Mad Irish Jack
40 Cal.
I use the measure method for shot loads. I use 70gr FFg Goex BP, over pdr wad, cushion wad, 105gr (whatever size)shot and over shot card. This for my 28ga. Rule of thumb taught to me; Measure powder charge and use 150% (1&1/2X that) for the amount of shot regardless of shot size. I made what I call a safety powder/shot measure. Make it only after your charge is found. My supplies are a 1/2" IM brass tube, 3 or 4 very small brass tacks, 1/2" pine dowel rod, a length of leather lace long enough to reach from your pouch or strap to the muzzle of the weapon, small sheet very fine sandpaper. Sand the dowel end until it snuggly fits into the brass tube. using a small coping or other saw, cut the dowel to 1/2" or 3/4" long piece (your preference). Insert it into the brass tube and using a small pencil or dowel, push the small piece down the brass tube far enough to take more than your powder charge. Taking a powder measure, measure out your powder charge load and dump it into the brass tube. Using the smaller dowel or pencil inserted into the opposite end, slowly push your powder up until it's leveled at the top end. Return powder to source container. Before removing the dowel or pencil mark it. After removing it, place it with the mark at the entrance where it was inserted, mark the outside center of the brass tube and that is where that end of the pine plug is located. Measure another 1/4' or 3/8" (that's half the plug length) and mark that and make a circle around the tube. Then on the circle evenly divide and mark the line to place the tacks. Using a 1/16' or 1/32" drill bit, make your pilot holes just into the pine plug, not too deep! Put the tacks in. With the last Mark that measured end for powder. Now measure out your shot charge and dump it into the other end. After the shot is in, level it and put the small dowel/pencil in until it touches shot. Mark the dowel, remove it, place mark on the end and mark the shot depth. Remove shot. Cut the excess off the tube. Tie the loose end of the lace to your bag or pouch strap. To use it correctly to load, follow this procedure. With weapon up, measure powder in proper tube end and dump into muzzle leaving the tube in the weapon muzzle. This tells you the powder (end) is in the weapon(it also helps keep weapon from falling); get your cards and cushion wad and start them with the tube, drop the tube (it will hang from pouch). Seat the card and/or cushion in the barrel with ramrod and leave the rod in the barrel. The tube hanging out of the pouch tells you that you aren't finished. Now get the over shot card and place in between your teeth at the edges then and crimp the edge lightly with teeth to aid in seating the card without pressure build up or powder leaking out. Measure out the shot charge, remove the ramrod and dump in the shot, return the measure into the pouch; take the over shot card and place in the muzzle and then seat it with the ramrod and replace rammer to the thimbles. Prime and your ready to shoot. Believe me, it's a lot easier and faster to do than to write or read. Practice is require to be proficient. Talking yourself through the procedure helps the learning curve. Leaving the measure in the muzzle aids in telling you where you are in the loading process. It's works great for myself and some friends. :thumbsup:
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