10ga Pedersoli

I have a 10ga Pedersoli choked mod/cyl. I enjoyed a good fall with it last year hunting pheasants. After many diff load combos i settled on 80gr ffg 777, op card, 1/2" lubed fiber wad, 1 1/4oz #6, os card, in both barrels ignited by musket caps. Throws really nice even "Bird Hunting" patterns out to 20yds with cyl bore, and 30yds with the mod bore. Well...its turkey time again, and although i like the patterns i achieved with it last fall they wont cut it for what i consider acceptable "Turkey Hunting" patterns I ordered some 10ga plastic wads from Ballistic Products, they are good for lead, steel, itx(Hevi), etc. I already cut em down to length for the 1 1/2oz or #6 lead, itll be a lil heavier loading with the #6 itx ill be trying but im thinking ill be safe considering me only using 80-90gr 777, where gun has max loading of 1 1/2oz x 109gr ffg bp. Ive heard that the range can be extended with plastic wads, as well as patterns tightened up considerably. Any of you gentleman have any experience with plastic wads in a bp shotgun? I have read that a op wad needs to be used between the powder/wad as the wad seal will burn up from the bp burn. I have several reloaders in the know, and they all doubt it extremely as smokeless powder burns hotter than bp or bp subs. How about slit depth/number on the wads, i realize that no cuts shoots a fist size shot pattern at close range, and maybe want a lil more than that, maybe 3-4 1/2-3/4" slits? Any help will be greatly appreciated.

I have a 10ga
pedersoli with screw chokes. I was never able to get good patterns with any plastic wads. I have a full choke for turkeys, and use 110 grains of 2F and the same measure of #6 copper plated shot. An over powder wad with a 1/2" cushion wad and over shot card gives great tight patterns out to 40 yards. I put an average of 6 shot into the brain or spine on a turkey target at that range. I've stopped using that gun for turkeys, and gone to a 69 cal flint musket because the 10 ga is just too effective and seems no more challenge than a 12 ga. 3" mag turkey gun.

Yeah, a ml shotgun with screw in chokes is as deadly as a modern scattergun. Thats odd that you didnt get good patterns with the wads though :hmm: Considering how thats what modern screw in choke guns use and get some crazy wicked patterns with them. Im just wanting a gun thatll roll a bird out to 30-35yds. The open choked gun i have, and with what ive found it seems like wads of some sort(paper, cloth, plastic) tighten patterns by a good bit. I know its a tad untraditional...but so is me using 777 :surrender:

I recall reading in the Black Powder Digest? Sam Fadala used plastic wads for some loads he tested,might have been the CVA shotgun. So I would think its ok. maybe 1/2 a cushion wad to protect the base.

I also tried them in the same gun and had a couple issues. Either I slugged or saw 0 improvement with or without wings. And it made a mess in the barrel. Had some long strings of plastic! I threw them out.

I did get a good 25yrd pattern out of the mod and she's killed a number of birds now. My cyl bore is a 20 under barrel.

I am running pyrodex, gonna have to switch to goex for one leg this spring.

105 gr os card 1/8 nitro 1 1/2 copper plated 5s with one os card on the mod barrel. You can try all os cards over powder. It didn't work as well as the 1/8 nitro os combo for me. Cyl bore is regular 1/8 nitro cushion wad os card shot and is card. I tried cutting cushin wads in half and thirds in both barrels again with no real improvements

I backed both barrels down to 70 grains in 5 gr increments and so far these two are the best I could come up with. Lower powder lead to some regulating issues I don't fully understand. 6 s threw a little better pattern but I prefer 5s. 4s didn't pattern for a hill of beans. I've seen a number of birds get up after getting knocked down with 6's out of modern guns.

I want to try more paper shot cups before this years trip. I also want to try adding the muffin mix to see how much it helps as a shot buffer. If nothing else it will smell great lol.

Lastly I did have to change the nipples to some redhots. The factory's were bad on misfires! When she finally did fire I was so surprised I missed. Every other time she's fired a bird came to dinner. Initially she shot fine during load testing, hunting was a different story. I had a ton of misfires on birds before we made the switch. I'd highly recommend at least buying a set now for backup since the switch she hasnt let me down wgen i did my part. theres a awesome merriam in ne still laughing over it ha! I traveled half way around the Midwest trying to find some after that day. That was before iPhones and phone Internet, hunting in a unfamiliar area with no idea other than find cabelas. Lesson learned!

My !0g Peder got nothing but overshot cards for wads, a few of them, slip past the chokes easy too.

I use to shoot pheasants just as well as the cat'ridge guy's!

Stuff more shot in it, 1&5/8oz n' 100grn BP.

If your adament about the plastic fantastic as suggested use a wad or something as a firewall, lubed too!

B.

