Pedersoli double barrel

[wb78963]

The newest acquisition is a Pedersoli 12 gauge percussion double barrel. Percussion shotguns are a whole new world for me. I use 4 c/c FFg powder over powder and fiber filler wads and the same dipper of shot for my unmentionable Pioneer 12 gauge double barrel. Would that be about a good starting point for this gun? I have available FFFg and FFg powders for whichever would be better. This will not be used for hunting but for clay birds and fooling around. This old broke down cowboy is too stove up for much rough ground walking.
Thanks pards
Bunk

 

[Musketeer]

4 cc is roughly 60 grains of 2f and (I believe) somewhere between 3/4 and 7/8 oz shot, so that's a suitable base charge for your frontstuffing shotgun. You can use either 2f or 3f. You'll have to experiment with different powder and shot charges to see what you and your gun like. Your gun may like this very light load for plinking or casual clay shooting, or you may find it shoots better with 80 grains of 2f or 3f and 1.25 oz shot (or some other load). Just have to shoot it and see. As far as wads, cards and the like, that requires even more experimentation. I think you see where this is going.

 

[Grenadier1758]

4 CCs of powder would be about 60 grains (volume) of 2fg. That would be a good starting point. Perhaps a bit light , but a good starting point.

 

[wb78963]

4 cc is roughly 60 grains of 2f and (I believe) somewhere between 3/4 and 7/8 oz shot, so that's a suitable base charge for your frontstuffing shotgun. You can use either 2f or 3f. You'll have to experiment with different powder and shot charges to see what you and your gun like. Your gun may like this very light load for plinking or casual clay shooting, or you may find it shoots better with 80 grains of 2f or 3f and 1.25 oz shot (or some other load). Just have to shoot it and see. As far as wads, cards and the like, that requires even more experimentation. I think you see where this is going.
My guess is going to be a lot of fun shooting, gee isn't that a shame?
Thanks
Bunk

 

[Britsmoothy]

Congrats but why the filler wads? Are you hoping to shorten the cramming home distance? Or do you just like ramming so much you add another component?

I'm glad you called them filler wads because that is what they really are. Cartridge excessive space filling devices. You don't need them brother in a muzzleloader.

Some call them cushion wads. That's just sales pitch.
If someone shot a pillow at you at 900fps or more I doubt it would feel soft and fluffy anymore!
Just use the cards brother

 

[wb78963]

Congrats but why the filler wads? Are you hoping to shorten the cramming home distance? Or do you just like ramming so much you add another component?

I'm glad you called them filler wads because that is what they really are. Cartridge excessive space filling devices. You don't need them brother in a muzzleloader.

Some call them cushion wads. That's just sales pitch.
If someone shot a pillow at you at 900fps or more I doubt it would feel soft and fluffy anymore!
Just use the cards brother

Good news because I have a 12 gauge punch that cuts a very tight wad so it is no problem cuting my own from packing boxes for over powder and file folders for over shot.
Thanks Britsmoothy for the help.
Bunk

 

[Eterry]

Im with Brittsmoothy on filler,fiber, cushion or whatever you wanna call them wads.

They are useless, unless you wanna try the Skychief load, they use them soaked in oil for over shot wad.

As for cards, I buy mine, cost about a penny apiece, from this guy. He's also on Facebook, family run business and a great guy.

 

[Historian]

Try using leather instead of paper products. They work better in my field experience as they seal the bore better than paper wads. I started out with the hard paper wads but switched over to leather after chronograph testing showed improved velocity results in all my smooth bores. Happy shooting.

 

[wb78963]

Since this is a sort of side project shooting something that has been in the back of the safe for a long time
(date stamp AE) it just needs to be shot some. It is not going to make a major project like the one for the Sharps rifles. There is no reason to spend time and money to tget uned up for something that will not get used a lot.
Those two and an unmentionable .#5-&0 with a chicken roost under the frame is one and filler in the percussion guns chambers is another.
Holding Center
Bunk.

 

[Feltwad]

I do not know how many times I have said this in these forums so I am going to say it again .
All you need is a volume load if its 12 then 2.3/4 drms of FFg or FFFg , then 2, 1/8 over powder card wads that can be cut with a punch followed by 1.1/8 of shot and finished with a 1, 1/16 card wad This is a volume load most here in the UK measure in drams for black powder so to ease matters 1drm equals 27.5 grains. Well good shooting , this load will bust clays and shoot small game eg pheasants partridge grouse out to its killing distance of 35 to 40 yards
Feltwad

 

[jlatz]

The square load works well. two and 3/4 drams of fff and an ounce and one eighth of shot are good. After loading powder put down an over powder wad and half a cushion wad, pour in shot and put down an over shot wad. The fff powder seems to burn a bit cleaner. Pyrodex RS and 777 works well also. For a lighter load try 2 1/2 drams of powder and an ounce of shot. I have used that in a 12 gauge to break clays at 10 yards from the trap house at Friendship. Have fun.

