muzzleloading shotgun advice

tactical870

tactical870

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Buckhorn, Ontario
I've been a gun nut for years, hunted since I could walk, and shot muzzleloaders for almost 10 years now but only recently gotten into old BP cartridge guns (577 snider) and now in the midst of a deal on an antique percussion 20 guage shotgun. Any advice? I've never shot, let alone loaded a muzzleloading shotgun before. How much powder? FFG? wad? pellets? Where is the best place to get overshot cards and wads? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 
The only advise i can recommend is to use the same volume of shot and powder, preferably FFg. Never use a plastic shot cup or wad combo. Fiber wads are best, with a thin cardboard over shot.
Buffalo arms may be your best bet for components.
Cheers
 
There is more than one way to skin a cat - and at least as many ways to put the components together for a ML fowler. Some loading methods will pruduce tighter patterns in some guns and a guy can load for the type of shooting that he is doing.
I use FFg or FFFg in an appropriate amount for a 20ga., then a couple of hard 'nitro cards' with some kind of lube (moose juice or SPG) added, then the shot (for a wide pattern I use no shotcup, for a tighter pattern I use a well lubed {w/moose juce} plastic shot cup) and then two overshot cards.
You can make cushion wads from old honets nest material, by wadding it into the right size and shape. I use lots of liquid lube for target shooting, but I use a pellet of SPG betwen two nitro cards for a hunting load that may sit in the chamber for some time.

Here is a page written by a guy named Bob Spencer and it will be a good read. In fact the rest of Bob's site is a double handfull of good smoothbore ML advice.
http://home.insightbb.com/~bspen/shotgun.html

A piece from Bob's site written bY V.M. Starr (two parts)
http://home.insightbb.com/~bspen/starr.html
 
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I would suggest a copy of Lyman's Black Powder manual for loading data in terms of amount of shot and powder for a variety of guages. I use prelubed wads from I think Blue and Grey products and available from the local BP dealer. Although I haven't tested patterns, it is my impression that card wads on top of the cushion wad improves patterns somewhat. My impression is that at least some pellets may stick in the cushion wad without a card wad between it and the shot.

cheers mooncoon
 
mooncoon said:
I would suggest a copy of Lyman's Black Powder manual for loading data in terms of amount of shot and powder for a variety of guages. I use prelubed wads from I think Blue and Grey products and available from the local BP dealer. Although I haven't tested patterns, it is my impression that card wads on top of the cushion wad improves patterns somewhat. My impression is that at least some pellets may stick in the cushion wad without a card wad between it and the shot.

cheers mooncoon
Click to expand...

I found that works better also, I've PM'd you the phone # for our local BP trader.
I was just at a BP Rondyvoos in Little Rock Wash.for the muzzleloading shotgun event they had 8 stations :rockOn: haven't had so much fun since the pigs ate my little brother ;):D. There were about a dozen SXS and 1 Flintlock.
Have fun with your new 20 ga.
Cheers nessy.

http://www.shootesc.com/facilities.asp
 
Picked up the 20 guage tonight. It's in beautiful shape but the bore was a little rusty so it's soaking full of evap-o-rust for the night. I'll most likely replace the nipples this weekend and possibly punch a few home-made wads so I can at least take a few shots. The one thing I do need is a new ramrod. The one on the gun looks like great grandpa whittled it from a branch. Anyone know of a source? Thanks
 
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Tactical870 sent me the pics to post. This is his 20ga.

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Sorry for the terrible quality... It's by no means a masterpiece and I am anable to tell who the maufacturer was but the CFC de-registered it so they must be sure it old enough....
 
They look like very gracefull lines.
Does it fit you well?
Is it as light as it looks?
No matter, you should have some fun shootin' it.
 
Check www. trackofthewolf.com They have all the proper over-powder, cushion, and over-shot wads, plus shot flasks, shot/powder measures, etc. My main advice is not to exceed 1 oz. of shot, and have fun!
 
It's probably one of the better shoulder guns I own. It is actually very light. Weighs less than my iver johnson hercules grade 12. I can't wait for my wads to get here so I can actually shoot it.
 
Very nice, I shoot 20 grs of FFg and equal vol. of shot and load the same as mooncoon with an over shot wad on top of the cushion wad in my 20 ga fowler, works good.

Cheers nessy.
 
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