Patterning my NWTG

[D.Summers]

Great advice!!

 

[D.Summers]

I imagine that it occured to them!

 

[Grenadier1758]

Thanks, gang. Seems I might need to find some #5 shot.

Still very perplexed as to whether or not I should try fiber wads and cards in my trade gun.

I want to be authentic and period correct, but it seems such wads were at least theoretically available in some capacity during the first half of the 19th C.

But if they ever found there way into someone’s pouch for use in a trade gun seems dubious.

Thoughts?

Don't get too overwrought about some modern improvements. The perfectly spherical round #5 shot is a late development with the creation of shot towers. Early descriptions of hunting with fowling guns refer to the use well felted saddle blankets being used as a cushion wad, "saddle pierce drives so fierce" (more or less). These treatises are much earlier than the early 19th century. Others describe shot cards as folded squares of paper to hold the shot. Subtle difference between modern practice such as the use of "Duro-Felt" for wads and round cards punched from cereal boxes instead of felt from old saddle blankets and hats for wads and folded paper for a thin over shot card and over powder card are quite acceptable. I do admit that such practice would have been common for the English gentry when out fowling and quite rare for the eastern woodland hunter in the colonies. Take advantage of some of these examples of modern improvements to have a more successful hunt.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/...oothbore-flintlock.153931/page-2#post-2183208

 

[Rob M.]

Thanks, gang. Seems I might need to find some #5 shot.

Still very perplexed as to whether or not I should try fiber wads and cards in my trade gun.

I want to be authentic and period correct, but it seems such wads were at least theoretically available in some capacity during the first half of the 19th C.

But if they ever found there way into someone’s pouch for use in a trade gun seems dubious.

Thoughts?

Try them all ! I dont use hornets nest to be historically correct but because it works well and its free ! I'm a cheap $#it ! LOL ! Thats its got history to it is just a neat aspect ... Try cards , tow , wads , hornets nest ....what have ya . See what works for you are what you like / prefer . Even at rendezvous ain't nobody gonna complain day anything ....who cares if they do , LOL ....any whom....have fun ,!

 

[snakebit]

That might just be a drawing of the very rarely seen BIG FOOTED SQUIRREL!!!

That would make a hellofa big "elk track" in snow!

 

[snakebit]

I find it takes more time to get a shotgun to shoot a good pattern than it does to find a good load for a rifle.
Repeatability of an excellent pattern can be very difficult.

You hit the nail square on the head with that one, I had the bruises to prove your statement to be 100% factual. It's a curse sometimes that I am too dumb to flinch

 

[snakebit]

Thanks, gang. Seems I might need to find some #5 shot.

Still very perplexed as to whether or not I should try fiber wads and cards in my trade gun.

I want to be authentic and period correct, but it seems such wads were at least theoretically available in some capacity during the first half of the 19th C.

But if they ever found there way into someone’s pouch for use in a trade gun seems dubious.

Thoughts?

Up your percentage for clean kills and less wounding.

 

[longcruise]

BTW, that is the biggest squirrel feet I have ever seen!

Hmmmmm.. A circus clown squirrel?