Load Column for a 12Ga Percussion Shotgun

96Briganox

96Briganox

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Hey folks I'm not new to muzzleloaders but new to percussion cap shotguns. I have tried the equal loads of shot and powder by volume of light loads for skeet and upland birds which worked ok for me so far. Usually do 1oz of #7.5 and 70gr of FFG Goex. I use an over powder nitro card (0.125"), then lubricated cushion wad (0.500"), then shot, then over shot card (0.025"). These light loads gave good results.

Recently I picked up some #1 Bismuth and tried pattering these with the same equal load theory. Let me tell 'ya, it doesn't look good at all :(
I'm barrely getting 10 pellets on paper at 40yards. Is there something i should do different with such size of shot? I don't have a chronograph but as i underdstand i would probably need at least 1,100FPS to take birds humanly. I would appreciate if somebody could steer me into the right direction as Bismuth is super pricey and i would love to go duck and goose hunting the classy way :)

cheers,

96Brig
 
Loading equal volumes of powder and lead shot is a long established formula. If a bit more oomph is desired, the shot charge is sometimes increased.
Bismuth is somewhat less dense than lead. If you load an equal volume of bismuth, the weight of the shot charge is going to be less. Maybe this is contributing to blown patterns.
I am just speculating.
You could also try your equal volume load at much closer range, try to see what is going on with the pattern.
 
96Briganox said:
Hey folks I'm not new to muzzleloaders but new to percussion cap shotguns. I have tried the equal loads of shot and powder by volume of light loads for skeet and upland birds which worked ok for me so far. Usually do 1oz of #7.5 and 70gr of FFG Goex. I use an over powder nitro card (0.125"), then lubricated cushion wad (0.500"), then shot, then over shot card (0.025"). These light loads gave good results.

Recently I picked up some #1 Bismuth and tried pattering these with the same equal load theory. Let me tell 'ya, it doesn't look good at all :(
I'm barrely getting 10 pellets on paper at 40yards. Is there something i should do different with such size of shot? I don't have a chronograph but as i underdstand i would probably need at least 1,100FPS to take birds humanly. I would appreciate if somebody could steer me into the right direction as Bismuth is super pricey and i would love to go duck and goose hunting the classy way :)

cheers,

96Brig
Click to expand...
I don't load watewrfowl loads that light in my muzzle loaders, I run 90 grains of FFG and a Nitro card wad, cushion wad, and an OS wad on top of the cushion to stop the pellets imbedding in the cushion wad.
I have been told that some shooters have done away with the fibre wad bu I haven't tried it yet as I lube the fibre wad to cut down on the fowling and make the next charge easier to seat.
Cat
 
Bismuth pellets will fragment but I doubt that is your problem. Realize that there aren't that many pellets in a 1 oz load of #1 shot and you are likely shooting a cylinder bore choke so at 40 yds you will not put many pickles in the paper at the best of times, compared to lead # 8's, etc. Your effective range (based on pattern density) may be as little as 25 yds. The old-timers claimed that if you increased velocity by adding more powder then the pattern opened up. A slower velocity load would shoot tighter patterns compared to a load with equal volumes of powder and shot.
 
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