Shooting Bird or buckshot from a .69 pistol

[commando223]

Hey guys just wanted to know what I would need to fire birdshot or buckshot from a .69 pistol?

Is there any guides out there?

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

I've been shooting my Middlesex English lock.62 smoothbore with either buckshot or shot. I have been loading it with 60 grains of FFG and nine buckshot pellets, or an equivalent physical measure of smaller-sized shot. I get doughnut-shaped patterns, so I'm going to ditch the big lubed felt wad and just try card wads next. This "doughnut" phenomenon was reported by other more experienced shooters who shot large wads behind their fowler shot loads. It's fun. Lots of smoke. At 15 yards a silhouette target is hit by most.

 

[Many Klatch]

I had a pair of .69 pistols. They shot pretty well with 35 grains of 2F. I never saw a need for anymore. If you are doing buckshot or birdshot you will need some shotgun wads. A thick overpowder, a cushion wad then shot and then an overshot wad. The overpowder wad is about the thickness of the cover of an old 3-ring binder, the cushion wad is best made from 1/2" celotex board and the overshot wad can be cut from an old manila folder.

If you have an old 5/8" stirrup punch you can make your own. If that sounds like too much work and you just want to play with this a little, just stick a thick wad of newspaper over the powder and then the shot and then a thin wad over the shot. You don't want to wet the newspaper or pound it in too tight, that can raise the barrel pressures to unsafe heights. Just pack it firmly with the ramrod.

Many Klatch