I’ve been having a heck of a time getting my overshot cards down the barrel. Nitro card goes down fairly easily. Overshot wad begins to become difficult because of it being so air tight. By the time I put in my overshot card, it’s so air tight that I can barely get it down! I’ll plunge it down as far as I can, then it plunged the ramrod out just as quickly. If I do manage to get it down significantly; when the air escapes it makes a huge bang like a massive pop gun. Scared the heck out of me because the first thought that runs through my mind is that there was an ember still in the barrel that has ignited my charge! It’s not like they are so tight either. Just a good fit, and made for this gauge. I don’t get it. It’s made me not want to use shot in my fowler. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, and happy thanksgiving!
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Hard to load overshot cards!
- Thread starter Nobody85
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cut a small notch in edge of cards and wad to let air escape.
Thanks. I wonder if my ramrod tip is too wide? All I could find was a 12 gauge tip and mines a 16. I’m going to sand it down to fit, but I’ve been using a cleaning jag to ram the wads down until I do it. It fits, and it’s flat. Might be too big though?
Just cut a small slice through the edge of the card. Like you’d start to slice a piece of pie but only a quarter of the way.
hanshi
Cannon
I just used an awl to punch a hole in them; worked fine too.
Ditto hanshi. I use a thick needle.
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I feel like the air tightness keeps my over shot card in place better when I shoot the first barrel. I push it down probably about a quarter of the length of the barrel and then jerk back an inch or so. The card flips in the barrel a little bit, relieving the air pressure. I do this about 3 or four times until the card is seated on top of the shot.
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I just bite down on them edgewise to let the air out. If your jag goes down the barrel it is not 2 tight.
I can guarantee you today I’m not cutting just a quarter of the piece!
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I do not use cards anymore ,my Pedersoli has choke tubes so I now use Dura felt wads /try it you will like it and you can lube them too! On conicals they stop gas cutting and stop your problem too!!! /Ed
smoothshooter
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Notching the edge of the wad works, or drilling/punching a very small hole in them will solve your problem.
No wad is a perfect gas seal anyway, so worry about a tiny increase in gas blowby, if there is any.
Brokennock
Cannon
As you can see, a lot of folks cut their overshot cards or poke holes in them. I used to do the same.
This works, but, if you are using some of those same cards between powder and projectile/s it could cause gas leak issues, so one would need to carry cut cards and uncut cards, or cut them every time one loads,,,,, what a pain in the neck.
Since I started building the entire load at the muzzle and pushing everything down together, I don't get the issue of trapped air anymore and don't have to cut cards or punch holes in them.
This works, but, if you are using some of those same cards between powder and projectile/s it could cause gas leak issues, so one would need to carry cut cards and uncut cards, or cut them every time one loads,,,,, what a pain in the neck.
Since I started building the entire load at the muzzle and pushing everything down together, I don't get the issue of trapped air anymore and don't have to cut cards or punch holes in them.
I've just bent them up a bit and but a small tear in the edge before I pushed them down. It helped a lot.
This…
It seems when it comes to loading a muzzleloading shotgun, it really is a time to “cut corners” LOL!!!
This is what I've been doing for 7 or 8 years now. Pour in the powder then push the over powder wad a few inches down the barrel, pour shot in, put the over shot card in and push the whole works down to the powder. Works like a charm.
Also, if you are shooting a capper, be sure your lock is on half cock so the hammer isn't blocking air flow out the nipple.
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Great idea, I’ll have to try.
I think you misread that. A quarter distance of the radius, not a quarter of the card.
Sorry if that was confusing.
Sorry, bad joke. I was referencing Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.
As its been said slice a little notch in them. That does the trick! I will even stack six or so at a time and slice them to speed it up. It doesnt take a big slice to do the trick. Good luck
