Anyone hunt with muzzleloading shotguns?

[Malachi Leviticus Blue]

I had not considered that. Would be interesting to find out but I'm not sure where I'd find someone with a bore gauge.

Loyalist Dave is spot on, most folks just measure the end of the barrel and think they have the answer.
The more important point is how it patterns with your load. You can open up, or tighten the pattern by adjusting your powder to shot ratio so decide what pattern you want and tune it in.

 

[BullRunBear]

Haven't hunted in a while but I used an old CVA 12 gauge SxS, cylinder bore. Had no problem taking pheasant and chuckar out to thirty yards. It works fine for trap shooting as well. I'm a fair to middlin' wing shot but not more than that, so the gun did the job. Hope you can find one that suits you. They are a lot of fun.

I replaced the original 50 caliber barrel on a T/C Renegade with a drop-in Green Mountain barrel and had the original bored out to a 62 caliber smoothie. Haven't tried it with shot but it is darn accurate out to 60 yards with a patched round ball. For the cost of the boring, I ended up with a 20ga. single shot. That was a lot cheaper than buying a new ML shotgun.

Jeff

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

It works

 

[ShotgunDave]

Now that is a gorgeous picture!!!

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Now that is a gorgeous picture!!!

Thanks
It's my back yard

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

So Pedersoli probably made them Mod/Full and you got an even better deal on a no longer available combination. Yet right now the catalog from Pedersoli doesn't list that configuration, but does list Cyl/Mod for 12 gauge SxS. So if the bores were made .715.... and one of the barrels at the muzzle measures .685... then you have a Cyl/Mod barrel gun, that's a teeny bit smaller than a .729 12-bore. Not a big deal, just good to know, and when you get wads for loading they will be nice and snug.

Just something to double check.

You've spurred my curiosity.
The muzzles are .692 and .708, as best I can measure with my caliper. One of my friends is a retired engineer and gun nut, he may have a bore gauge.
After hunting today I shot a piece of cardboard from 30 yards and was surprised at how tight the pattern was. I'll do some serious pattern testing after Thanksgiving.
Thanks TheDr for nudging me into buying. Hope you find a good deal soon.

 

[ShotgunDave]

Thanks
It's my back yard

You're a lucky man.

 

[SHIPCHIEF]

I know you said you are cash limited, but I gotta remind you, the original purchase price only hurts once.
The best Firepole you can get feels good FOREVER.
I have a 10 gauge Pedersoli. It is so nice. I have a T/C New Englander w/ interchangable .54 rifle and a 12 Gauge barrels. Much less expensive, and also Very Nice. I got that one used-like new from G**Broker, these are often a bargain.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

You've spurred my curiosity.
The muzzles are .692 and .708, as best I can measure with my caliper. One of my friends is a retired engineer and gun nut, he may have a bore gauge.
After hunting today I shot a piece of cardboard from 30 yards and was surprised at how tight the pattern was. I'll do some serious pattern testing after Thanksgiving.
Thanks TheDr for nudging me into buying. Hope you find a good deal soon.

Well if you're doing patterning already, then don't sweat it, as now it's sorta academic. You more than likely have the 12 gauge version made for waterfowling. So you've got a duck gun and a squirrel gun. You can fool around with steel shot, but it needs a special buffering plastic as plain, plastic wads won't really protect the barrels on a ML shotgun, OR you can simply use bismuth (which is what I suggest) if you go for waterfowl. It's ON SALE right now https://www.rotometals.com/bismuth-shot-alloy-for-reloading-shells-1-bag-sample-made-in-usa/ and a pound will give you about ten 1½ ounce shots.

LD

 

[noelf2]

Well if you're doing patterning already, then don't sweat it, as now it's sorta academic. You more than likely have the 12 gauge version made for waterfowling. So you've got a duck gun and a squirrel gun. You can fool around with steel shot, but it needs a special buffering plastic as plain, plastic wads won't really protect the barrels on a ML shotgun, OR you can simply use bismuth (which is what I suggest) if you go for waterfowl. It's ON SALE right now https://www.rotometals.com/bismuth-shot-alloy-for-reloading-shells-1-bag-sample-made-in-usa/ and a pound will give you about ten 1½ ounce shots.

LD

Some Pedersoli doubles have chrome lined bores, which are ok for steel shot. My 10 gauge has chrome.

 

[paul harm]

IF your barrels are standard bores - .729 - you have Mod. and Full. A bore gauge is the only way to go to see what it's choked at. Because patterns can change with different loads the pattern board is the only way to see what it's truly doing. You can check to see if it's has chrome bores - take a magic marker and mark the bore at the muzzle. If it wipes off easily it has chrome bores. Good luck.

 

[Old No7]

I just read this quote the other day regarding the loading of BP shotguns...

For the best performance, remember this old rhyme:

...... “Less powder, more lead -- shoots far, kills dead.

...... More powder, less lead -- kicks hard, wide spread.”

Old No7

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

You can check to see if it's has chrome bores - take a magic marker and mark the bore at the muzzle. If it wipes off easily it has chrome bores.

It wipes off easy.
I'll use Bismuth or some other politically correct shot rather than steel for waterfowl anyway.

 

[paul harm]

#7, I was reading about shooting at the live pigeon rings of years past. Before chokes were invented, they would use less powder so the gun would pattern tighter on the second shot. Also less shot. The shorter the shot column, the less the shot on the bottom would get deformed. More round BBs meant more in the pattern.

 

[swathdiver]

Download and read "On The Wing" by Bumstead. You can also buy a reproduction book on ebay.