Roundball load for 12g "New Englander?"

[Mike_In_BC]

Hey, y'all. Quick question, I just got an old T/C "New Englander" caplock 12 gauge. It kinda looks like a T/C Hawken with the half stock, only the "New Englander" has a single trigger and a round barrel. (cylinder bore)

Anyway, I started wondering about using it like a smoothbore (which it is) so I scrounged up some balls for it. Now the questions, what kind of charge should I use? The ball is a .700 and is 550 grains or some such. I have been using 60 grains of 3f for 1 oz of shot. Should I patch it? If so how tight? Or should I ram down a fiber wad, then drop the ball in with a wad on top?

 

[jeep-2]

I use 70 grs powder-pyrodex or FF, then an overshot card, lubed felt wad, then 70 grns #5 shot and over shot card.

RBs, I use 80 grns pyrodex or FF then lubed patched RB, a shot card if i'm not going to fire for a long time,..a fiber wad is up to you, I have used them but found no difference with our gun, some people say that they will help a gun be more accurate.

 

[ED21]

You could try 60-80 grains and see how it shoots. I would patch the RB. Try working up a load for this just like you would any traditional ML. Should be a lot of fun to shoot (not often ) IF you have not done it, try working up some shotgun loads too. enjoy playing with it.

 

[Imaginos]

Most of the reputation for inaccuracy in smoothbores comes from the military practice of loading unpatched balls. This means the ball is not centered in the bore and accuracy is determined by the last point of contact between the projectile and the gun's bore. Some of the better modern muskets and shotguns will allow you to reach out to 75 yards on deer size targets. It takes practice and you must learn to load your gun probably.

I suggest a .69 cal ball and a tight fitting patch over 70gr of ffg powder. Test it at 25 and 50 yards. Do not expect rifle like accuracy from a smoothbore, but the groups should be in the 5-6" area. If the groups are sloppy, go to a .695 ball and a thicker patch.

You must learn how YOUR gun shoots and develop a proper load for YOUR gun. Get a copy of the Gun Digest Blackpowder Handbook by Sam Fadala. It has a lot of great info including a chapter on smooth bores.

 

[arcticap]

A 12 gauge with a straight cylinder bore is .729.
If your bore is cylinder, then a trying a .015 patch should be the minimum thickness.
If that's too tight, then you have a tighter choke and you'll need a thinner patch.
Using some kind of a wad under the ball might help to seal the gases and protect the patch from burning. A small piece of wadded newspaper, fiber wad, overpowder card, or even leather would work.
Don't use more powder than necessary, because some New Englander stocks can develop cracks behind the tang from shooting roundball loads that are too heavy.

 

[Mike_In_BC]

Hey, thanks for the replies. I have worked up some shot loads for it and it shoots nice. I have a .68 cal smoothbore flintlock that I shoot so I figured I would just load it the same. Powder, then patched ball. I tried both with a patch, and with a patch over a fiber wad. I think patched was just as good as with a wad too. With a .0020 patch lubed I have to start the ball with a short starter then ram it down. At 25 yards I was hitting a 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper.
Kicks a bit. Oh, and I have .690's and .700, and the .690's are way too lose.