Navy arms 12 ga sxs

I have sxs made by Piette. Sold by Navy Arms, I am pretty sure it is a smooth bore. Any information you have would be appreciated. I found it in a “normal” gun store on consignment for $350, offered $300 and owner accepted.

pattern is fine out to about 25 yards, beyond that it spreads to the size of a small car . Really enjoy shooting it.

I have one also. Very lite and handy. I use 80gr ffg Goex, over powder card, 1/2 of a prelubed fiber wad, 80gr charge of shot, and an over shot card. I used a load of #3 bismuth on a turkey at 30-35 yds. 13 pellets in the head and neck. I like it!

Great price. It may be cylinder bore in both barrels (that is how my Son's is) that will give bigger groups at distance. Just gotta get em close in! He won our last match with his against our club champion. Came down to a shoot out.

Tannehill said:

I have sxs made by Piette. Sold by Navy Arms, I am pretty sure it is a smooth bore. Any information you have would be appreciated. I found it in a “normal” gun store on consignment for $350, offered $300 and owner accepted.

pattern is fine out to about 25 yards, beyond that it spreads to the size of a small car . Really enjoy shooting it.

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That's a good price! They are considered to be nice handling light guns. I've heard that the bridle (part of the lock) was made of soft metal. Probably about the easiest lock part to fabricate, and there was a post on here saying that a Pedrsoli bridal works as a replacement. Enjoy!

Personally, I find that limiting shots to 25ish yards makes everything work easily. Using Fg powder tightens patterns a good bit. There is also a Sky Chief Load thread at the top of this section that seems to work really well for people.

I purchased my Navy Arms by Piette 12 gauge in 1986 for $349.xx. I love it. It is cylinder bore in both barrels. Shoots good with a square load of 2F and 1-1/8 oz of 7-1/2 shot.

You guys do know that those shotguns are good out to 40 yards if you take the time to load them right? They are a lot more than just 25 yard guns. Load them right and you have a good 40 yard shotgun.
Rob.

You know it! All about getting the right loads figured out.

I like to use a paper shot cartridge to improve patterns. I make mine out of newspaper. I roll three thickness around a dowel rod, tie shut with kite string, pore in shot, twist and fold over tie shut again. I load powder , two leather wads and shot cartridge tied end out. The paper cartridge does not need an over shot card as the folded paper makes one. I find that two thickness will not hold up to handling, and more than three will not open easily, giving you a really tite pattern.

I use this in all of my Pedersoli SXS 20's. It is so simple to use and make.
One, 1/8" leather OP wad made using a 16 mm wad lunch.
One, 1/4" wool felt wad soaked in olive oil and beeswax. I use a 50/50 mix.
Shot payload between 7/8 oz and 1 1/8 oz.
One 1/4" wool felt soaked in the 50/50 beeswax mixture to seal off barrels.
In lieu of the 1/4 inch felt wads I will use the 1/2 inch fiber wads also soaked in the olive oil and beeswax mixture.
The leather is bought from hobby shops. Just cheap scrap leather. Horse and Tack shops also have it. It is pretty easy to find.
Felt is bought from Duro Felt online.
The 16mm wad lunch was bought online.
Seriously, if you take the time to load right you easily have a 40 yard shotgun. I do take doves out to 50 yards but they are easy to bring to bag.
You get what you put into them is all I am trying get across. Too many settle for mediocre results when these smoothbores are capable of so much more. Our ancestors did not settle for mediocre results and neither should we.
Rob.