The itx is a 13gci, and i have to use it with plastic wads to protect barrel. All that said, it will outperform lead(10gci) in both pattern and lethality even when its loaded down in velocity. Thats what i plan to hunt with, just going to use #6 lead for pattern testing :hatsoff:

I plan on running a copper bore brush down barrel and twisting it between shot with the wads to dig out the plastic fouling. Slower but who shoots 10 shots in a day turkey hunting? With upland i load traditionally.

Mine is an older Pedersoli 10ga with fixed choke in one barrel. I've used the ballistic prod plastic wads for Hevi shot. I'm able to get a nice pattern from my cylinder barrel but the modified barrel doesn't like plastic wads at all.

I use an OP wad between the powder and wad and slit the wads about 2/3 the way down.

I haven't found a decent turkey load that will pattern good enuf to shoot over 25 yds. :surrender:

Maybe makemsmoke will chime in on a turkey load.

I wonder bout just using the wads unslit through the barrel and let the wads control the pattern vs the choke :hmm: I plan on trying that to start with and then gradually work slits into the wads. Could be a (2) 1/2" slit that the gun likes, or maybe a party favor type (8) slit pattern like a 20ga smoothbore shooter buddy uses for turkeys, he kills em out to 30yds with it.

the only way to know is to go fire it. I spent a hole pound of pyrodex trying to find loads up here, along with a pile of it back your way before I settled for this load.

We're only giving you our recommendations based on our experiences. You're exactly right, shooting shotcups in the turkey woods is a low shot count game. To each there own here. I think some form of shotcup is how you're going to push past the 25/30 yard mark.

Where in MN are you at? I'll be there in apr but not for long, thunderchicken will be calling!

I'm shooting the dixie version also with cyl and mod barrels, no screw ins.

Hi MN.

I use plastic wads a lot,it does produce plastic build up, but his has not been an issue for me up to 15 rounds in a given barrel. At 25 rounds a barrel, cleaning inspection requires more care, but is not a serious problem. My understanding is that use of an overpowder card under the wad eliminates plastic build up.

I have also found that cleaning, swabbing, or brushing between shots creates a lot more problems that it solves. Target shooting with rifles is different, but if your ten gauge pattern goes a half inch off center on the sixth round, it won't matter. As you noted, "How many shots do you get Turkey hunting?"

I do not like using plastic in my smoothbore, large bores. I make cardboard or paper rolled up shot packages. Holds a lot of shot and definitely controls the spread tighter than just pouring the shot in.

And yes less powder keeps the pattern tighter.

I don't see why your modified barrel would not reach out to 30 - 35 yards with rolled paper tubes to contain your one and a half ounce of #6 shot.

I use the platic cups for non toxic...went to a single barrel fowler for turkeys..Did not care for the sight picture with the center bead.
Never persueded a turkey pattern in the 10 ga pedersoli.
The double 10 is a duck and goose gun for me.
Keep at it.... there's gotta be a workable load for it out there....dan

Grey Whiskers said:

Mine is an older Pedersoli 10ga with fixed choke in one barrel. I've used the ballistic prod plastic wads for Hevi shot. I'm able to get a nice pattern from my cylinder barrel but the modified barrel doesn't like plastic wads at all.

I use an OP wad between the powder and wad and slit the wads about 2/3 the way down.

I haven't found a decent turkey load that will pattern good enuf to shoot over 25 yds. :surrender:

Maybe makemsmoke will chime in on a turkey load.

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Why not just get a 410! Thats very poor performance and a classic example how plastic fantastic does not always work.

I used my Peder 10g on everything and even shot my highest pheasant ever.

If 25yds was it for say small bird shooting like snipe and woodcock I would not of used it but I did because it was more caperble than that, so a turkey should be a breeze at 25yds!

I just used OS cards for a wad!

B.

This subject has been talked before on this forum if you do a search you will pretty much get the same answers that your getting now. I have the same gun and I've tried everything but come to realize turkey hunting with my 10 gage is going to be an up close kind of deal. Backing down on a powder charge to get good pattern may not be a option either, you need a hard hitting load also. Good luck with your gun I hope you have lots of time to come up with a load that will work for you. As for me I am still working on it. I havn't come up with anything I trust out to 25 yards.

ssettle

how IS the turkeys in your area? We've been hunting west of you and down into MD and it's been awfully tough finding birds let alone birds that are willing to talk!!!

Not sure what your getting at. Lead shot can't be used here when hunting waterfowl. So, the plastic is needed to protect the bore from steel or other hard shot like hevi-shot. That's the only time I use plastic.

My 10ga is Ok for wingshooting pheasants and doves but it lacks the tight patterns for turkey hunting where the head/neck is targeted and distances can be longer. GW

Grey Whiskers said:

Not sure what your getting at. Lead shot can't be used here when hunting waterfowl. So, the plastic is needed to protect the bore from steel or other hard shot like hevi-shot. That's the only time I use plastic.

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Have you considered using either bismuth or Ecotungsten/NiceShot? They do not require bore protection, and many of us have had good results with them.

Regards,
Joel