Hey all! I shot my northwest trade gun today. I practiced with ball and shot.
I’m wadding exclusively with greased flax tow. I’m finding using both an over powder and over shot wad is giving me better more consistent groups with ball and nicer patterns with shot.
Using #6 shot harvested from some old shotgun shells, I’m getting squirrel-busting patterns out to 20 yards or so with a square load of 80 grains 3Fg Goex (which I also prime with).
Still need to work on it to get a bit more range. Bushytails watch out this fall! Got to love the versatility of a smoothbore, and this one is just fantastic all around.
Recently I bought this nice bison powder horn from member “Cooleys” on this forum. It’s probably my most favorite horn ever, and looks great with my glass bead wampum strap.
Cooleys also let me know he could make me an accompanying pouch and we worked on the specs for it. The resulting pouch, based on an original 19th C. fur trade era example, is magnificent.
Before I was using a belt worn Lemuel Lyman style pouch and while nice, things got too cramped in there and it had a tendency to drop items.
This pouch is still modest in size yet is noticeably deeper with a gusset, and comfortable carries all my items. The attention to detail and craftsmanship on this bag are stellar.
Inside I’ve got a small leather shot bottle, linen rag for wiping the frizzen and for general cleaning, loose round balls at the bottom of the pouch, and a smoked brain tanned drawstring poke for carrying my greased tow wadding which can also be used to protect the bore after cleaning, plus lubricating the lock.
There is a spacious pocket sewn to the inside rear of the pouch that stores my turnscrew, spare gunflints, a coil worm, and a hank of clean dry tow for swabbing.
A carved antler measure hangs from the bag strap and I’ve got a vent pick hanging from the spout of the powder horn. I’ve also added a frizzen stall to the gun for safety when hunting.
I wanted to keep things as period as possible as well as simple. I’ve got everything I need to shoot a useful amount of ball and shot, and to clean the gun several times since tow can be washed out and reused.
I’ll get a detailed photo of the bag’s contents up soon. I think this is a great setup for this gun.
Thanks and take care all!
Dillon
I’m wadding exclusively with greased flax tow. I’m finding using both an over powder and over shot wad is giving me better more consistent groups with ball and nicer patterns with shot.
Using #6 shot harvested from some old shotgun shells, I’m getting squirrel-busting patterns out to 20 yards or so with a square load of 80 grains 3Fg Goex (which I also prime with).
Still need to work on it to get a bit more range. Bushytails watch out this fall! Got to love the versatility of a smoothbore, and this one is just fantastic all around.
Recently I bought this nice bison powder horn from member “Cooleys” on this forum. It’s probably my most favorite horn ever, and looks great with my glass bead wampum strap.
Cooleys also let me know he could make me an accompanying pouch and we worked on the specs for it. The resulting pouch, based on an original 19th C. fur trade era example, is magnificent.
Before I was using a belt worn Lemuel Lyman style pouch and while nice, things got too cramped in there and it had a tendency to drop items.
This pouch is still modest in size yet is noticeably deeper with a gusset, and comfortable carries all my items. The attention to detail and craftsmanship on this bag are stellar.
Inside I’ve got a small leather shot bottle, linen rag for wiping the frizzen and for general cleaning, loose round balls at the bottom of the pouch, and a smoked brain tanned drawstring poke for carrying my greased tow wadding which can also be used to protect the bore after cleaning, plus lubricating the lock.
There is a spacious pocket sewn to the inside rear of the pouch that stores my turnscrew, spare gunflints, a coil worm, and a hank of clean dry tow for swabbing.
A carved antler measure hangs from the bag strap and I’ve got a vent pick hanging from the spout of the powder horn. I’ve also added a frizzen stall to the gun for safety when hunting.
I wanted to keep things as period as possible as well as simple. I’ve got everything I need to shoot a useful amount of ball and shot, and to clean the gun several times since tow can be washed out and reused.
I’ll get a detailed photo of the bag’s contents up soon. I think this is a great setup for this gun.
Thanks and take care all!
Dillon
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