Pedersoloi 12ga sxs,buckshot,and prb

[RayJ]

This is my first post by the way.I have a Pedersoli 12ga sxs with screw-in chokes.I have successfully hunted ducks with it using ITX shot.I now want to hunt hogs and maybe deer with it.There is a hog season in March at a local wma.I've been doing some research on buckshot and prb from a shotgun.

I have several questions.I've ordered some .690 and .715 round balls with several different patches that vary in thickness.I also bought 10 12ga shotgun shells in 00 buckshot and removed the buckshot from them.Where do I begin?What choke should I use for the buckshot and the ball?I have chokes ranging from IC to extra full.What type of wads should I use for each?I have nitro cards,felt wads,overshot cards,and some other type of cushion wad that is thick but can be split in two.I'm using Triple 7 powder and musket caps.Pyrodex was unreliable for me.Alot of misfires.How much powder should I use for each?

I know these are alot of questions but I want to do this right.I just had rotator cuff surgery and can't shoot right now but will be able to by March.Can I expect decent accuracy out to 40 yards with this?

 

[Wes/Tex]

One of the simplest rules-of-thumb for shotguns is to use more shot than powder, by volume, naturally. My old gun used a dipper set on 1&1/8 oz. for powder and 1&1/4 or 1&1/2 for shot. Unfortunately, I only use black powder so can't tell you for sure about Triple 7...but believe the users and makers recommend a bit less than when using real black powder.

I't'll be difficult to tell you set charges for ball or buckshot since guns vary in bore diameter, choke diameter, barrel length, etc. For ball, your best luck will probably be with the .690" ball and thicker patch, but that's not guaranteed. Each gun can be a law unto itself. As far as buckshot is concerned, it's one of those great ideas that's really hard to make work well in muzzleloaders. Most serious users say you need at least three hits within about 7 to 9 inch circle to count on it working effectively. Problem arises with the use of muzzleloadrs since getting that kind of pattern is tough without using modern shotcups to keep the individual buckshot from spreading too quickly. The plastic shotcups can be used if your gun's bore is in the right diameter range but be sure to clean the plastic residue afterwards, it can build up and be messy. Paper or cloth cups have been used with some success but it's sort of a learning process that may take time.

Your chances will probably be better with a tighter choked barrel using buckshot, but it's not a guarantee. If you do decide to try it you'll need to think 25 yards or closer till you have a chance to wring out your own gun on the range at pattern paper. Good luck, there's a lot to learn and it can seem daunting, just don't give up. It always gives you the , "I need to shoot the gun some more for testing, dear" excuse! :wink: :thumbsup: :haha:

 

[excess650]

From my percussion single barrel 12ga, cyl bore, my 1st (3) shots with .690" PRB over 85gr ffg were less than 3" at 50 yards, and no rear sight!

I'm gonna suggest that you use the most open choke you have, use a 10ga or 12ga wonderwad on top of the powder and then a PRB combo that is snug through that choke. The barrels likely will not shoot to same point of aim, so don't be surprised! 85gr is a bit more than 3 drams, and a .690 is 1-1/8oz (?).

I'll suggest the same felt over powder wad, and the buckshot inside a lubed pillow ticking cup, or shotcup from paper grocery bag formed around a dowel. If you put too much mass behind your shot, you run the risk of blowing holes in your patterns. Experiment with your chokes, but expect the tighter chokes to give better patterns. I have no faith in buckshot beyond 25 yards.

 

[RayJ]

I guess that I'll just have to play around with it.Most of the guys that I read said most of the time with a sxs,only one barrel will shoot accurately.that's why the buckshot.It will be used for hogs mainly and deer possibly but my passion is bowhunting deer,so I don't know about that yet.I may wait and see how it goes with the hogs first.I'm excited to try it.As soon as I get healed up,I'm going to get some shooting in.This ML shotgun is a blast.

 

[RayJ]

So,most open choke with a round ball is your suggestion?That would be IC.I guess for buckshot,the extra full choke would be best.Would buckshot damage my barrel with the extra full choke even though it's lead?I also have just a full choke I could use.It may be hard to get wads past an extra full choke anyway but felt wads would work.I'm ready to have some fun playing around with these combos.Thanks for the replies.

 

[Lonegun1894]

Mine is a 13ga and measures .710" on both barrels, and both are cylinder bore. I use#6 shot, #4 buck, 00 buck, and .690 PRB. The buckshot loads I am still playing with, so can't make a recommendation on that yet. As to the PRB, if I may make a suggestion, also try treating it like you would a rifle. Powder, then a PRB, without all the wads, cards, etc. That is what I do with mine and get 3-4" groups using both barrels at 25yds, and 8-9" at 50yds. I have a .54 smooothrifle for tighter patterns and longer ranges, but this 13ga SxS is great because it allows me to load #6 shot in one barrel for small game, and PRB in the other for deer/hog.

