BP Shotshell loading and scrounging components

[4fingermick]

I have picked up an old damascened Bbl'd 12Ga SxS Hammer gun and I want to load BP loads for it.





I have heard all sorts of things, ranging from just use AA wads and star crimp to using special wads and roll crimping. I have a sandbag full of Browning hulls and use a lot of Fiocci shells. Can I use these and discard after the BP, or must I use card wads?

I would be prepared to roll crimp if I had t, but would just star crimp if I could get away with it (I'm not a purist, just want to give this old girl a run).

Finally, can the wads be made from crounged items, such as old hats, supermarket meat trays, etc?

Also what F? FF, FFF, ?

Thanks, Mick.

 

[oneshooter]

I use 2 1/2 drams of Goex 2fg, a fiber filler wad, plastic shot cup and a standard eight point crimp. The hulls are AA's. A light shooting load for skeet out of my M1887 Win. lever gun. One dram = 27.5 grains.

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[4fingermick]

Thanks, that's encouraging. What do you use for the fibre filler wad? Also I am trying to picture how you assemble the load with both a fibre wad and a plastic wad. I have squillions of Winchester AA 1 1/8oz wads, I hope I can use these.

 

[oneshooter]

There are several ways to obtain filler wads. One is Dixie Gun Works.
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/produc...=3612&osCsid=00631044ccbdee3df3009ef1b6f2adda

Or you can make them. Simply take a 2 X 4 and drill a series of bore sized holes thru the short side. Then obtain a short piece of dowl ( 10-12")of the same diameter. Then soak a large wad of newspaper in water and start packing the mess into the holes. Use the dowl rod to to compress the wet paper into a solid mass. Allow to dry and cut to the proper thickness, about 1/2". use a sharp knife to remove the bottom "cushion" from the AA wads. Then load powder, cushion wad, shot cup, shot, and crimp. Repeat as much as you like and enjoy!

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[WV SCROUNGER]

alot of shooters are deathly afraid of the old doubles...especially the ones with DAMASCUS barrels.
I load my own BP hulls and shoot thru a 1867 National Arms 12 ga.
ONE THING YOU MUST BE AWARE OF! these old doubles usually dont have a 2 3/4 chamber like the modern guns. Most of the old american doubles have a 2 5/8ths chamber which means you will have to trim off 1/8" of the hull.
If you dont trim off the 1/8" the hull wont be able to fully open when fired!
this will raise pressures......maybe enough to blow yer gun up too.
it is also wise to use reduced powder loads...like 2 1/2 drams of powder instead of 3 drams......You have to realize these old girls are about or...posibbly over 100 years. old........meturalurgy back then was not the type we have today!

 

[4fingermick]

I suppose you let the wads dry in the wood 'mould.' Mick.

PS, if you use the wads, why do you need the cup, why not just another wad? Also, are you saying to cut off the petals and part of the 'shock absorber' part of the wad and just leave the cup and part of the shock absorber?

I'm away from home with a sick wife and am having trouble picturing this, sorry.

 

[oneshooter]

4fingermick, You cut the "shock absorber" off and use the cup. The reason is that black powder is bulkier than smokeless. The powder and wad will fill the space. The cup will give you a better pattern. You can use a thicker wad and forget the cup. Only by trying different combos can you find the combo that you beautifull shotgun likes. Yes the wads dry in the mold.
Hope the wife gets well soon.

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[4fingermick]

Thanks, Oneshooter. I can't wait to get home and try this out. I have heaps of lumber, including some old hardwood (and we aussies say hard wood, we mean harddddddddddddd wood) which was from an old beam in a house. I have a couple of feet left and I also have lots of pine, I will try both to see what performs best. I also have some hole cutters on lay buy at the local discount tool place, they are a real good quality boring set rather than hole cutters, they should cut a nice neat hole. I hope there is one about the right size. I can afford to import the wads, etc (and probably will for comparison's sake), but get a real kick out of recycling and scrounging bits and pieces for my shooting and other projects. I am 58, just medically retired after 42 years in the workplace, I have enough hobby stuff to keep me occupied until I'm 100! It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it!
Mick.

 

[oneshooter]

Glad to be of assistence!! My favorite BP shotgun is a 1887 Win. in 12ga.
If you get bored ya might try to get to Texas.

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas