in black powder it all matters.. when i was a serious ice fisherman looking for big trout, i would set my drags quite light early in the cold morning and set them tighter as it warmed up.. at a single setting the line could snap when it was very cold, and the fish would take off with a loose spool when it warmed up.. when i was a fanatic shotgun shooter i would use 5 grains more for the first shot to keep patterns optimun then the lessor for succesive shots becouse the fouling would increase pressures.. even with modern guns my 12 gauge sxs shoots much better over 70 degrees, the extra velocity and better patterns pops the clays much better.. .. . ill go thru my smoothbore loads at differeing temperatures to give you an idea.. this is for ducks..... i have data for smoothbore from literally hundreds of patterns.. a smoothbore needs all the help it can get, a choked gun is not anywhere near as particular. as stated above a good choked gun will probably work well around 90/90, with a little tweeking.... all of these are done with penetration tests, in each 20 degrees temp, with 8 shot 6 shot, 5 shot, number 4 bismuth... as i said ill give you bismuth loads for my 16 guage 42 inch barrel swamped chambers smoothbore....... i take that back ive got trap loads for hot weather and bismuth loads for cold weather as i dont shoot trap at 0 degrees and i dont shoot ducks as 80 degrees.. here goes ...80-90 degrees -72 grains 3f,nitro card, glob of tc lube, 1/2 inch fiber wad,90 gr equivelent 8 nickle shot,over shot card, yields 41 percent pattern good at 10 yards behind trap thrower,(with 5 1/2 knickle shot has 100 percent cambells soup can pennetration one side 40 yards)......... 70 degrees 72/90 umber 8 shot 100 percent can pennetration..............60 degrees 72 gr 3f, 90 gr equivelent number 8 knickle shot ,notes say nothing without buffer, is effective over 35 yards on clays without buffer.. ...........then it swithces to bismuth,,,, 75 grains 3fg. nitro card, glob tclube, 1/2 inch fiber wad, 110 grains equivelent number 4 bismuth, over shot card.. (notes recomend to use buffer load for optimum pattern)..............30 degrees, 85 gr 3f,110 gr number 4 bismuth yields 50 percent pattern without cup.noes say use buffer load from 20 degrees and colder.......... 20 degrees, using paper cup for theshot ,,, 80 gr 3f, 125 gr 4 bismuth, use typing paper cup for bismuth,at 50 yards a large campellsoup can had 6 pellets hit, 3of them pennetration, 2 edge hits (glances) .. on another page's notes using this type load, "85 gr 3f, 110 bismuth, 16ga, yr 2000,,ducks under 35 yards pretty well taken care of,over 40yards needs work,, 2/3 ducks one day 12 degrees,,lost bird was 40-50 yards............ now it gets more complicated.. .... 10 degrees, 80 3f, 125 gains bismuth, typing paper cup and 35 grains buffer equivelent ( mulit metal plastic buffer from balistic products), 51 percent pattern, 6 hits campells soup can 50 yards.. the four quarters of pattern in this temp, with this load in 30 inch circle 40 yards was top left-27, top right-17, lower left-23, lower right-20, ,......... 0 degrees 90 3fg 120 equivelent 4 bismuth, wax paper cup, 35 grains equivelent buffer, 53 percent pattern at 40 yards pattern 23 22 15 25, it looks like i used to use two 1/8 inch wool felt wads impregnated wtih tc lube under the fiber card with this load,, and i show no nitro card, but would try both on pattern board to be sure before hunting in this temp again.. its been a long time since ive shot at 0 degrees.. but at 0 degrees even tc lubed wool felt wads are hard and the lube wont effect powder... your a black powder cartridge shooter so you know what testing/compression/ founling/ velocity is all about.. with a rifle you basically have to get the velocity up to the optimum for twist rate for the bullet to stablilize.. with black powder shotgun your looking at lubrication problems, fouling problems (remember no blow tube), velocity problems changeing patterns, reducing pennetration, etc etc.. so its all done on the pattern board, and check pennetration on a campells soup can for pellet size on duck sized critters.. balance the load for distance and pattern density.. ive found three body hits with good pennetration is proper for cold weather shotgunning.. if you have a dog you can go for wing hits, but with single shot smooth bore wing hits and no dog, youd better be a good runner or swimmer for ducks.. your gun must be lubed to keep fouling soft, as it gets colder unlubed fouling is rock hard.. so more and more lube is needed as it gets cold.. tc lube must be kept in shirt pocket or it will be like a rock.
dave.. ,,
