School me on front loading shotguns

Status
Not open for further replies.
This is how I carried my shot;

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/99/1/FLASK-IR-L

or for more choices,

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/99/1

I prefer the Irish style head as opposed to the English style head as the 'scope' separates from the flask and is a lot more versatile in restrictive areas, like a duck blind or boat.

Wadding from Circlefly, either their web-site or others.

here;
http://circlefly.com/

I stayed pretty traditional in my hunting rig, as I only duck hunted with mine. I tried upland game but without a dog it was too much to handle. I know of others who have used various containers to house their shot and powder.

You'll enjoy that one Gunner, Pedersoli makes a real beauty of a shotgun. :)
 
Last edited:
Dove season opens today and if it's not raining, I'm going to start out with my muzzleloading 12 ga. SxS.
I premeasure all my powder in little plastic tubes and use newspaper wrapped shot "cartridges". I drop in the powder, compress a OP wad and 1/3 of a fiber lubed wad and drop in the paper cartridge. If it's a bit loose, I put a OS card over it.
The paper keeps the shot together to tighten patterns .. sometimes too much. ;)
 
This was years ago. I used a CVA 12 ga SxS, cylinder bore, for upland birds. We were using a britany that worked close. Probably the most pleasant hunting experience I've had. Wish the place was still around.

Overpowder cards, cushion wads and overshot cards, pre-lubed, in vest pockets. A simple homemade shot bag and brass powder flask in larger side pockets. A measuring scoop for shot and powder and a capper on a string around my neck and stowed in a breast pocket. (I'm a big fan of pockets, as you can tell.) A small over the shoulder bag, army surplus something or other, to hold a few tools and cleaning supplies. I carried enough for about 20 shots so it didn't weigh much. The birds in the vest's game pocket were a lot heavier. :D

There was nothing very traditional looking about the outfit but it worked well enough.

Jeff
 
Thanks, good stuff! Don't hesitate to offer more suggestions. :D

That Pedersoli is choked Mod/Full. I'm wondering about that, forcing an over-shot card through a choke. I LOVE the paper wrapped shot idea! I might look for a cylinder bore shotgun. The paper idea might just keep a tight pattern out of a cylinder bore? I read on the other thread running on shotguns that varying the shot/powder charge ratio affects pattern, too. So much to learn when I finally get one. I think I'll be getting SOMEthing if my old house sells, got an offer, patiently waiting. I'll have a few bucks if it does and deserve a celebratory toy. :D

I stayed pretty traditional in my hunting rig, as I only duck hunted with mine. I tried upland game but without a dog it was too much to handle. I know of others who have used various containers to house their shot and powder.
Click to expand...

I love duck hunting, but that's pretty well out unless I can find a gun that's tolerant to steel shot. Pedersoli warns against it and the chokes are too tight at any rate for steel. I plan to join a duck/goose/dove club next season, probably, and could use a front loader in that club from a blind. No blinds in the marsh where I have hunted last 30 years on public land and loading while standing knee deep in muck sounds tough. :D I'll probably really only use it for some dove and for my walks out back in the woods, squirrel, rabbit, occasional dove in season, and a duck off the tank now and then in winter. I doubt I'd take the gun to my buddy's north of Waco. We hunt his farms every year opening of central zone and I often go through 4 or 5 boxes of ammo in a 3 day hunt. Action is fast up there and I'd look goofy reloading while the others are shooting at birds all around us. LOL I normally hunt up there with my little SxS 20 gauge Spartan. If the action is slower, though, I have no qualms about using a front loader and it'd add fun to the hunt, at least for ME.

Okay, any suggestions on other SxS shotguns I might think about besides the Pedersoli baring in mind the use I have for it?
 
If you're considering a cylinder bore, be aware that some CVA SxS had chokes, unlike my early one. Don't know if that is marked on the barrels or not. Also, I've read that some cylinder bore ML shotgun barrels, but not all, had enough wall thickness that they could be threaded for removable choke tubes by a gunsmith.

My particular shotgun patterned well with equal volumes of shot and powder or a SLIGHTLY greater amount of shot. My friend's did better with about 1 1/2 times the shot to powder volumes. Only your pattern board will know for sure.

A bit of a tangent. I'm researching loading modern shotgun shells with BP. I have a couple of old Stevens SxS's, one in 12 and one in 20 ga. Haven't taken the search very far yet except that paper shells are preferred to plastic. Don't think I would try it in a pump or auto but the SxS should be doable. I already load BP cartridge for 45 Colt and 45-70 and really enjoy it.

