Howdah Love

[hangfire]

Well, I got my Pedersoli howdah a few days ago, and I can't wait to shoot it.

What loads have you guys been using?

I plan on loading it with O buck (.32 ball), maybe 7 pellets, and 40 grains of ffg... and then taking it from there.



Anyone chrony the howdah with a .62 ball? What were the end results?

How much power do we have coming out of the thing?


Would it be an effective defense piece?


Anyone like/prefer triple 7 with their Howdah?

I ordered 1/4 x 28 musket nipples and plan to eventually swap out the #11 percussion caps for the hotter musket nipple. I am noticing though that now everyones gone inline, the musket caps have gotten harder and harder to find.

I'm also finding that none of my local stores (including a Gander mountain) have the felt wads for a muzzleloading shotgun load. Whats wrong with just using some paper and some felt wadding scraps from walmart fabric centers?

 

[Jaymo]

48 grains of 3f and a patched .61 caliber round ball is a spicy load. I cast my 20 gauge round balls in the Pedersoli mold from Cabeas. I use wheelweight alloy, and they blow through both sides of a steel drum with ease.
Yes, I think it would be a great self defense gun. It has plenty of punch.
I've used both cloth patches and paper wadding with round balls. I made paper cartridges for the shot loads. They worked great. Too bad I can't remember how I made the paper shot cartridges. They worked MUCH better than I expected.
Load it hot enough and your elbow will let you know that it's time to throttle it back a bit.
It's the most fun you can have without getting nekkid.
You think you like your howdah pistol now. Just wait till you actually shoot it.
You're gonna LOVE it!!
I've also been thinking about getting musket cap nipples for mine.
That said, it's never misfired.

 

[PRM]

I bought the double 20s a couple of years ago and really like the gun. It is comfortable to shoot and has a good pattern with 35 grains of FFg at 30 ft (around 5 inches) with a .60 calibre patched round ball and four # 4 buck on top of that. Buck shot only was pretty consistent with the same pattern. With patched round ball only, I got close to 3 inch groups which I did not feel was too bad without a rear sight.

The design of the gun is not a long range proposition. Great home defense gun for 2 shots. I plan on trying it on squirrels just because of the ease of carry. For distance, I would go back to my Brown Bess.

The howdah is a well made and fun gun to shoot.

Buck and Ball an American Tradition since 1775

 

[hangfire]

A bit frustrated here.

Took the Howdah out a couple days ago and wasn't able to group worth a hoot with the .32 buckshot. At a distance of about 30 feet I had about 2 pellets on paper per shot. Closer up I did better, but still was no consistancy to the pattern.

I was using wadded newspaper and a synthetic felt cloth for wadding. No stores around here have 20 gauge bp wads. In fact, very few even have musket caps..make that no stores around here have musket caps. Luckily I had some, but apparently I had better stock up.

Anyway, looks like I'll have to place an order from Midway for some bp 20 gauge wadding, unless someone has a suggestion to try? Even if I get the wads I'm opened to suggestions. I had planned on buckshot loads but perhaps the huge round ball would be the way to go.

As an FYI to those interested, the musket nipples worked fine. I think they're MSM brand, two came in a pack with a 1/4 x 28 threading. Cleaning Mr. Howdah was a bit of a pain, course I initially tried to do it the quick and easy way with some windshield washer fluid and a bit of hoppes.... nope, better to stick to hot soapy water.

Im planning a trip to winchester va tomorrow... perhaps I should get a hold of the muzzleloading store up there and get myself some swiss powder. I hear really good things about it. I dont think he sells shotgun wads though, but he does carry musket caps if i want to buy them by the 1000.

Sooo...advice regarding making tighter patterns with the howdah and buckshot much appreciated. Id like to have at least 9 inch groups at 10 yards (30 feet). I would think thats not asking too much?

Also guess that if I place an order from midway I should get a .60 or .61 (if there is such an animal) round ball mold. I have the wheelweights and melting equip already, having done some casting for target

 

[PRM]

You should get the pattern you want.

I had great results with 35 grains of GOEX FF powder.

I bought my 20 gauge shotgun wads and overshot cards at Dixie when I got my Howdah.

Also had good luck with #11 caps.

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/advanced_search_result.php?s=1&keywords=20+gauge+shotgun+wad

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=3701

 

[hangfire]

I thought 35 grains might be a bit anemic. My understanding is the howdah is exactly the same steel as whats used in Pedersolis double barrel Kodiak. It might of been a bit over the top, but I was loading it with 60 grains fffg, and upped it to 80 grains fffg for a couple of shots. just requires you hold it nice and tight.

 

[madcratebuilder]

I was loading it with 60 grains fffg, and upped it to 80 grains fffg for a couple of shots. just requires you hold it nice and tight.

I loaded 60grs a few times but backed off to 50grs. i guess I'm weak wristed. 30grs is a very pleasant load.

 

[arcticap]

Anyone chrony the howdah with a .62 ball? What were the end results?

Note that the ball mentioned is a patched .570, so a .62 ball could have even lower velocity:

Loads for Pedersoli Howdah 20X20

.570 rb Hornady #6120 .58cal
.020 lubed patch
35 gr FFg Goex average 624fps
40 gr FFg Goex average 663fps

The recommended Pedersoli loads are on the light side.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=5049384&postcount=51

 

[hangfire]

I hope that I didn't offend anyone with my "anemic" comment. I don't want to be unsafe... but I do feel that 35 grains is rather light of a load (especially behind buckshot). I also did read someone's opinion that the barrel and general structure of the pistol is roughly the same as the pedersoli shotguns, and/or kodiak rifle. So, I would think that 50 or 60 grains of fffg is not dangerous to the shooter?

Additionally, I had a heck of a time finding what I needed for the wads/overshot/overpowder cards. I appreciate the other posters comment, yes Dixie did appear to be the way to go for this. Of note is that I spoke to the gunsmith and he reccommended the use of 19 gauge wads actually for the howdah, as the barrel diameter is actually .625 ? Hopefully he knew what he was talking about. I went ahead and got the 19 gauge wads, over powder, and overshot cards. 500 in a bag which is nice... cabellas did have some in some sort of a combo but it was like 10$ for 25 of the things..ouch!

I also ordered the lee .600 mold, perhaps a bit loose, but hopefully rectifiable with canvass cloth or pillow ticking.

I'm not a newbie to BP rifles, having a number of them and the Lymans Great Plains pistol. I am new to BP shotgun though.



-Hangfire

 

[joelvca]

Took the Howdah out a couple days ago and wasn't able to group worth a hoot with the .32 buckshot. At a distance of about 30 feet I had about 2 pellets on paper per shot. Closer up I did better, but still was no consistancy to the pattern.

For good patterns, buckshot need to be loaded in flat layers. 20ga is a fairly small bore for using buckshot, at least the larger sizes. At least part of your problem is that the .32 buck shot are too large to sit in a flat layer, and they are being badly deformed on firing by being jammed against each other and against the bore, then likely being pushed apart as they exit the muzzle. I put this together a while ago:

buckshot size for loading in even layers:
- 2: 1/2 * the minimum diameter of bore, choke, or inside of shotcup
- 3: .4639 * the minimum diameter of "
- 4: .4142 * the minimum diameter of "
- 5(+1 in centre between layers): .36▒ * the minimum diameter of "
- 7: 1/3 * the minimum diameter of "

Even with layers of 2 (#1 buck in 20ga), there's a fair bit of deformation and wedging. A choke can partially overcome this, but in cylinder bores, you usually get better results with layers of 3 or more - that would be .28" or #2 buck IIRC.

I hope this helps.
Joel