Interesting…well I appreciate the information. Im not worried about the Damascus, just trying to learn and stay informed. I’ve dabbled in BP over the last 25 years…but never really dedicated any time to the hobby, but I am ready to now.
I know how to shoot my BP rifle…but not so much this shotgun. Is there a tutorial you can recommend? What’s the recommended beginner load for this old twist gun, what kind of BP and how much? What kind of shot/how much? What kind of wads? That’s the kind of stuff I need to know.
Thanks!
Dow
The size of powder granules depends mostly on the bore size but before we get into that have you I mounted the barrels and looked at the proof marks? In the period, many gun makers around the world were importing barrels from Belgium.
Interesting…well I appreciate the information. Im not worried about the Damascus, just trying to learn and stay informed. I’ve dabbled in BP over the last 25 years…but never really dedicated any time to the hobby, but I am ready to now.
I know how to shoot my BP rifle…but not so much this shotgun. Is there a tutorial you can recommend? What’s the recommended beginner load for this old twist gun, what kind of BP and how much? What kind of shot/how much? What kind of wads? That’s the kind of stuff I need to know.
Thanks!
Dow
before you get to loads etc, there are a few more checks that need to be done. The barrel wall thickness needs to be measured to ensure basic uniformity. While it is a good sign that no one has polished the bores bright it is still no guarantee that there is enough meat left mid barrel.
While you have the barrels I mounted to check the wall thickness, take a couple of detailed photos on the proof marks. They should be located on the bottom of each barrel near the breech. They will tell a fascinating story. The NRA maintains a database of proof marks.
So you need to know the bore size and if it is choke bored. In addition to powder and shot, you will need a cushion wad between the powder and shot and then an over shot card to keep everything seated in place.
If for instance, the bore measures to be a 12 bore, you want to buy 12 gauge natural cork cushion wads. The overshot card should be the next bore size bigger than the measurement, so a 12 bore shotgun would use an 11 or 10 bore overshot card.
10, 12 and 16 bores use 2F powder. You want to use chilled lead shot. Not magnum lead shot. The magnum shot is harder to resist pellet deformation.
Start off with a square load which is equal parts by volume of shot and powder. I would start with a light 3/4 ounce load of shot initially and go up from there for anything 20 bore and bigger.
You looking to find a load that delivers consistent patterns without any holes in them. Too much powder for instance will blow a hole in the center of the shot pattern.
Good luck and have fun with it.
