OK, now what.....

[Ponderosaman]

Wads are added in a cylinder/modified choke to keep a good pattern. Your shotgun has a full choke. The wad is not needed. Just like a wad that is too thick will punch a hole in your pattern with a modified choke, so will an aggressive wad in a full choke punch a hole in your pattern. As @Britsmoothy suggests overshot cards will work well for a full choke, both for loading and patterning. I'm looking forward to what you find when you pattern for turkey.

 

[Two Elks]

Thanks I didn' t know that either.

 

[Two Elks]

So far I' ve discovered that if I cut my new 1/8" nitro cards in half (since I have them) I can fold them and they will go in the bore. This is while I'm waiting on the overshot cards to arrive. So I'm going to start with these 1/16" thick nitro cards over the powder and over the shot. I'm planning on starting with 60 grains of 2 F and 1 oz (70 grains) #6 shot. Taking one component at a time I'll work up to 70-75 grains of 2 F and 11/4 oz #6. If somewhere in that recipe I have a successful pattern then I intend to do the same progress with 3F. Now just to get some decent weather without snow and cold !!

 

[oldwood]

Just for grins , mic. your bore , then mike your wads too.. I been doing this for a long time ,and don't use any but .125 card wads on the powder , and 1/2 of a .125 on top the shot. The fat fiber wads don't slow down quick enough , in my opinion, and can blow the shot pattern. For testing purposes , make a short starter out of a 6" pc. 1/2 " dowel rod. Ya kin glue an end on it so ya can hammer a wad down in the bore. Guess i didn't mention lubrication may be important . Put some lube on the .125 wad before ramming. Pour your powder in the bore. try seating the grease lubed wad . Put a load of shot in and pattern the gun on paper. See if the pattern will cover a turkeys head and neck. #6 or #5 might be good. , say at 25 yds.
Also , Circle Fly Wad Company makes many odd sizes of card wads , and probably has a web site. One of the beautiful things about m/l stuff ,you can make things work with a little trial. So many times there is nothing standard in this business. If all else fails, git some news paper and experiment with that. I'm gonna be trying to shoot shot from a .555 cal. smooth rifle. Have no idea if there's wads for that , and if not , will make something work. That's how it's done in the m/l small bores. .............................Hope this helps......oldwood

 

[Two Elks]

Cyrus, you are correct. That's the reason I love Rondy's and the simple life I can live there for just a little while. There is nothing like setting up a period correct camp, meeting old friends again, cooking over an open fire that you've made with flint and tinder, shooting, talking, trading and all. Best time for me is walking thru camp at night with a candle lantern and seeing the other camps glowing from lights within, and watching others with candle lanterns moving thru the dark, like fire flies in the night. I like the shooting too: the William Tells. splitting the ball, the woods walks. You've brought back great memories now and long ago.

 

[Two Elks]

Thanks Oldwood

 

[oldwood]

Guess they didn't like my post , can't find it , don't matter to me. As usual , just trying to help

 

[Two Elks]

Oldwood, hey, I read your post and it's still there on my 'puter at least..

 

[user 49399]

Two Elks,

I may be chiming in late, but would like to offer you my smooth bore load for my .62 caliber Fusil de Chasse. I load 65 grains 2f, a wad of tow (see below), 65-70 grains of #6 shot and topped off with another wad of tow.

I make tow from jute string by cutting it in approximately 4 inch lengths and unraveling the fibers. The unraveled fibers are then rolled up into a ball usually about the size of a .60 caliber ball. The size can easily be adjusted larger or smaller. For the over powder wad, a little lube of choice can be applied to keep it from burning.

My favorite wads though are wasp nest when I have them. I hope this helps.

 

[Two Elks]

Thanks Banjoman. I haven't ben able to find tow so I'll try your jute string procedure. I really appreciate your time and help. Wjhen I get some targets with holes in them I'll show them here

 

[Grenadier1758]

Jute, hemp, manilla, or sisal twine can be cut into 4" lengths to be unraveled to make a nest of tow. Tow is the waste byproduct of processing flax into linen thread.

 

[TreeMan]

Try using some TOW over powder and over shot. I use JUTE fiber I buy on Amazon. Wad up a ball of it and seat on the powder. Pour in your shot and put another ball of tow over the shot. Works like a charm in some guns. That’s all I use when squirrel hunting. Makes for fast reloads. With TOW you won’t have to alter your gun or make all those gadgety wads and cards. Won’t hurt to try and it’s cheap. If it doesn’t produce decent patterns you can just use the tow for cleaning after shooting.

 

[planefixer da50]

TWO ELKS 68-75gr. 3f. what ever your barrel likes best.

 

[Two Elks]

Thanks planefixer, I have some of that and I'll put it on the list too. Also i have 3F so I'm going to try that as well.

 

[user 49399]

I even use this method for my Kentucky rifle. 50 grains of 2f, wad of tow (or preferably wasp nest), a .490 or .495 bare round ball and topped off with another wad of tow (or wasp nest). With this load, I can kill a cereal box at 50 yards.

 

[Two Elks]

Banjoman, interesting about the bare ball. And it is good that it gets you breakfast too, LOL !!!

 

[user 49399]