 

[Historian]

Mr. Feltwad, just a question sir, how do you deal with the fouling issue? I prefer beeswax and olive oil on 1/4 to 3/8 inch wool felt wads that I cut myself. I typically load: Powder Load then 1 1/8" leather OP Wad. 1 wool felt wad. Shot load. 1 wool felt wad to top it off with.. Britsmoothy turned me on to beeswax/olive oil wads. I love em.
Have a great day

 

[ohio ramrod]

I have a 12 gauge pedroseli double that likes 75 grain FF, leather wad and 1 ounce of shot in a newspaper cartridge made of three thickness of newspaper rolled around a dowel and tied shut with kite string.

 

[wb78963]

The square load works well. two and 3/4 drams of fff and an ounce and one eighth of shot are good. After loading powder put down an over powder wad and half a cushion wad, pour in shot and put down an over shot wad. The fff powder seems to burn a bit cleaner. Pyrodex RS and 777 works well also. For a lighter load try 2 1/2 drams of powder and an ounce of shot. I have used that in a 12 gauge to break clays at 10 yards from the trap house at Friendship. Have fun.

no offense, but I would rather load with stainless steel shot and clean with battery acid that shoot any of that rust in a bottle that burns. Anyone that knows me knows my feeling about both of those "substitutes"
However that 2 1/2 X 1 with FFFg sounds good. I am not hunting just plinking and there is plenty of FFFg GOEX in the locker..
And thanks for the suggestion.
Bunk

 

[Feltwad]

Mr. Feltwad, just a question sir, how do you deal with the fouling issue? I prefer beeswax and olive oil on 1/4 to 3/8 inch wool felt wads that I cut myself. I typically load: Powder Load then 1 1/8" leather OP Wad. 1 wool felt wad. Shot load. 1 wool felt wad to top it off with.. Britsmoothy turned me on to beeswax/olive oil wads. I love em.
Have a great day

I have found with many years experience the more coked the bore the better the gun shoots I can fire a 100 plus shots in one session without swabbing the barrel. If the bore becomes to much fouling making it difficult to ram home the wads then a little spittle in the bore will make seating the wad a lot easy, forget about these oil soaked fibre wad they are not required all you need is 2 . 1/8 cards over the powder and 1 1/16 over the shot.
Feltwad

 

[wb78963]

this project in on hold for the time being.
All my shogun components are for smokessomewhatless loads for unmentionable firearms and do not work in a real percussion gun.
Cutting wads with a punch is a time wasting process, so until the friendly folks at Track of the Wolf (shameless plug) get my order filled, I will concentrate on my Sharps rifles and a couple of semi-snub nose percussion revolvers and leave the shotgun in the rack where it has been resting peacefully for some time.
Then the fun will begin.
My load sequence will be powder, lubricated felt wad, over powder wad, shot, overshot wad.
That load column , with the exception of the lubricating wad but includes a plastic wad, is the combination used with thousands of smokessomewhatless loads over the past 50 years or so.
The lubrication provided by the felt wad hopefully will keep the fouling soft.
I thank everyone for their suggestions and experience
We shall see
Holding and hitting center
Bunk

 

[Feltwad]

Keep those plastic wads for the nitro cartridge but NEVER,NEVER use them in any black powder shotgun you will have a lot of problems including the bore wall coated with molten plastic and barrel ripple my advice throw them in the bin
So a punch is time consuming turn the shank down so it can be fixed in a pedestal drill and you can cut at least 50 wads per minute you will also need some shield to stop the cut wads from flying all over the workshop like confetti
Feltwad

 

[wb78963]

If I did use anything as a shot column wrap it would be a paper tube.
Black Gunpowder and plastic anything does not play well together.
Since my experience it that area is with unmentionable fire arms with unmentionable plastic component carriers I know what you are talking about.
I hope no one is offended by this posting..
Friend Feltwad, I have no way to turn down the shank on my 12 gauge punch bit it does a good job of cutting felt lubricated wads that i use in my hand guns.
TOW has an order in shipment as we speak.Something like 6 hours between order and shipment.
Holding and hitting center
Bunk

 

[PastorB]

In my Pedersoli SxS 20 gauge and my antique Robert Chaplain SxS 13 gauge (Fine London Twist, 1850-ish), I have found that thick cushion wads accomplish nothing but creating an enormous hole in the center of my pattern. My solution was a bag of cotton balls from Walmart. Tear one in two, one piece over the powder, the other over shot to hold stuff in place. Nice dense patterns and super cheap! I load slightly more shot than powder by volume, seems to work well that way. Just my experience.

 

[Sam squanch]

The double pedersoli I had years ago had a flaw. The left hammer was not positively on half cock. The trigger blades were too close to the sears, blocking the sear from fully entering the half cock notch. It looked like it was on half cock, but a pull on the trigger would release the hammer. Just filed the top of the trigger blades down a little bit so it would work correctly. Something to be aware of.