Multi-ball load for single shot?

[sgtski]

Folks the question is what kind of trouble does one get into loading 2-3 balls on top of a single load of powder? After reading again Dafoe's Robinson Crusoe where when facing cannibals and mutineers he loads several balls in his pistols it got me thinking. I have done lots of bird shot out of my old CVA 45. Could I turn my old Colonial pistol into Anti-Mutiny pistol with load like this?

Thanks Sgt Ski

 

[Poor Private]

Not sure about pistols, but seems like you could with non-cyclinder type pistol. Like a Kentucky style. I know in the Civil war they used a multiple load in some rifles- what they called "buck and ball". 1 .69 cal ball with 3 buck shot.

 

[Russianblood]

You could load more than one ball but make sure you decrease the powder charge to compensate for the added pressure the extra ball will add.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Not sure how knowledgeable Defoe was about pistols. He may have been taking a little poetic license with this one. Or he may have been referring to a load of shot. Anyway, I tried two .595 balls in my 20 gauge flintlock pistol. I used a 40 grain load of FFg and at 15 yards the balls printed about 2 and 1/2 feet apart. Recoil wasn't horrible, but I definitely knew something went up the spout!

 

[Rod Lassey]

Sir Alexander MacKenzie--the NorthWest Company trader who crossed the continent years before Lewis & Clark--recorded in his book that he loaded his pistol with 5 swanshot (around .25 cal. or so). He doesn't mention the bore size of his pistol, but I'd guess it to be fairly large. Probably one of the cheap English trade pistols made by Sharpe, Wheeler, etc., and sold by the fur companies.

Rod

 

[Blizzard of '93]

I shot #5 shot out of my CVA .50 pistol, it's close range proposition, spreads rapidly. I can see where it would be handy.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

When loaded like a fowler with a 7/8 ounce of #5 shot, this 12" barrelled pistol is surprisingly effective on bunnies. Would probably make a good snake gun if there were any around here to shoot at. In any case, it makes for a handy little camp gun.

 

[Rebel]

What about that Massachuesets native, the deadly TEDDY SNAKE?

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Sadly, this nasty viper rarely crawls out from under its rock.

 

[sgtski]

The pistol in question is 45 cal caplock with a
7 inch barrel. What I am toying with is the idea for a more primitive backup to my self bow than pepper spray when I am hunting down in the river bottoms.

Sgt Ski

 

[bocalbender1]

Hey sgtski, I come from the motherland originally, (Wisconsin that is)If my memory serves, you need a 9" barrel at minimum to be square with state regs for hunting. My .02 BB :v

 

[BrownBear]

I live and hunt in serious big bear country and see them frequently. Last year I faced down a charge with a single 54 cal ball in the pipe and no backup. I've been a little resistant to the local practice of carrying a modern revolver for backup and have about decided the cap version of this is going to hunt with me next year. The flint version specifies 8" barrels, but there are no specs on the cap version. Geometry makes them look longer, but if you're facing a 9" minimum it would be worth a call to the source.

All I know is that I'd rather be packing a 62 than a 45, and two barrels will definitely be better than one. I'm going to experiment with both single RB and some hard cast 32's I have laying around as "buckshot". Might even end up with one barrel of each.

 

[bocalbender1]

Just checked. 7" from face of breech to muzzle. your good. :thumbsup:

 

[Blizzard of '93]

you might try a double-PRB load in yer pistol. I never have but have shot such out of my .50 rifle. 25 yards is good range for it. beyond opens fast.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

The problem with these short barrelled pistols is that you can't burn much powder in them, so velocities are low and as a result so is penetrating ability. Particularly when facing a large and very upset bear you want all the punch you can get. That's why I went with a twelve inch barrel on my .62 caliber pistol. It ups the muzzle energy and penetrating ability a bit. Jim Chambers offers a pistol with an even longer barrel, and if I had to do over I think that that is what I would get.

 

[sgtski]

Well I guess I could convert my TC New England 12 Gauge in really big mouse gun, but should carry it using belt hook or a holster.javascript:void(0)
rotf I guess I stay to the yell and pepper spray method.

Thanks for the input
Sgt Ski

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

Oh I dunno. The T/C converted into a blanket gun with a 14" barrel would a nice back up gun! :hatsoff:

 

[brubincam]

just make sure you have a tight ball-patch combo---don't want to face a bear with the ball unknowingly missing from your gun--- :nono:

 

[Many Klatch]

I have a .64 and .69 smoothbore flint pistol. They are fun to shoot with 5 or 6 buckshot. Also I have found that 4 buckshot over a .64 round ball with 35 grains of powder will tear up a stump pretty good. I haven't tried it on a bear (don't really want to).

Many Klatch

 

[RedFeather]

You want to use this as back up against bear? I should think a .45 pistol would be a might on the short side. From what I have read about double ball loads, you don't really get much more out of them since the velocity falls off. Maybe better to use a heavy conical. I had an early CVA Colonial kit. It didn't strike me as that heavy built. It wasn't intended as a magnum type gun, if you know what I mean.