Navy Arms 12ga SXS

[Armored farmer]

I have been secretly keeping an eye out for a muzzleloading shotgun for some time now. While attending the Illinois NMLRA Territorial shoot, a fellow shooter had one for sale. It is a Navy Arms 12 ga SXS in excellent condition. It is double triggers, and English stock. Chokes appear to be full and modified. The gun looks to be new. Needless to say, I am slipping ever deeper into the dark side. I bought it.

I have read the sticky at the top of the page.

It came with a wad cutter, and I have already cut some of my "Duro-felt" into 12 ga wads, and some cardboard for over-shot wads......
Any b/p shotgunners have any tips or suggestions?? Any special gear to make things handy??

I would like to use it to shoot b/p trap.
thanks

 

[Busyhands94]

I don't have much experience with muzzleloading shotguns, but I do have plenty of experience loading shotshells with BP and Pyrodex. I suggest equal measures of powder and shot, that's called a square load and tends to perform well. My load recipe for 1 gauge shells is 3 drams of FFFG Goex black powder, and 1 1/8th ounce of #7 1/2 chilled lead bird shot. This should shoot about 1100 FPS and pattern decently.

Of course different shot sizes make a huge difference. Yesterday I had my friend bring some handloads because we were talking about how different shot sizes perform. I gave him some primers, Pyrodex and some Winchester AA hulls I unprimed saved. We found that with #9 birdshot under a 3 dram charge of BP produced less favorable velocities, I was only able to break 17 out of 25. But when I tried some shells loaded with #7 1/2 shot and the exact same load of powder, wads, and the same hulls and primers I broke 22 out of 25.

My theories as to why this happens are that the tiny little #9 pellets decelerate fast due to not having much mass and don't have as much reach as larger pellets do. I'd suggest using some #7 1/2 if shooting clays is your intention.

Also, plastic cup wads are a tad easier to work with, the only drawback is that they can leave plastic residue in the barrel of your shotgun. You could probably lube them with mica wad slick, or graphite perhaps. From what others tell me the residue is most likely from the friction of the wad on the bore, not the burning powder. It wouldn't hurt to put a felt wad under the shot cup though, my guess is it would make it cleaner.

~Levi

 

[mykeal]

This is the best primer on muzzleloading shotguns I've found:
Black Powder Shotgun Basics

I have 3 operating bp sxs 12 gauge shotguns, one bp sxs 12 gauge in work and a half dozen awaiting attention that I brought home from the UK several years ago. One of the operating guns is that same Navy Arms:

 

[cbm1948]

Track of the Wold

World of info on everything associated with BP shooting


Enjoy and be safe

Clint

 

[Armored farmer]

I took my new Navy Arms to the Illinois Territorial NMLRA muzzle loader trap shoot last wknd. Now, mind you, I have been a AA ATA shooter since my teenage years. That means that I average breaking 97X100 targets.

With my new SXS, I broke 3X15!!! lol ...Quite humbling.

Methinks I will practice some more.

 

[pohill]

Check out this company. I bought wads and cards from them. Very helpful people.
http://www.circlefly.com/index.html

I have a British SxS muzzle loading 10 ga. I went to the trap field a few days ago and gave it a try. I can honestly say that every bird broke...when they hit the ground.

 

[Armored farmer]

I am cutting 12 ga felt wads from the same material (duro-felt) that I use for my lube wads in my '58 Remington cap 'n ball revolvers. They were pretty well accepted by the other shooters. I passed out some samples, and was asked where I got the material.

 

[Crawdad1]

If you’re going into the field to hunt with it buy the Irish styled shot flask rather than the English style as they are easier to use and much safer. Also, in tight spaces such as a duck blind the Irish head is a lot easier to use.

Good luck with it, be safe .......................and keep swinging man keep swinging!!!

 

[PapaG]

Advice from a winner at local, state and national level....simply load thusly....equal volumes of powder(2fg) and shot ( you pick size...7 1/2 for trap, 6 for game), put a.135 card on the powder, a 1/2" felt, the shot, and a milk carton disc over the shot. Enjoy. I used 1 1/4 oz shot and the same dipper for powder. Can't tell the difference from AA loads.

 

[Armored farmer]

PapaG

Thanks for the advice. I need to do more shooting with my new sxs. I think the lock-time had me bumfuzzled. (much faster than my 'ol 870 har-har)