how many grains and what type BP in a modern 12g shotgun?

infidel29

infidel29

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so, if i want to shoot BP or pyrodex substitute out of my modern 12g coach gun for birdshot, buckshot or slug loads as a muzzleloader, how many grains and what "F" should I use? Found some youtube videos on reloading 12g shotguns in the field by Dave Canterbury, interested in what sort of charge to use?
NOTE: the shotgun I'm using is a modern steel, 12 g stoeger double barrel built for modern shotgun ammo. Also, I'm brand new to reloading, just using lee classic loader single stage tools. no presses or benches or anything like that.
 
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I load 75gr FFFg or 80 grains FFg Goex Black powder with 1 1/8 oz of 7 1/2 or 8 shot - 1/8 inch over powder wad, 1/2 inch cushion wad from Circle Fly or vintage CIL wads.
You need to adjust wads or shot to make a perfect crimp, or roll crimp with an overshot wad.For 2 1/2 inch cases to use in vintage guns with short chambers I use cut down 3 inch plastic hulls and roll crimp them.

We shoot 10 shot rounds of black powder Trap at the Saskatoon Muzzle Loading club and it is perfectly possible to shoot 10/10, though we rarely shoot perfect rounds. Shooters with black powder shells often outshoot the nonconformists shooting smokeless for practice.
 
In my Hodgdon Data Manual they list from 65 to 80 grs of Pyrodex RS depending on the shot charge.

For black powder (FFFg) they list 82 to 102 grs (3") depending on shot charge.

In my old 12 ga Cape gun I used 70 grs of Pyrodex and a light charge of 1 oz of shot.
 
thanks! does the powder load change for using bird shot vs buckshot vs slug? or is it based on weight of the bullet/pellets?
 
infidel29 said:
thanks! does the powder load change for using bird shot vs buckshot vs slug? or is it based on weight of the bullet/pellets?
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I've never tried shooting buckshot or slugs from a black powder/Pyrodex loaded cartridge. In my muzzle loading shotguns, however, I have fired birdshot, buckshot and round ball all using the same powder charge. I don't see why it would make a difference in a cartridge.
 
The easiest thing to do for charge weight is to use the same volume measure for both powder and shot. That seems to work the best. Ie: a 1 ounce shot measure filled with powder to shoot the one ounce of shot. If your slug or ball is one ounce, same measure of powder.
 
A 3 dram 12 ga target load with 1 1/8 oz of shot will take 80 grains of Fg or FFg with an equal volume of shot. My favourite recipe is a Federal paper hull with any 209 primer, and 80 gr of FFg. Over powder wad is a 1/8" (.125") card wad then a 5/16" filler wad (I have old CIL stuff but you can buy them new online in Canada). Compress the wad column with 50-60 lb pressure. A volume of shot equal to that of the powder and then regular star crimp. I like the paper hulls because the wall is the same thickness all the way down, unlike Winchester AA and many other plastic hulls. There are, of course, plastic hulls with straight walls and you can use them but I know all my paper loads are BP so can easily keep them separate from my smokeless loads. Good luck.
 
gabrielguitars said:
The easiest thing to do for charge weight is to use the same volume measure for both powder and shot. That seems to work the best. Ie: a 1 ounce shot measure filled with powder to shoot the one ounce of shot. If your slug or ball is one ounce, same measure of powder.
Click to expand...

This is a good starting point. I use the LEE dippers. 4.3 cc for both shot and 2FFG BP. 2 1/8 inch card wads and a cushion wad all circle fly. I use this for Cowboy Action and it knocks everything down. I like to keep it simple. Are you using this load for anything in particular?
 
thanks for all your helpful suggestions guys! No, as of right now I'm not using it for anything in particular, but I am planning on using it for hunting soon, and I wanted to expand on the versatility of my shotgun.
 
CC's are not a unit of measure for anything firearm related. CC's are a unit of liquid volume.
Buy a copy of Lyman's BP Handbook and Reloading Guide. There are shotgun loads in it.
 
I hunt with my vintage guns as well as my modern made Pedersoli La Bohemienne hammer double 12.
For heavy payloads of Nice Shot and Bismuth, I use a full 3 1/4 drams ( about 90 grains depending on the lot#) of FFG and 1 1/4oz of #2's in brass or paper cases.
For pheasants I normally use 2 3/4drams ( about 72 grains) of FFG and 7/8 to 1oz of 6's or 7 1/2 plated lead shot.
These loads are very effective on birds.:>)
Cat


 
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