Your method of loading shot

[Magungo1066]

I have a new fowler on the way and I want to refine my procedure for shooting shot. I want to hear the loads that you all use when shooting shot. I will get to the patterning board eventually but right now I want to see what works for you guys. I have used both felt wads and tow, and each has worked well in the few chances that I have had to test them out. I killed a rabbit at 25 with the felt wad load and that seems about the distance I should be hoping for in in a cylinder bored, correct? I will be testing these loads out eventually with both 20 and 24 gauge, unchoked guns.

 

[Walkingeagle]

I just ordered some sheep’s wool, in the raw, to try as wadding in my loads. Just gotta get a smoothbore barrel now...
Walk

 

[Old Hawkeye]

I recently acquired a .50 cal Hawken style rifle with an extra smoothbore barrel in .62 cal/20 gauge. Test fired it two days ago using the same load I use in my 20 gauge SxS & it patterned well @ 30 yards, which is my self imposed limit with my shotguns. My small game/bird load is 75 grains FFg & 1 1/8 oz. of shot. I use a sandwich over powder wad made of a overshot card/lubed felt wad/overshot card. I then put an overshot card on top of the lead shot. I'm going to try different powder/wad/shot combinations to see if I can simplify the load & improve patterns. Be sure to mic your bore diameter if you use pre-made cards or wads, as my barrel uses 19 gauge cards/wads. If you use wool felt wads only in doesn't matter, they just come in 20 gauge size. Going to try to develop a stouter "Turkey" load over the winter. Hoping to load at least 1 1/4 oz of shot, but have heard of guys shooting 1 1/2 oz. with 80+ grains of powder in the heavy octagon smoothbore barrels. Want to be SAFE, so am researching load recommendations/limitations. If anybody out there has experience with these heavy shot loads in a smoothie, please chime in!!

 

[Brokennock]

Mostly I use the shot cups I've detailed in a tutorial elsewhere, either in combo with the SkyChief loading method, or, over a thin card sitting on the powder, then a lubed felt wad.
Sometimes, though rarely anymore, I'll use a thin card on the powder followed by lubed "faux tow" (shredded jute rope) and either loose shot (almost never) or a paper cup formed at the muzzle.
Always at least a little more shot than powder by volume.

 

[Eterry]

I simply use over powder and over shot wads I buy from Mike's (formerly Flintlock's LLC) 317-933-3441.
At around a penny apiece I can't argue with that setup.
I have to try the skychief load....

 

[Feltwad]

For me in a 12bore original sxs muzzle loading shotgun it has to be a volume load, you will get many with fancy loads that are mostly to attract the shooter but do not do the job . For a volume load for a 12 load 2.3/4 drms of FFg or medium powder to 1.1/8 of shot. To load powder 2 number 1/8 card wad, shot,.
1/16 over shot card wad the size of shot depending on the quarry for a all round number 6 and 5 for pheasant or duck I have used this load for the past 72+ years which on some outings up too 100 shots you can use a felt wad or tow cushion wad or saturated wads but there is no difference only more expense
Feltwad

 

[rednexx]

shoot an older Navy Arms 12 ga. SxS that will take all percussion/Blackpowder 12, 10 and light 8ga. loads so giving the specific load I use depends on what I am shooting so I usually premeasure my shot and keep in older plastic 35mm film canisters along with the wads, I have a huge supply of Circle Fly wads. I load as follows powder from a adjustable scoop ,over shot wad cushion wad that I lube at time of loading, shot, then over shot wad, then cap or in the case of a flintlock prime the pan. I don't know if Circle Fly is still in business, but I had good luck with them as I have shot doves, rabbits, jackrabbits ,grouse and pheasants and clay pigeons too.

 

[toot]

I put down the powder then paper wasps / hornets nest, then shot, then another wad of nest, and VIOLA, shoot it. same it my DBL'S, NO MATTER WHAT GAUGE. I also rely like using shot that has been dripped through a screen. some call it swan shot because of the little tails on them.

 

[ohio ramrod]

For my smooth bores I use a paper shot cartridge made by rolling three thickness of newspaper around a wooden dowel, tying shut one end, fill with shot, fold over and tied. I have found that more than three thickness does not open up, less than three tends to fall apart. For hunting purposes I also use a waxed paper powder charge. And an over powder leather wad This making loading in the field quite simple.Which is nice because I am a simple person.