Hi Guys and Gals,
I wanted to share my most recent patterning tests.
I am shooting a 12 ga, double barrel, flintlock that I built last summer. The barrels are oldish (I am a guessing early 1900's) and they are choked modified and full. When I worked on (machining and engraving) them they felt like they are made of a fairly soft alloy.
I use the gun to hunt wood ducks out of a kayak. I hunt small creeks so most of the shots are close - 20 to 30 yards max.
I am shooting original ITX #4 shot. Since I am using the ITX, I wanted to try using some shot cups to see what would happen to my patterns.
My pellet counts are the number of pellets hitting in a 14 inch diameter circle drawn on a 18 X 24 inch square piece of paper with a dark center point marked. I am using the circle to see how many pellets would actually hit a wood duck if it was perfectly centered in the pattern.
Here are my results from today. I shot 4 shots per barrel and averaged the pellet counts in the circle. All shots were taken from 25 yards.
1st load tested was:
100 grains of FF
2 thin overshot cards above the powder
1 slit plastic cup
110 grains (volume) of #4 shot
2 thin overshot cards.
This load gave an average of 26 hits with the modified barrel and 37 hits with the full barrel in the 14 inch circle.
2nd load tested was the same as above but with a lubed 1/2 inch wad BELOW the shot cup.
This averaged 15 hits with the modified and 18 hits with the full barrel. This pattern was VERY uneven with lots of holes and clumps of shot.
3rd load tested was same as above but with a lubed 1/2 inch lubed wad ABOVE the shot cup.
This averaged 11 hits with the modified and 10 hits with the full barrel in the circle. This pattern was VERY uneven with lots of holes and clumps of shot.
Here are my thoughts - The 1/2 inch wad/plastic cup combo really changes the dynamic of what the 1/2 inch wad does to the pattern. Whether it is above or below the cup, it really blew the pattern open.
When I tested the wad OVER the shot cup, the cups hit the target hard and one even went through the 3/4 inch foam board that the paper is stapled to. I believe that the wad is sliding back into the cup, maybe even trapping some shot in the bottom of the cup.
I also tested for penetration from 28 yards and used a regular tin can screwed to a tree. The pellets easily penetrated both side of the can and obviously went through with plenty of power. The holes were significantly over sized with metal peeled all the way back against the can on the backs of the holes.
In my previous patterning using the skychief approach, (done without shot cups) this gun shoots very well with slightly larger patterns and slightly lower pellet counts, but still plenty of hits in the circle. I recall getting around 18 to 20 hits with the modified barrel and in the mid 20's with the full. Still plenty of hits if I do my part.
So in my experience with this particular set of barrels - if you decide to try shot cups, then consider getting rid of the 1/2 inch wads altogether.
Hope this helps!