Squirrel load

[gonpce]

My son and I went out this morning to shoot my pedersoli frontier that I had Bobby Hoyt bore to a 54 cal smooth bore. Best load was 60 grains graf 3f, 80 grains cornmeal and 80 grains 5 shot, and wad. For some reason wasp nest had a better pattern that paper hornet wadding, go figure. Definitely ready to hunt next week when I get some time. Thanks for the advice on loads.

 

[WALT53]

My son and I went out this morning to shoot my pedersoli frontier that I had Bobby Hoyt bore to a 54 cal smooth bore. Best load was 60 grains graf 3f, 80 grains cornmeal and 80 grains 5 shot, and wad. For some reason wasp nest had a better pattern that paper hornet wadding, go figure. Definitely ready to hunt next week when I get some time. Thanks for the advice on loads.

My 28 gauge smooths likes 40 grins of 2 f and 60 grains of shot on top cornmeal.I had better luck with 2 f and lighter charges.

 

[Rob M.]

Very cool .I always use 60 gr. powder and an oz. of #5 . Knocks em dead ! Ever since i switched to #5 in 2014 ive never lost another squirrel .

 

[shaman]

I have 80 grains of 3F and 1 OZ of #6 for the Brown Bess. I'm hoping to try it out on the tree rats this weekend. I'm using the SkyChief Method.

 

[hanshi]

I tried it once and didn't like it. I use a rifle or pistol and save the smoothbore for deer and turkeys.

 

[Docgp]

I wish I had the eyes to use a rifle. Unfortunately the Lord didn't equip me as so.

Doc

 

[Sidney Smith]

Same load I use for pheasant hunting, 70 grains 2fg, and 70 grains no. 6 lead shot. 70 grains by volume of lead weighs in at 1 1/8 ounce. Crumpled phone book paper for wadding. Supermarket bag paper shot cups.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Wonder if the old timers used cornmeal?

 

[Billy-by-gosh]

Wonder if the old timers used cornmeal?

It's at least possible - a natural product available in their time, and commonly in use throughout the country.

 

[IanH]

They would have if they had it and knew about using it. I bet a few of them even used linen patches for round balls.

 

[Flinter 2]

Why the corn meal ?
I've used corn meal and cream of wheat as fillers when loading BP cartridges with reduced loads to fill the cartridge, I've been at this M/L game for 60 years, but I'm curious as to why one would use cornmeal or any filler in a smoothbore fowler, I usually load using over powder card, fiber cushion wad, and over shot card wad, I use the same loading procedure with patched round ball but omit the over shot wad.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

My 58 caliber, 24 gauge, likes 50 grains of 3F, a 1/8" nitro wad, a lubed 1/2" cushion wad, 7/8 to an ounce and and eight of shot and a card wad. It patterns well at 25 to 30 yards. I'm new to smoothbores so I'm still figuring it all out. What I'm really trying to figure out is why I didn't build one years ago???