I got my new toy and now I need to know if any of you have a pet shot load for this shotgun. It has three exchangable chokes. I'm going to be hunting grouse with it. Its a new adventure for me. Any help on wads,cards, etc. I did receive some wads and cards with it.I use FFF in my 45 and 54 cal. I beleive that should work in this. I did a search and came up with a load or two. Any help in that will be appreciated. Thanks
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paulvallandigham
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Measure the bores of those barrels, with a caliper, Hacksaw, so you know exactly the bore diameter of each when you order wads. Just because it says " 12 gauge" on the barrels does not mean the bores are actually 12 gauge( .729") You may need to order larger or small gauge wads for it, or different wads for the two barrels.
It is very difficult if not impossible to force Over Powder wads( OP), and Cushion wads through any kind of choke tube. A better idea for loading would be to use only OVERSHOT ( OS) cards, which are about .010" thick, have a slick surface like shirt backs, but can be bent slightly to get them through the chokes. Once through, your ramrod and jag will turn them 90 degrees to drive down the barrel. Use 4 OS cards over the powder, putting holes in each card with an awl to let out the air. Orient the cards so that no two cards have holes that align with each other. Orient them at 12,3,6&9 o'clock. Put your shot load down then, and then put 2 OS cards, again with holes in them to let out the air-- the holes need to be off center but not so close to the edge that the edge will collapse as the card is pushed down the barrel-- to hold the shot load in place.
To lube, run a lubed cleaning patch on your jag down the barrel after seating those final OS cards on the shot. The advantage of this procedure is that by eliminating OP wads, and cushion wads, you don't have to carry an assortment of " Stuff " into the field when you hunt. You can even pre-lube patches and carry them either in a brass can, as I do, or in a ziplock bag, as I would do if they had been around when I was solving this problem for myself. ( I now carry a plastic bag in a pocket to put my used patches, rather than litter the ground with them.) I carry dry cleaning patches in my pocket in my hunting bag.
For good loading advice, check out the article by V.M. Starr, who was the dean of ML shotguns.
[url] http://members.aye.net/~bspen/starr.html[/url]
These may seem light to you, but they work.
Use your Improved Cylinder choke tubes for hunting quail, and dove. Modified will work for hunting Pheasants over dogs, grouse, and chukkar. Late season anything, when the birds may not hold , can call for Full choke. Full choke is what you would choose for Turkey, as you are shooting for the head and neck, and not the body. Because you are NOT going to get the same velocities out of Black Powder loads that you get from smokeless, consider using a shot size that is one size larger than what you would choose in a modern shotgun load for the same purpose. Its the weight of the pellet that carries its energy down range, not velocity, which is shed faster than water off a duck's back!
It is very difficult if not impossible to force Over Powder wads( OP), and Cushion wads through any kind of choke tube. A better idea for loading would be to use only OVERSHOT ( OS) cards, which are about .010" thick, have a slick surface like shirt backs, but can be bent slightly to get them through the chokes. Once through, your ramrod and jag will turn them 90 degrees to drive down the barrel. Use 4 OS cards over the powder, putting holes in each card with an awl to let out the air. Orient the cards so that no two cards have holes that align with each other. Orient them at 12,3,6&9 o'clock. Put your shot load down then, and then put 2 OS cards, again with holes in them to let out the air-- the holes need to be off center but not so close to the edge that the edge will collapse as the card is pushed down the barrel-- to hold the shot load in place.
To lube, run a lubed cleaning patch on your jag down the barrel after seating those final OS cards on the shot. The advantage of this procedure is that by eliminating OP wads, and cushion wads, you don't have to carry an assortment of " Stuff " into the field when you hunt. You can even pre-lube patches and carry them either in a brass can, as I do, or in a ziplock bag, as I would do if they had been around when I was solving this problem for myself. ( I now carry a plastic bag in a pocket to put my used patches, rather than litter the ground with them.) I carry dry cleaning patches in my pocket in my hunting bag.
For good loading advice, check out the article by V.M. Starr, who was the dean of ML shotguns.
[url] http://members.aye.net/~bspen/starr.html[/url]
These may seem light to you, but they work.
Use your Improved Cylinder choke tubes for hunting quail, and dove. Modified will work for hunting Pheasants over dogs, grouse, and chukkar. Late season anything, when the birds may not hold , can call for Full choke. Full choke is what you would choose for Turkey, as you are shooting for the head and neck, and not the body. Because you are NOT going to get the same velocities out of Black Powder loads that you get from smokeless, consider using a shot size that is one size larger than what you would choose in a modern shotgun load for the same purpose. Its the weight of the pellet that carries its energy down range, not velocity, which is shed faster than water off a duck's back!
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Paul thanks for the reply. Where do you get your shot cards at? Any place have better quaility or price? The shotcards I got with the shotgun look to be real tough paper. I suppose punches would be hard to find to make your own. Also got the some big thick wads, about 1/4 inch thick with it. Lot of info to search through.
paulvallandigham
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Try Circle Fly Wads. A bag of 1000 will cost you very little money. They are also available from various suppliers listed in our Member's resources on the index page. Track of the Wolf, Log Cabin, Cain, Dixie Gun Works, and others carry and sell these OS cards from Circle Fly. Check their on-line catalogs to find what you need. If you don't have an awl, sharpen a long nail or put a short nail into some kind of handle, and then cut off the head and file the shaft to a point. A few hours in front of the TV will put holes in all the cards in one setting, so you don't run out until you run out of the cards.
BTW, I have now located where I put m 20 gauge OP wads, ( 1/8" thick) and my 20 gauge pre lubed cushion wads. If anyone out there wants them, I can send them to you. I only used a couple before finding out they don't work in my overbore sized fowler. I replaced them with 19 gauge wads, so these need a good home.
BTW, I have now located where I put m 20 gauge OP wads, ( 1/8" thick) and my 20 gauge pre lubed cushion wads. If anyone out there wants them, I can send them to you. I only used a couple before finding out they don't work in my overbore sized fowler. I replaced them with 19 gauge wads, so these need a good home.
I order my wads from Track of the Wolf. All you really need are the thin overshot wads. Use 4 over the powder and 1 or 2 over the shot.
you might also look at Ballistic Products for card wads, sometimes they are cheaper, soemtimes not.