Jeff
 
My particular shotgun patterned well with equal volumes of shot and powder or a SLIGHTLY greater amount of shot. My friend's did better with about 1 1/2 times the shot to powder volumes. Only your pattern board will know for sure.
Click to expand...

That's exactly how I did it. By varying the ratio between shot and powder and using a patterning board to record the results. You can also use a plactic shot cup also to tighten patterns but, be aware, that some swear by them and some swear at them. :)
 
Pedersoli makes a beautiful SxS. And other than an original from one of the top English builders that are over a century old now I can't see anything that's being built today that's in the same league as the Pedersoli.
Click to expand...

They sure look purdy in the pix. :D I think one of its duties will be hanging over the hearth replacing my 80 dollar CVA Plainsman there. :D

Speaking of wads, they make an extended range round now days in 12 gauge who's shot cup supposedly stays with the shot farther from the muzzle. I wonder if those shot cups are available as components? Hell, I can't remember what they're called. I'll have to do some googling.
 
Here's another option i'm looking at, this one smooth bored, a 20 gauge coach gun.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shoo...=SBC;MMcat104792580;cat104701680;cat104641380

Damn, just notice it's got 12" barrels. Might not be any more practical than a howdah I'm also thinkin' about with a shoulder stock. I'm a little skeptical that this barrel length would perform too well. The howdah would be way cool for other reasons, but not sure how well it'd perform as a USEFUL shotgun, but started another thread on that.
 
I have a Pietta Navy Arms SxS also but its barrels are cylinder bore also. It shoots buckshot and PRB better than the CVA but the CVA throws better shot patterns.

This may only be true in my guns .. lots of variables.
 
I've got to look around at the choices, more. I think I'd rather have a smooth bore for the versatility. I don't know, though, buckshot probably would work better than a PRB in a smooth bore to 50 yards. I still think I need more choices, though. Got to research this tomorrow. Bed time right now. :D
 
I've been searching around for accouterments and found some leather shot bags with measures on them for an amazing amount of money, 95 bucks or so. But, I also found powder horns. Thinkin' I could carry powder in one, shot in another, for under fifty bucks for the pair. I already have an adjustable measure I could use with 'em. I have a powder flask I could also bring along while hunting, just refill the flask from the horn if it gets low, too. I found a capper that I'll need. Wads can be carried in one of my fanny packs or in a pocket. I also have this "photographer's vest" that I ordered that has LOTS of pockets in it AND a game pouch on the back! :D I'd bought it originally to wear for concealed carry, but it's too short for that. Would work great as a black powder wing shooter's vest.

Still looking at and trying to find other shotgun options, though, before I decide.
 
Hmm, Dixie has a Petersoli 12 choked cylinder/mod. Big problem is the price, nearly 1200 bucks. Ouch, but it's a good choke compromise. Mod/full is just TOO much choke IMHO for what I wanna do with it.
Click to expand...

I got a pedersoli 10 gauge double some years ago, and it has chrome bores and removable chokes. I actually settled on Mod/Full because the patterns weren't as tight as I thought they would be.
 
Equal volume of powder and shot. .070 card on powder, 1/2 " fiber on that(greased doesn't hurt at all), shot, disc cut from card stock or milk carton on top of shot.
Be sure to uncap unfired barrel when reloading after only one barrel fired.
If you are shooting trap or skeet, use the or three cards on powder and soak your fiber wads in moosemilk, squeezing them out before loading.
You can put premeasured charges in 30-06 cases and cap them with 45 acp empties.
Good twelve gauge load is 1 1/4 ounce of shot and 3 1/4 dreams ffg.
Dixie and Circle Fly are sources for about any gauge wad.
I made over powder cup wads by punching 1 1/4" discs from milk carton and driving them through a 7/8" hole with a dowell.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

B
  • Locked
Mmmmm.......gee..thanx Treblig.
Replies
9
Views
665
Jaymo
J
B
  • Locked
a good deal on the 1851 navy
Replies
1
Views
448
junkman_01
J
B
  • Locked
Mmmm..........
Replies
17
Views
951
Trent
Trent
K
  • Locked
Is any "Blackpowder Starting Kit" worth the money?
2
Replies
25
Views
6K
BowerR64
B
B
  • Locked
What is takin so long ???
2
Replies
28
Views
1K
4v50 Gary
4v50 Gary
Back
Top