A first for everything

[Busyhands94]

Lately I've been doing a lot of trap shooting, and sadly not much blackpowder. I decided to change that since I don't have a full membership and can't use the rifle and pistol range without one. So today I brought a box of "blackpowder" 12 guage shotgun shells I loaded up for a friend and we each shot a couple with another friend who was there. He said he had some Goex somewhere that he would try and find for me to load some shotshells with as long as I load him some.

My load was 3 drams of Pyrodex (about 27 grains in a dram) a plastic wad, and an ounce of shot under a card wad. No shot cup at all, just a wad. They weren't that hard to hit with either, you just had to lead a little but the recoil was pretty comfortable.

Shooting these was fun and everyone absolutely loved em', I will be loading up more. The billowing cloud of smoke was great with three drams!

But I talked with some of the guys who have been shooting here for many years and apparently this was the first time anyone had brought BP shotgun shells out there. Luckily at the station I normally shoot at they are pretty relaxed out there, it's the "fun station."

Sorry if this is kind of a boring post, but I figured it was worth sharing with the THR family here. These shells were spectacular! Too much fun!

Here's one of my trap buddies shooting his first BP shotgun shell, you should have seen the grin on his face! Next week I'm bringing a bunch to hopefully convert some smokeless shooters!

~Levi

 

[Voodoochile]

Maybe I need to sneak a few of my friends shells & reload em with Goex..
Sounds like fun.

 

[StrawHat]

If you think that's fun, wait till you use black powder loaded 38 Specials in a competition!

 

[BullRunBear]

Hey Levi,

Thanks for the report. What kind of hulls did you use for loading and how did they survive the shooting? I've read the plastic hulls are good for one time only. I've been meaning to try this with an old Stevens 311 12 ga. It looks like fun.

My buddy and I have shot trap with our 12 ga. SxS muzzleloaders. It is fun but gawd-awful slow to reload, which can be a problem on a busy day. These BP shells could be the way to go.

Jeff

 

[Noz]

The hulls will last for several reloads. When the outside of the hull starts to show signs of burning then it's time to pitch them.

Reloading is not the hassle some will indicate. I load on a VERSAMEC with plastic wads. You will occasionally get plastic snot in the barrels but windex will slip it right out.

Remember though, shooting black powder can be addictive.

 

[Busyhands94]

BullRunBear, I used Remington Gun Club 12 guage hulls (I believe straight walled) with CCI Magnum primers. I did check out the fired hulls and they looked like I could have easily loaded them a few more times without problems.

Not too long ago I ordered 100 Cheddite 16 guage hulls, they should be here shortly with some wads and overshot cards. My buddy Mike dropped off a pound of Goex this morning, he had FFFG. I was using FFFG Pyrodex in my shells yesterday. I am fixin' to do a shooting video and bust some clays with BP!

I do have a question though, when I collect my fired hulls should I wash them with soapy water? I have never gathered my shells and reloaded them, I have only loaded 20 guage a couple times with BP.

 

[Busyhands94]

I got my hulls, wads, and overshot cards from Ballistic Products Inc today. Great service, good shipping, and I recommend them 100% if you load in any odd gauges like 16, 28, 32, etc. because they have all the stuff you need. I have everything I need to load some 16 guage BP shells now except for shot, I'll pick up that can of Goex and a sack of shot when I go to the gun club on Sunday and I will attempt to make a video on Wednesday of me shooting a round of trap with blackpowder shotshells!

So stay tuned for a video of some serious blackpowder clay busting! This is going to be magnificent with my beautiful old shotgun and some real blackpowder shotshells!

I want to put some music in the video, I am still deciding on the song. I am open for any suggestions!

 

[Foto Joe]

You must have found a trap club with a sense of humor, rare indeed.

An old codger who I used to shoot with used a 10ga SxS for CAS which he loaded with the correct powder. One morning he graced us with his arrival at the trap range toting his standard loads. I knew what to expect but the range master was very dis-pleased with his choice of powder. It was mentioned that having to use a breathing apparatus when standing on the next station was too much trouble, that and more than a few thought his gun blew up on the first target.

 

[Busyhands94]

Joe, there are 7 stations at my trap club. The first 4 are more serious. That's where everyone shoots for scores. But at the wobble trap station and the other two you have the more fun stations where we goof off, mess with other shooters (nothing unsafe of course) and if someone gets a misfire he/she sometimes gets a shell loaded with confetti.

On Wednesday when I go I'll be sure to ask everyone I'm shooting with if they are alright with me shooting BP shells. I do want to be thoughtful of other people's wishes regarding my BP shotgun shells.

~Levi

 

[Pulp]

Sadly, some trap and skeet shooters are a lot like some golfers, some Cowboy Action shooters. They take the game too seriously to enjoy it.

The BOOOOM! and smoke of a BP load disturbs their concentration when they're not shooting.

Don't ask me to explain that, it's just what someone said on another forum.

 

[Busyhands94]

I do kind of understand what is meant by that. In between shots I stay in the stance I shoot in with my shotgun broken open and without a shell in the chamber. I have kind of a zen thing going on, I am in the zone there. Just me, the shotgun, the microphone, the trap house, and the bird. I relax, wait until I hear that shotgun blast next to me, and then take my shot. That is how I shoot well, I have good concentration when it comes to trap.

However, I could handle it when my friend took a follow up shot with one of the BP loads I gave him during a round of wabble trap. All I did was look over and grin. He missed with his smokeless shell then blew it up on the second one with my BP shell. Fun stuff!