[Tallship]

Is there any reason that you couldn't load BP into a regular 12 gauge shotgun shell, and if you could, how many grains would you load?

[Acorn Mush]

Sure you can! Did that as an adolescent (many years ago). The loads weren't real efficient though, due to the need to adjust the powder charge, wad column, and shot load in order to get everything to fit in the case. I used 27 grains as the equivalent of 1 dram and went from there. Twenty-seven times 2.5 (drams) equals 67.5, so I measured out around 68 grains of 2fg, and dumped it into the empty case Next came a thin wad cut from a cereal box, then some well-crumpled newspaper wadding to a depth of 1/2" or so. The balance of the case was filled with shot which was retained by another thin wad cut from the aforementioned cereal box. I believe I used model glue to retain the over-shot wad.

Can't say I would recommend this exercise because as I recall, it was REALLY difficult to get my dad's old Remington Model 10 pump shotgun clean after shooting several of my home-brewed BP shells! Never told dad about it either....... .

[JCT]

I've just started doing this, using my little Lee Loader kit. There was a great article in Guns of the Old west, last edition, all about loading BP shot shells. About 70 Grains is a good place to start. Recoil is much lighter and slower than smokeless loads and it's a nice boom with a big cloud of smoke of course!
I've tried 70 grains BP, 1oz scoop of #8 shot and a chip disk over the powder and over the shot, crimped by hand with the Lee kit.

[Tallship]

I was thinking about getting a big flash out of the shell at night. At 70 grains, I'll just load my Walker with 60 and it would be about the same. Anyone see a problem with loading 120 grains into the shell with no shot?

[JCT]

It can manage 120 grains with just an over powder wad. Chances are though, without any resistance over the powder, it won't burn up all of it. It'll be more of a mortar or roman candle than a shotshell!

[Tallship]

Thanks, JCT, that's the idea :evil:

[Bayou Runner]

Hi, I've recently been reloading shotshells with pyrodex rs and buckshot. I use a spent 2-3/4" shell cut back to where the wrinkle for the crimp is removed. This removes roughly a 1/2". I then remove the spent primer and press in a new one. Then I load a 76 grain bp equivalent in pyrodex rs followed with newspaper wading to equal 1/2". Then load 9ea. .32 cal balls (3layers of 3) and finish with a card wad and melt some paraffin wax on it to seal it. Chambers easy in my old H&R 12gauge.
Went out this past Sunday and shot a few modern reduced recoil factory loads and my homebrews. Set up a length of craft paper with 2 rows of 6 circles with big black dots on them. Backed off about 20yds. and went for it. Respectable kick and plenty of smoke. Loved it!
Overall the factory loads patterned consistently tighter than mine. I'll continue to work on this. I also plan to try a few factory slug loads and some .690 round ball homebrew loads soon. This should be a bit more rewarding. Cleaning ain't a problem. Just remove the barrel and wash it.
Got to get this shotgun issue working well. It's taking too much time away from my 1860 army.
Keep on shootin!

[mykeal]

Actually, with 120 gr powder and no shot load most of the powder will exit the barrel unburned. You'd get much more flash and boom out of 70 gr under a card and a small shot load. Put a card over the shot, too.

[Pulp]

My brother, Sawyer, SASS#32450 and I have been reloading BP shotgun shells since we started CAS. I buy wads and cards from http://www.circlefly.com You can get the fiber wads dry or treated with something like Bore Butter, not sure what they actually use. I've tried a lot of different recipies, but am about to settle on this:
Lee 7/8ths ounce shot dipper of Pyrodex RS, an overpowder card, two 1/2 inch fiber wads, a 7/8ths dipper of shot, enough corn meal to finish filling the hull, and an overshot card. I use this load for 10, 12 and 16 gauge. I know I could make a much heavier load, but corn meal is much cheaper than lead.
Sawyer, on the other hand, likes bigger booms. He's loaded his 10 gauge with as much as 200 grains of Elephant FFg just to raise the roof on some of the stages where he shoots.

I know my 10 gauge load would be considered light for even a 20 gauge, but my gun is like me. Old and needs to start slow and work up.