion wad, others say just use two overpowder wads and skip the cushion wad, and others say overshot wads are just a pain and it's easier to split a cushion wad in half or thirds and use that as an overshot wad.

Some say to use a cushion wad over the powder when loading a patched round ball, others say the patch is plenty enough and the wad is just a waste.

For what it's worth, I've had a Pedersoli Bess for about 20 years, and over time have bent the cock a bit to get better geometry, and put a vent liner in which is hollowed out a little on the inside, and with my own .735" cast pure lead RB's and crisco or Bore Butter-lubed .010" cotton patches, I get excellent accuracy and reliability, so I never saw a need to put wads in it.

But I haven't done much shotgunning at all, and wonder what others have found that works well.

Thanks!

 

[paulvallandigham]

I shoot a s x s CVA 12 ga. shotgun, not a pedersoli, but the loads would be the same. I use a 2 3/4 dram charge of FFg powder, an overpowder wad( 1/8"), then half a cushion wad, soaked and squeezed out with moose milk, to lube the barrel, then a overshot card, or wafer, on top of the cushion wad to give a dry, hard flat surface to push the shot, then 1 1/8 oz of #8 shot for clays, and dove,or 1 1/4 oz of #5 shot for pheasants and chukkar partridge, finishing with a overshot card. I pierce the overshot wafer with my awl so it allows air to escape through the center of the wafer, and not curl an edge. I want the shot column to leave the barrel at exact right angles to the bore, so that the pattern has the best chance of staying together. The light load improves the number of pellets in the pattern. The half cusion does not blow a hole in the pattern like a full cushion wad does.

I have not tried Round Ball in that gun, and don't intend to do so. I have a 20 ga. Fowler that shoots 3/4 oz. round ball just fine, and will kill any deer I can get within range as well as any 12 ga. slug or ball I have ever fired. If you keep the powder charges reasonable, I think you can get reasonably good accuracy from at least one of the barrels with round ball loads. Don't expect the two barrel to be regulated to shoot round ball to the same Point of Impact at 50 yds. It would be a rare gun that does, without a lot of work done by the gun maker. Sometimes you can find a load for each barrel that will put the round balls fired from each to roughly the same POI, but they often will use different powder charges, and different wad combinations to achieve that. In effect, you are carrying two guns with different loading data for each. Its fun to try to find something that works, but some people just don't have, or want to devote, the time and energy to find those loads.

Best wishes. Glad you have renewed your interest in ML guns again.

 

[Rebel]

I use a .690 rd ball in my Navy Arms double barrel .12 ga with 90-100 grs of Pyrodex RS. Powder, an over powder wad, half a lubed fiber cushion wad, and ticking patched rd ball. Mine shoot good out to 50 yds with that load. Don't know about any further than that. For shot i normally use 90 gr of RS and 1 1/4 oz with #5 lead or #1 steel. I use plastic shotcups made for steel shot with the steel shot, and Win AA wads with lead shot. For lighter load 70 gr of RS and 1-1 1/8 oz of #7 1/2 shot.

 

[ffffg]

first we need to start with some information.. what are you shooting at?.. is the gun choked? or cylinderbored.. if choked what kind of chokes is it,, full, modified, improved cyl, screw in or perminant?.. do you mind heavy loads,, how much loading experience have you had?...side by sides are more dangergous than single shots for several reasons, no cause for alarm, but after youve cleared up the questions we can go over how to make it safer... dave