Traditions Blunderbuss Loads

[JJohnson2023]

Picked up a traditions .54 cal blunderbuss kit 6 months ago as my first smokepole and have had a great time developing loads. You'd be surprised how good some of the patterns are. These would likely work in another .54 smoothie or 28 gauge. I figured there really isn't much in the way of data for the loads besides on Hovey Smiths YouTube channel so I decided to share mine. Let me know what you think. When I write wad I refer to .125 wool wads from T/C

Small Game Hunting​

• 70 grains Hogdon’s Triple 7 3F black powder substitute
• Wad over powder
• 1 ounce shot
• Wad over shot
• Extremely loud, harsh recoil, resource intensive
• Proven as a deadly hunting load

• 35 grains Hogdon’s Triple 7 3F black powder substitute
• Wad over powder
• 60 grains of shot
• Wad over shot
• The skychief loading technique can make this load pattern more uniform, very good pattern at 20 yards

• 35 grains Hogdon’s Triple 7 3F black powder substitute
• Wad over powder
• .54 to .50 caliber sabot(Badger industries)
• 35 grains of shot
• Wad over shot
• While sparing resources this load patterns similar to much more resource intensive loads. Performing exceedingly well within 10-15 yards.

Big Game Hunting​

• 80 grains Hogdon’s Triple 7 3F black powder substitute
• Patched .530 round ball
• Devastating power but shoots very high (It’s the bell of the gun that causes this by inhibiting aiming) Pattern and become familiar with load.

Buckshot​

• Roll 4 .44 caliber round balls like a tootsie roll in paper
• 60 grains Hogdon’s Triple 7 3F black powder substitute
• Over powder wad
• Would be good for mid-sized game(coyote)

• 60 grains Hogdon’s Triple 7 3F black powder substitute
• Over powder wad
• 6 .35 roundball
• Over shot wad

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Ditch the fake powder.

 

[JJohnson2023]

Ditch the fake powder.

Easy to clean, and a little hotter than BP. What brand and granulation would you recommend if I switched to the real stuff?

 

[11th corps]

There is nothing wrong with using Triple 7 on a percussion gun.
I save my real BP for my flintlocks. Because I can't find it locally, it has to be ordered online with shipping and the haz mat fee.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I'm not familiar with the gun. How long is the barrel
Is it funneled?

 

[JJohnson2023]

I'm not familiar with the gun. How long is the barrel
Is it funneled?

The barrel is listed as 16 inches long, it is funneled. I believe the barrel itself may be 14 inches, with the funnel adding the last two.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I wouldn't recommend hunting anything with a blunderbuss. You can't get a sight picture with it. These were designed to shoot feet away. Not yards. I have tried to shoot skeet with one in 11 Bore and could only hit the low house at station one, only because it was a couple feet off the end of the barrel.
You might consider yours a novelty to have fun with and go look for something a little more capable of hitting something.

 

[pajeepman]

I am hoping to fire my blunderbuss this weekend for the first time. There will be a learning curve for me ad I have never seen one fired before.

 

[JJohnson2023]

I wouldn't recommend hunting anything with a blunderbuss. You can't get a sight picture with it. These were designed to shoot feet away. Not yards. I have tried to shoot skeet with one in 11 Bore and could only hit the low house at station one, only because it was a couple feet off the end of the barrel.
You might consider yours a novelty to have fun with and go look for something a little more capable of hitting something.

With practice I have figured out ways to aim it that make it surprising accurate. 25 yards my round ball group is very consistent. With birdshot I consistently hit targets well, and have broken clays. The secret is that the funnel makes you aim higher than you want. To remedy this, put the target on top of the bell, centered, and drop down 6 inches to a foot depending on distance to the target.

 

[JJohnson2023]

I am hoping to fire my blunderbuss this weekend for the first time. There will be a learning curve for me ad I have never seen one fired before.

That's a gorgeous one, what's the bore size?

 

[pajeepman]

That's a gorgeous one, what's the bore size?

Haven't measured it precisely. I could shoot a roll of nickels out of it! That would make an interesting "spread pattern" on a barn wall or the likes.

 

[JJohnson2023]

Haven't measured it precisely. I could shoot a roll of nickels out of it! That would make an interesting "spread pattern" on a barn wall or the likes.

Sounds awesome, just be careful with your loads because of the brass barrel.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

With a practical range of 25 yards with roundball and 10 to 15 yard range with shot I'd not be tempted to hunt with it. But you do what you want.

 

[JJohnson2023]

With a practical range of 25 yards with roundball and 10 to 15 yard range with shot I'd not be tempted to hunt with it. But you do what you want.

I don't think I'd hunt big game with it, I question how ethical it is. With shot, and reasonable ranges not exceeding 25 yards I would trust it for small game, given the good patterns I've seen consistently.

 

[smo]

Some clay pigeon action with a 4 bore blunderbuss…

Load was a 175 grns fffg and around 3 ozs of lead..

It’s a safe queen now..

No, that’s not me in the video….

 

[JJohnson2023]

View attachment 235878

Some clay pigeon action with a 4 bore blunderbuss…

Load was a 175 grns fffg and around 3 ozs of lead..

It’s a safe queen now..

No, that’s not me in the video….

Looks like you've got a pretty decent squirrel gun there lol

 

[Kev308]

I am hoping to fire my blunderbuss this weekend for the first time. There will be a learning curve for me ad I have never seen one fired before.

more details please!! who makes this gun?
thanks
Kevin

 

[rickystl]

more details please!! who makes this gun?
thanks
Kevin

That looks like the blunderbuss sold by Navy Arms back starting in the 1970's. Probably considered to be rare today. And it looks o be in great condition. Congrats to it's current owner.

Rick

 

[rickystl]

As mentioned above, I also found that using the top edge of the bell, pointing to the bottom edge of the target, or about 6" - 12" (depending on the size of the bell) below the black will give you a roughly centered pattern. Need to experiment using this POA.
It does a decent pattern at 7-yards. 15-yards and the pattern doubles (or more). But I figure that's all the distance these guns were made for. They are a blast to shoot.

Rick

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Hey! I built that gun! That was the one I tried shooting skeet with years ago.