Shot gun loads

[Yodder22]

I have a pedersoli 12gauge double barrel from the 70's it has a full and modified barrels. What would be a good load for squirrels? Can I use a extra cushion wad in place of a overshot card ( the shot cards won't fit down my barrels)? And how far should this gun hold a pattern out to?

 

[Lorne Johnson]

The overshot cards should go through the chokes if you turn them sideways. If not, felt wads work quite well as oversize wads.

The 1/2 inch cushion wads tend to blow holes in patterns (better cut in thirds or halves).

1970'2 eh? What does your gun actually weight, they were often under 6 lbs back then. Elegant game guns, and a pleasure to carry, but not suited to the oversized [big loads/small something] that Yanks and Rebs are so fond of. still 1 ounce of 6's or 7.5's over about 70-72 grains of BP should do in squirrels handily.

 

[Yodder22]

You are correct the gun is very light but I don't know the actually weight. Do you think I could use no. 4s or 5s with the same charge.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Have tried mixing shot sizes through the years. Sometimes it works great, sometimes not. I'm one of those characters who prefers #3 or #5 rather than #4 or #6. I've settled on #5's for no other reason than I like it. The cards you asked about can be a bit difficult to insert unless you squeeze them slightly to get them by the choke. Don't use so much force that you bend them in half, just enough to get them in. Your ramrod tip will straighten them up as you load. Good luck!

 

[Yodder22]

Thanks I'll try that.

 

[hunts4deer]

I use #6 shot in my 20 gauge for squirrels. 60 grains of powder and 60 or 70 of shot. With that load, at 25 yards the #6 shot passes through the squirrels body, but just stops under the skin on the far side without exiting. I consider that plenty of penetration power and you get 225 pellets per ounce of #6 shot instead of 135 pellets per ounce with #4. So using #6 shot increases your chance of a hit by 66% and that's a lot!

 

[Lorne Johnson]

You can use different shot sizes over a standard powder charge, pretty much interchangeably.

 

[Lorne Johnson]

Those are nice handling guns. I think you'll like it a lot. (If you don't, pm me.)

 

[MosinRob]

In my 10 gauge I use 80gr of F and 1oz of #5. Very deadly. Also with a overshot card, take a tack or nail and punch a hole in it. It will allow it to seat firmly on the shot by letting the gasses go past durning loading. I also put two over shot cards on the second shot barrel so recoil doesn't move the load.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I have the same gun(bought new in 1971) I use 1& 1/8 #6 shot in a paper shot cartridge made from three thickness of newspaper rolled over a dowel rod , tied shut with kite string, filled, folded over and tied shut. Over two 1/4 inch leather wads over 75 grain FF. With No over shot card, the paper cartridge folded end out serves as one. :hmm:

 

[azmntman]

Post photo of the paper shot card? I would like to give a try but sure what it looks like? Does the paper ignite? pattern open with top fold over etc Thanks

 

[Wes/Tex]

Don't have picture posting capabilities at the moment but thought I should make a comment. From your question, I'm not sure if you're curious about the shot cards, which are thin, solid card of bore diameter to load above the shot charge, or the paper Cartridge, which is usually a rolled paper tube to put shot in to speed loading or protect the shot from bore contact. Please let us know which you need help with. Regards.

 

[Yodder22]

On the paper shot roll you tie one end shut and fold and tamp the other end shut like a roll of quarters. Is that correct?

 

[azmntman]

Interested in paper shot cup. Does it open? Help pattern tightness? Start forest fires? I expect to shot a new (used) 20 GA this weekend and would love to take some with me to test against the "raw" over powder/shot card loads. TY

 

[Wes/Tex]

Guys there several ways to do it. Some crimp the rolls just like coin rolls and load it as a unit. another version is to form the tube and tie off the end like a standard paper cartridge of the style used by most militaries. A third variation is to glue a cushion wad in the center of the tube as it's being rolled. When dry, the shot is poured into the top end and then tied off. You can then pour the powder in the other end and fold or tie off. Usually, this method also brushing on some lube from the wad up to cover the shot area, just another do or don't do thing. Everybody has their own method. Even another variation is to use heavy paper or cloth pre-cut the to the circumference of the bore and pushed in before filling with shot. Basically, the idea is to cushion the shot from the bore surface and to hold the shot a bit longer to decrease the spread...how much depends on the style and whether the folded version is done right. If the folded version is too close to bore size, it will sometimes remain together and you have a big slug. Trust this helps a bit.