 

[RayJ]

So with a prb,no over powder wad is needed?This is the only ML that I've ever owned so I'm basically ignorant of how a rifle works with prb.I'll try no wad first and work from there..Thanks for chiming in.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Smoothbores can be a little temperamental at times. Be sure you try all the possibilities for yourself. Patched ball over powder; card and wad below patched ball; card and wad below ball and card above naked ball; any combo you can think of that holds the ball in place in the bore. You never know which set up your gun will like best, but when you find it...it's a 'glorioski' moment! :wink: :haha: :thumbsup:

 

[F.G. Ford]

Hi,
If you practice with PRB in each barrel you will find a good load for each barrel.
Buck shot at 20 yds. will not do much to put a big hog down, the small balls do not have enough penetration power to do anything.
If all of the buck shot can hit a 6" pattern at 20 yds. you have some serious hunting gear.
You will be surprised how accurate a patched round ball can be out of a smooth bore. All you have to do is find out how much powder in each barrel is needed to get a good point of impact.
80 grs. of black powder and a .69 ball will slam a porker pretty hard.
Fred

 

[Patocazador]

I'm pretty new at this shotgun game but I have 2. They are both 12 ga. but shoot differently with different-sized bores.
My Pietta .735 bore shoots a .715 ball with a .015 patch to POA (no rear sight) at 30 yards. It is more accurate than a .690 ball with a .024 patch. It also shoots 00 buckshot (8 pellets) well at 20 yards. It put 13 of 16 pellets in a 10" x 11" target. It opens up dramatically at 25-30 yards.

With the PRB I use powder-wad-thin lubed wad-prb. With the buckshot I use powder-wad-thin lubed wad- cutoff plastic shot cup and overshot card.
My gun has no choke at all.

As mentioned open choked barrels are best for PRB and tight chocked barrels are best for buckshot. I would used IC and Full if I had your gun and see how it compares to cylinder and extra full.
Also, load the buckshot with the choke tube out, then put the tube in. It will make it a lot easier.

 

[Spikebuck]

Ray, do you have your owners manual? I also have that gun and there are warnings about shot larger than BB and Roundballs with chokes.

Please be SAFE!

If you don't have your manual, send me a private message and I'll see what I can find in my manual for you.

 

[bpd303]

Pedersoli has their owners manual on line. Scroll to page 22 for the shotguns. http://www.davide-pedersoli.com/uploads/supporto/14AVC_INGLESE.pdf

 

[Lonegun1894]

What you need is a gas seal, weather that is done with a patch around the ball, or wadding, or cards, or whatever else you choose. It's just one of those things that the best way is to try different methods and see which gives you the best accuracy in your gun. I have tried a bare ball with cards below and over it, and tow, and patches, jute twine, and even leaves and grass in mine, and the patch gives the best performance in both my 13ga and my .54 smooth-bore. But I am also more used to rifles so am inclined to treat these as I would rifles too, for what that's worth.

 

[BillinOregon]

Ray, I would strongly suggest investing in a cylinder-bore screw-in choke for patched round ball accuracy. You won't want much if any choke with buckshot either -- and certainly not extra full! If you must use 777, I also suggest you replace your nipples with musket cap nipples, as these much larger caps offer very, very sure ignition.

 

[RayJ]

This is actually in response to all of the above posts.Thanks very much for all the info. and suggestions.I will seriously consider all the advice given.I am a novice to all of this and need all the help I can get.The buckshot would only be used for very close range.Under twenty yards.The prb accuracy will be my main objective.I will consider all advice given.I can't shoot until my shoulder heals some more but as soon as I'm able to shoot,I'm heading to the pattern board.I bet that I will have more questions and comments once I actually start shooting.This is a great forum and I appreciate the responses to my questions.

 

[RayJ]

I checked the owners manual and didn't see anything in there about ball or shot size.I certainly want to be safe and not damage my gun.I've read some comments from past discussions on this and have gotten a lot of different opinions so it's hard to know where to begin.Choke size is a big concern and I'll just have to play with that.I'm thinking beginning with IC for prb and full for buckshot and go from there.

 

[Spikebuck]

I checked the owners manual and didn't see anything in there about ball or shot size.I certainly want to be safe and not damage my gun.

I rechecked my manual and don't see what I thought was there...maybe read somewhere else like on one of the gun companies choke tube listings. What I do find on Page 13 is a list of choke tube warnings, one of which is no steel shot with chokes greater than improved cylinder.

I also see on table 14a that for the 12 GA the recommended load is 85 gr with a maximum of 100 and 1 1/4 oz shot. For round ball they recommend 70 gr with a max of 90 and .695 with .010 patch.

I don't know about buck and chokes, but I'd follow the prior advice given to get a cylinder bore choke for round ball.

 

[roundball]

The buckshot would only be used for very close range.Under twenty yards.

Just a "for what it's worth" if you're referring to something like deer hunting. I think a lot of us initially bring modern shotguns, loads, and projectiles thinking into the muzzleloading world, at least I did...and I also experimented with buckshot loads.
But I quickly realized hunting muzzleloaders in thick woods is such a short range proposition that anything close enough to use buckshot on is a cake-walk for a PRB anyway...and in all the years now have never had a second thought about needing / wanting to use buckshot for any kind of hunting.

Just food for thought, your mileage may vary.

 

[courdebois]

Good morning, i have shot roundball out of mine with a 2f 90 gr. load.Both barrels obviously do not hit anywhere close to each other, but that does not matter, kicks like a mule an is a lot of fun, so one barrel for chicken an one for deer

 

[coloradoclyde]

I have had both rotator cuffs done and from my experience it is going to take more than 3 months for you to be shooting like normal again.. And you definitely don’t want to rush it.
Which shoulder, recoil side or support arm?