Hello and happy new year. I picked up an African trade flintlock shotgun made in Belgian about 1870. I am in the process of getting it dated now. It's a 16 gage and is in very good shape.I would like to fire it with light loads for fun but have found nothing on these guns. It fires good with 20 gr, fffg and a bit in the pan with a cardboard disc against the powder.has anybody have experiance with these guns ? Any info would help , thanks Bob
belgian flintlock shotgun
- Thread starter Orvill
- Start date
I think you would be wise to some sort of small light down the barrel and check for deep pits. Expect to find some small pits but those are usually not a problem. I would want the muzzle to be at least 20 thousandths thick. Check the outside of the barrel for cracks or poor welds.
A field load would probably be up around 70 gr of 2F and 1 oz of shot but tie it to a rubber tire for the first shot and check around the breach area for any signs of powder leakage, after firing.
If there is a supplier of black powder stuff near you or that comes to the local gun shows, you should be able to buy some fiber cushion wads for between the powder and the shot
cheers mooncoon
A field load would probably be up around 70 gr of 2F and 1 oz of shot but tie it to a rubber tire for the first shot and check around the breach area for any signs of powder leakage, after firing.
If there is a supplier of black powder stuff near you or that comes to the local gun shows, you should be able to buy some fiber cushion wads for between the powder and the shot
cheers mooncoon
- Location
- West coast of Vancouver Island
Orvill, could you please post photographs of the shotgun before you decide to fire it?
That sounds fairly thin at the breach. I am guessing that 22 mm is roughly .88 inches minus a bore of .66 leaves a wall thickness at the breach of about .11" Most modern shotguns and many old ones have a wall thickness at the breach of roughly .15". Maybe drop down to 60 grains of 2F and 3/4 oz of shot
cheers mooncoon
Hello The gun has the perron , EL and elg with a star insde an oval.It also has 16.8 for the bore and 33 and 25 on both the barrel and breach. All look like prof marks for a trade gun. The barrel looks like a bit of pipe with a breach welded in. I would not wont to shoot full power loads but I think it would be fun with light loads.Thanks for the replys.
