Shot dipper

[trent/OH]

I'll soon be using my Bess as a shotgun, probably just for squirrel, unless something else jumps up and offers a shot. I need to make a shot dipper/scoop/measure out of common around the house or garage materials. I have a set of Lee's powder dippers, but the largest is a little small, about .9 ounces. I'd like to experiment with 1 ounce and 1 1/8 ounce in this 11 gauge. Any ideas? Maybe pistol or rifle brass cut to size?

 

[Dave K]

Well, if you have the dippers, how about two dips of what ever it takes to equal what you want to shoot? I have some old original dippers and also some new ones that are made for the purpose. Handy as all heck!

 

[Bountyhunter]

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=3590

I have a half a dozen originals. They are just like this but they have black enameled handles.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

I have a couple of the old style aluminum Lee adjustable dippers for their 12 ga. Classic reloader. Talk about versatile, they are the original cat's meow. Set for powder, reset for shot up to 1 7/8 oz.

They still make the plastic ones for just over three bucks.

 

[Slowpoke]

Trent,
I used a dipper (1) time and that was it.... I just pour some in the palm and dump it in.
You know how your mother/grandmother always just dump spices into her hand or shook them into the pot... I kinda have the same feeling towards scatter guns.
Once you do it a couple time I'm willing to bet you'll see what I mean. I think people get caught up in 1 1/8oz or 1 1/4oz whats the difference??? 9-10 pellets?

 

[Russianblood]

How about just using your powder measure? The grain to ounce conversion is posted at the top of the forum. Here's a short list:

60gr=7/8oz
70gr=1oz
80gr=1 1/8oz
90gr=1 1/4oz

 

[paulvallandigham]

Transvaal: Nice picture of an adjustable dipper, but I checked the Lee Precision website after seeing your picture, and if Lee is still making and selling this, it isn't shown in their catalog.

For Ironside's needs, I would not hesitate to cut down a .45-70 casing and make a fixed quantity dipper out of it to use. Solder a wire handle to the rim, if you need a handle,and you are in business. It won't be adjustable, but it will do the job. He can always use his adjustable powder measure to measure various amounts of shot. For truly large shot loads, he could also simply cut down a 20 ga. or 12 ga. hull to use as a dipper.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Transvaal: Nice picture of an adjustable dipper, but I checked the Lee Precision website after seeing your picture, and if Lee is still making and selling this, it isn't shown in their catalog.

For Ironside's needs, I would not hesitate to cut down a .45-70 casing and make a fixed quantity dipper out of it to use. Solder a wire handle to the rim, if you need a handle,and you are in business. It won't be adjustable, but it will do the job. He can always use his adjustable powder measure to measure various amounts of shot. For truly large shot loads, he could also simply cut down a 20 ga. or 12 ga. hull to use as a dipper.

[url] http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Lee+adjustable+shot+dipper[/url]

 

[GrayBear]

For truly large shot loads, he could also simply cut down a 20 ga. or 12 ga. hull to use as a dipper.

In the very informative back pages of my Dixie Gun Works catalog they recommend taking a modern shot-shell case in the same gauge as your muzzleloader and cut it off to a length of one inch. Attach a handle wirh solder or, as I did, with JB Weld. Dixie recommends using the same dipper for both shot and powder. Patterning my CVA single barrel led me to make a shot dipper that was 1 & 1/4" tall. It's worked well in my 12 gauge and in a friend's SxS Pedersoli.

G'Luck,

GrayBear

 

[Many Klatch]

For my Bess I use what we used to call a balanced load. I use the same amount of powder as I do shot. I shoot 90 grains of 2FF and after put in my wads I put in 90 grains of shot. Seems to work well and I don't have to mess with more than one measure.

Many Klatch

 

[paulvallandigham]

Many: You are shooting 3 1/4 drams of powder and 1 1/4 oz of shot, so readers can compare your loads to what they are at least used to reading on modern shotgun shell boxes. I think you are using too much powder, and you would get better patterns reducing that to 75 grains. This is the favorite long range load for Illnois River dunk Hunters back in the 1880s. ( 2 3/4 drams of powder, 1 1/4 oz. of #5 shot, for 50 yd ducks! )

 

[tamara]

Here's a somewhat tangential question, I don't mean to hijack... but,

When using a shot dipper, what do you carry your shot in?

