New Pedersoli SxS 12 Gauge

[Mdrudy01]

I've been looking at purchasing a smooth bore muzzle loader for quite some time. I finally pulled the trigger and have had a blast so far!

I purchased it on sale from Cabelas. It has a fixed choke modified and full barrels. I have shot it at the range two different times and it's shot really well. I primarily intend to turkey hunt with it but maybe some dove and duck hunting as well.

Do i have to use shot cups with nickel plated 6 shot? I have read many many posts and most of the popular articles but have come across a lot of differing information on whether a shot cup is needed or not.

This seems like a great forum and i look forward to the sport.

 

[Britsmoothy]

No :hatsoff:

B.

 

[pmwest]

Welcome to the Forum and the wonderful world of muzzleloading shotguns. I don’t think a plastic shot cup would be required for nickel plated and would be a pain to load one through the full choke. When I have used nickel, I used a shot cup but that is mostly personal preference and results at the pattern board. A little tighter patterns but would not call it significant enough for the expense of the cups unless you are really trying to stretch range. If that is what you want, then I would think a larger size shot would also be in order. I have used nickel to kill turkey in the past but prefer #5 lead.

 

[Golfswithwolves]

Nickle plated lead shot is not really harder than plain lead shot. It does not need a shot cup to protect the shotgun bore.

 

[Mdrudy01]

Thanks a lot guys. I may try the shot cups anyway to see if it holds the pattern together a little further. So far its shooting pretty well...much better than i had expected. But i still have a lot of averaging, switching up loads and shooting to do.

Any tips on the shot cups? Split ones or unsplit or try both and see?

 

[Renegade Dan]

hotoSmile: :wink:

 

[F.G. Ford]

Different guns perform differently.
Un-split shot cups will generally give you a tighter pattern than spit cups.
Most all cups will out perform the old wad+shot+card method. The old wad method would have the wad blowing your pattern all over the place, where as shot cups assisted in keeping your shot together longer.
Best suggestion is to go out with 10 lbs. of shot and powder and give it a try.
Today, many modern guns with cylinder bores with un-split cups will out perform old guns with full choke. Go figure???
Have a great day!
Fred :idunno:

 

[azmntman]

.....and take a few sandwiches if you plan to shoot near most of the 10 lbs of shot! :rotf:

 

[F.G. Ford]

That is only 128 shots! You can easily do that in a couple of hours :shocked2:
Fred :wink:

 

[azmntman]

Not me! when playing around for the right load I could make 10lbs last weeks! And besides, samwhiches are good! Specially with grimy black streaks on em. :haha:

 

[Mdrudy01]

I tried the split wads yesterday and they performed pretty well but i haven't counted all my pellet strikes yet. I think i may try some unsplit ones too. My understanding is that the unsplit ones still need at least 2 slits for 3/4 the length of the shotcup. Anybody have any experience with slitting unslit shotcups?

Thanks for all the information...it helps a lot.

 

[THBailey]

Which shot cups are you using?

 

[F.G. Ford]

Sometimes, but rarely un-split wads, may shoot a slug, or very infrequently hardly open up to any degree, however if this is a concern, two or so minor slits will open the cup enough to fall behind the shot.
You do want the shot cup to fall behind, letting the shot disperse in a string, and moderately opened pattern.
If you are shooting turkey, ideally you would have a 12" pattern at thirty yards ( good luck on that one! ) Because you would like all the shot focused on the head.
And on smaller birds you would not want a full blast of all pellets hitting,and slamming into the body.

 

[larry wv]

You can experiment by taping the slit to different lengths. I used to do that years ago suppose things are the same in regard to doing that. Larry

 

[Mdrudy01]

Turkey Ranger shot cups by Ballistic Products. I have only tried the slitted ones but may order some unslit ones and make my own slits.

 

[Mdrudy01]

Larry, What kind of tape? I thought of taping them but not sure that the tape would last past the chokes...the shotcups im using (turkey ranger) are pretty hard to get past the full choke. The mod choke isnt quite as bad.

 

[THBailey]

Holysmokes, those wads can be used for loads up to 2 0z of shot. How are you loading them?

 

[Mdrudy01]

90 grains of 2F Goex, Nitro Card, (2) 1/8" wonder lube felt wads, Turkey Ranger shot cup (cut down to accommodate lesser shot load) 1 and 1/4 oz of nickel plated 6 shot and an over the shot card.

 

[aeatwood]

Also try some 1F Goex if you can find any locally.

 

[Mdrudy01]

I got some of the unslitted shot cups in and am going to try to pattern them this weekend.

Does anybody know if i should be cutting the shotcups down to size to fit my shot load? Or should i use something, like oatmeal, to fill up the cup to where an over the shot card will hold all the load down?