Over Shot Card

[paulvallandigham]

Javaman: Thank you for that report. It will be nice to see you compare those groups to one shot using an overshot card. That sounds like a fairly tight pattern.

 

[Java Man]

Paul,

I may not get to that. I'll shoot way more .595's out of the gun at paper than I will birdshot. The cotton balls were at least as easy to load as an over shot card. I did turn the gun upside down and shake it real good, with no movement of the load.

I'm ready to shoot some clays with the 7.5's I think. But still need to do some more diligent pattern work with #5 shot before tree rat and pheasant season.

 

[roundball]

I tried the cotton balls for over shot cards today. My load was 70gr FFg, over powder card, 1/2 pre lubed cushion wad, 1 1/4oz 7.5 shot, cotton ball. 20ga French Fusil, 42" bbl.

At 25yds, I had a nice dense pattern centered well, about 2' in diameter. The cotton ball turned into "snow". It certainly did not adversely affect the shot. For 4 shots anyway.

Java Man

I appreciate you posting the results...am shocked that the pattern was not disrupted by the large cotton ball...thanks!
:thumbsup:

 

[Java Man]

Roundball,

With the cotton being nice and soft and fluffy, the shot just blew it apart on the way though, I think. You never know till you try, right. :grin:

Maybe I better try the same load with the over shot card and see what happens.

I am having fun with this new smoothbore. :winking:

 

[flint62]

Java Man,
I would agree with the idea that it's the fiber wad causing the problem. I tried all different setups, cups, paper shells, on and on. The only time the problem of holes in the pattern stopped was after removing the fiber wad from the load.
FWIW using oatmeal as a buffer between the shot and powder also helped to tighten the pattern. :hatsoff:
just my humble opinion which coincidentally is worth 2 cents.
Kevin

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Beautiful gun, I like that big lock, I'm sure some will say it's not PC but I like it. Is that a rear sight or just something in the background? What sort of groups do you get with ball? If you are putting 1 1/4 ounce of 7 1/2's in a two foot circle just stick a feather in your cap as a trophy since there would be no bird to pick up! :haha:

 

[Java Man]

Joe,

No rear sight. Not pefectly PC either. But I won't be anywhere with it to care much. When I ordered it, I had not been on this site much, and didn't know the diff. Knowing what I do now, I would have opted for a longer bbl, walnut stock, and maybe a little smaller caliber just to be closer to PC.

I'll need to do more pattern work with the #5's for hunting. The 7.5's are for clays, and a little denser pattern is needed for those skinny things.