 

[paulvallandigham]

I have a leather " bottle", with a wood stopper that carries my shot. Also, I use a leather bag I made up out of elkskin, using an " irish " fitting and measure I bought from TOTW. The irish measure is rarely exact, depending on size, so I pour the shot into my dipper or measure, to make sure I am loading the correct amount of shot for the powder charge. Some people use horns to carry shot. For hunting, I don't want to carry a lot of shot- it weighs to darn much! Obviously, if you are hunting Dove, with a 15 bird bag limit, you need to carry more shot than if hunting pheasants, with a 2 bird limit. How far are you going to be from your car, where you can keep extras, becomes a valid consideration when hunting, too. Even when I hunt pheasant with a modern shotgun, I only carry a few shells in my pockets, and leave the rest of the box of shells in the car!

Finally, the size of the shot load makes it fundamentally easier to determine how much shot you need to carry, and, then HOW to carry it becomes more apparent. If you are using 1 oz loads, for instance, you get 16 shots per lb. If you are shooting 1 1/8 z, you only get 14 shots per pound, etc. I have a good friend who likes to shoot his 8 gauge at targets, using 3 oz. of shot per load! He goes through a lot more shot than I do.
I have one of the irish shot pouches that is part of the shoulder strap of the bag, which makes it convenient, if too heavy to carry much if you fill it with shot! So, I don't fill it all up with shot, but instead refill it as needed. Even my Elk pouch is too big, but, being it was my first, I didn't realize that until I lugged it around the field a couple of times. When I am target shooting, I leave my shot in a wide mouth plastic bottle, and dip the shot out at the loading bench.When I am in the field, a pound of shot is the most I need except during dove season. I also find myself leaving the big horns with powder back at the car, and taking either pre measured powder charges in separate containers, or a small horn or flask of powder.

Hope this gives you some ideas on how to carry your shot, depending on the situation. :hmm:

 

[tamara]

Thanks Paul, that gives me lots of ideas. Thanks for the heads up on the not-so-accurate irish head. I was thinking of ordering one. I was thinking of making myself a shot "flask" or pouch with a wooden or antler neck and stopper. I was just concerned that the shot would be hard to control pouring it out, and I'd end up with more on the ground than in the measure.

:thumbsup:

 

[paulvallandigham]

That can happen. I do like the Irish style shot measure better than the so-called " English " still with the double gates. You can sometimes need an extra hand or two to get that gate to close when the bag is held upside down to fill the tube.

You will learn to hold your measuring cup, or dipper so that the web of your hand between the thumb and forefinger acts as a funnel, and a catch for any shot that misses the measure. But, if you are like most of us, some shot will make it to the ground in the field. It can't be helped, sometimes. Cold fingers and hands are the biggest reason for it. Nerves- as in buck fever- are most of the rest of the reasons.

Just don't rely on the measurements listed on the device you choose to be actually throwing that amount of shot. Pour your shot into a separate measure, which you check against a scale, for the shot you are using, and set the length, or depth, of the dipper or measure accordingly. For instance, I get different readings on both my dipper, and adjustable powder measure when used to measure shot, depending on whether I am loading #8 for target practice, or #5 for hunting. A few pellets one way or the other is not going to matter much out of a cylinder bore shotgun at 20 yds., but at 25, 30, and 35 yds, those patterns get progressively thinner. You may find that your load just doesn't throw a good enough pattern to attempt a shot at 30 yds or further. That is part of the deal, too.

Whatever you use, carry what you need, and limit the amount of stuff you carry. You will be better for it. I dipper with a handle may be nice at the target range. In the field, that handle is unnecessary, and a cut off shotgun shell for a fixed volume of shot works better and take less room to carry.

 

[CrackStock]

You can make a shot pouch with some leather. Take an old softball and cut the threads to remove the cover. These two pieces of leather will make a pair of small patterns. Cut across the narrow and stitch in the old holes to form the pouch.

