sxs twelve guage?

[Dave K]

Boy, I too have spent allot of time with a 30" circle I made, counting pellets after centering the shot pattern. One thing I learned with my guns, which was also brought up before, is that one barrel will seem to be a little more finicky. For my shotguns, it always seems to be the left barrel. Is it because the right barrel was shot more and wear causes this? I don't know. Anyrate, I do pattern both barrels. But, now I spend most of my patterning work, working up loads for the left barrel and when happy with that, check the pattern out of the right barrel and it will "usually" be as good or better.It seems if I start with the right barrel, to work up loads, I will have to start over because the left barrel is not happy. So I go right to the left barrel first. I am certainly no expert, but when I read of some of the loads some are using, they are usually using much more shot and powder than needed. Not only hard on the shoulder, but the gun will suffer as well(wrist/lock area) and it won't heal like your shoulder before your next shoot.I can't help but look to the madern shotshell makers and look at their dram eq. on the box and kind of use that as a guide line for my loads. For what it is worth, these is what works for me, with my old guns that are cyl. bored. :results:

 

[jim gray]

It helps to know that if I run into any problems I now have a place to go to for advice. I wish this forum had been around when I started shooting flintlocks or when I started shooting C&B revolvers.

I do intend to start out with very mild loads, and go from there.

 

i agree with dave ,,, i think you will find that charges at or around 70 yo 80 grains will do the best in a 20 and 12 gage . thats what i have found anyway .
lern to follow through you shots and you will find that your BP shotgun will do just as well as any CF and you get the added blessing of lots of smoke eace: