Pedersoli SxS Muzzleloader Slug Gun - Buckshot Patterns

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0faustus0

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Pedersoli SxS Muzzleloader Slug Gun - Buckshot Patterns

Well, today I was finally able to shoot and pattern my muzzle loading shotgun, a Perdersoli 12ga Slug gun, … and in preparation for this years’s deer hunting season.

The gun is advertised as a 12ga …. without chokes … so cylinder bore. But the gun is really more of a 13ga … I had 12ga and 13ga nitro cards and fiber wads ... and the 13ga ones did fit. I was never able to push the 12ga ones down the barrels.

And I realized that one barrel is tighter than the other … I could feel it when passing the ramrod down the barrels with a cleaning patch. I then I took the calipers out ….

Average Measurement Left Barrel: .723"
Average Measurement Right Barrel .715"

Pedersoli_SxS_Muzzleloader_Slug_12ga.jpg



1.) First I tried some 00 Buck (9 pellets) … but the pattern at 20 meters was really not exciting … and not good enough for hunting whitetails …

2.) Then I tried a .690 round ball patched with a .020 cotton patch out of the right barrel … but I was not bale to hit a 9 inch circle at 30 meters … :-(

3.) Then I tried a .715 round ball with a .010 patch out of the left barrel … and again I was not able to hit a 9 circle at 30 meters … :-( ... Ok, the fixed fold up sight definitely did not help.

4.) And then I tried #1 Buckshot … 14 nickel plated pellets in a BP12 plastic wad (slit 1/4 down) … with 90 grains of Pyrodex …. and that load showed some promises.


BP12wad.jpg



BP12_Wad_lowres.jpg


The left wad was shot, and the right one is new with 14 pellets #1 Buck stacked in it.


And here the result ( 9 inch circle / pie plate ):

Pedersoli_Slug_30m_No1Buck_LeftBarrel_lowres.JPG



Pedersoli_Slug_30m_No1Buck_RightBarrel_lowres.JPG


Voila, my first steps in the muzzle loading land .... never shot a muzzle loader before.

Now my question is …. has anybody any experience of how to tighten up that group further?? Keep in mind that this is a muzzle loader without a choke …. Fixed cylinder bore !!!

Other input?

Right now I consider this a 25 meter gun for whitetail hunting. How can I make this a 30+ meter gun ... ?

Thanks,
Faustus
 
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I own two ten gauge shotguns that take cartridges of antique vintage both 2 7/8 chambers.
One is full and extra full choke and the other skeet 2 and Imp Mod. I don't use plastic wads however my patterns improved considerably at around 85 grains black powder.
I my experiences I found larger buckshot the most frustrating. However 4-6 birdshot superior with okay results number 4 buckshot.
Buck and ball was an eye opening pleasant surprise though.
I used a rough guide the US Army ordnance manual of 1842.
 
My Pedersoli double also measures closer to 13 ga, and a 12ga felt wad is near impossible to load.

My preferred wadding now is wasp nest , over the powder and over the ball or shot. If I run out of nest I use 13 ga stuff.

You will have far fewer miss fires , and faster ignition if you switch to real black powder, I shoot 60 to 70 grains of FFG Goex in mine.
 
Thanks petew ... yes I read about all the misfires with black powder substitutes and percussion sidelocks. Real black powder is just so hard to come by around here. I had to drive 3 hours just to get a couple of cans of FFG.

Because I want to hunt witht that gun in cold weather in December .... and I still have lots of Pyrodex here ... I settled for a duplex load. 10 grains of FFG as a sort of primer ... followed by 80 grains of Pyrodex RS as the main charge.

And with the magnum CCI caps I haven't had a misfire/hangfire yet ...

.... except when I forgot the powder charge when I loaded the gun .... lol ... that is when I knew it was time to call it a day .....
 
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