For a spout you can flare some copper tubing on each end. Place one end in the pouch and tighten in whatever way makes you happy. Some people make numerous wraps with sinew or rawhide. The other end needs a plug to keep your shot from running out. I have used a saw to start the cuts and make them even followed by shaping with a 4 in hand rasp to make a piece of hardwood dowel into a decorative plug. I cut a slot in the part that goes into the tubing and insert a wedge to adjust the tightness of this stopper.

The limits are your imagination and willingness to do a bit of work.

I also have an Irish Shot Snake and like it, but it is a bit heavy for a casual few hours of hunting, so I often carry my old rig.

CS

 

[Alberta Black]

I carry shot in old cigar tubes. A corona aized cigar carries enough shot for 6 or 7 loads.

I also carry a back up supply in my car.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Here's a somewhat tangential question, I don't mean to hijack... but,

When using a shot dipper, what do you carry your shot in?

A few years ago was in a hurry, so quickly made up leather shot and powder snakes. A little rough, but they have worked out so good, so I have been using them ever since. They are both lined with a separate plastic sheath to protect from weather.

 

[Joel/Calgary]

Another thing you can do is leave your measure home when you're hunting, and carry your shot and powder in a sort of paper cartridge. Choked and tied off in the middle, powder in one end, shot in the other. This allows you to use some precision in measuring at home, and just "bite - tear - pour" when loading in the field. If you're shooting a flinter, you'll still need some sort of dispenser, or at least a container, for priming powder, but you can still carry everything for several shots just in the pockets of your jacket or vest.

Since these are not loaded into the gun, precision and uniformity in the paper tube is not required, just sufficient strength to carry around, so they're quick and easy to make. You can make up lots of empty tubes while you'e watching TV or listening to a game.

Find someting (a chunk of dowel or tubing, a magic-marker, etc.) a handy size to roll them around, then cut your paper wide enough to go around it a few times. Roll the tube up, glue the long edge, and set it aside to dry while you make the next one. When you've got enough glued up, take one, slip your dowel back in half way, pinch and twist the middle closed, and tie it off. Be careful to to tear it when you do this; a rounded end on your dowel (or whatever) makes this easier. Then do the next one.

I recomend filling them some time when you can concenterate a little more. You can fold the ends closed like a musket cartridge, or glue or tie them closed, but if you're not worried about authenticity, it's quick to just fold the ends over a couple of times and staple them.

If you use different loads, you might want to use a different colo(u)r or type of paper for each load, or write the basic load info on them, rather than just labelling the bag or box you store/carry them in.

Joel

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Another thing you can do is leave your measure home when you're hunting, and carry your shot and powder in a sort of paper cartridge. Choked and tied off in the middle, powder in one end, shot in the other. This allows you to use some precision in measuring at home, and just "bite - tear - pour" when loading in the field. If you're shooting a flinter, you'll still need some sort of dispenser, or at least a container, for priming powder, but you can still carry everything for several shots just in the pockets of your jacket or vest.

Since these are not loaded into the gun, precision and uniformity in the paper tube is not required, just sufficient strength to carry around, so they're quick and easy to make. You can make up lots of empty tubes while you'e watching TV or listening to a game.

Find someting (a chunk of dowel or tubing, a magic-marker, etc.) a handy size to roll them around, then cut your paper wide enough to go around it a few times. Roll the tube up, glue the long edge, and set it aside to dry while you make the next one. When you've got enough glued up, take one, slip your dowel back in half way, pinch and twist the middle closed, and tie it off. Be careful to to tear it when you do this; a rounded end on your dowel (or whatever) makes this easier. Then do the next one.

I recomend filling them some time when you can concenterate a little more. You can fold the ends closed like a musket cartridge, or glue or tie them closed, but if you're not worried about authenticity, it's quick to just fold the ends over a couple of times and staple them.

If you use different loads, you might want to use a different colo(u)r or type of paper for each load, or write the basic load info on them, rather than just labelling the bag or box you store/carry them in.

Joel

Sounds like a great and simple solution to an often vexing problem for cold weather. When bunny hunting (where precision not required) with numb fingers, I would be tempted to just use the empty paper tube crushed up for the over powder wad.

Will give it a try, and thanks for sharing, a good tip indeed.