I think im ready?

Finally made it out to the range with the Pedersoli 10ga dbl this am after the crappy MN weather kept me indoors for a week longer than I wanted. Tried various loading including the Skychief. Ended up getting very solid patterns with 65gr ffg T7, 2 op cards, cork wad topped with another op card, 2oz #5 shot, and another op card I put a hole in slightly off center to pass air on top. At 20yds the cylinder bore brrl shot better than I ever have seen out of this gun. The choked brrl also shot great at 30yds so I think I'm ready for turkeys? Only thing I didn't do was try upping the powder charge as I only had an hour or so? Do you folks think I'm getting enough velocity to off a bird out to to ~30yds with this load? I figured the #5 shot being a bit heavier than #6 a slower velocity should still allow for ample penetration. Oddly the gun seemed to like #5 shot over #6 anyway??? Any insight would be great.

With a 2oz load in your 10ga I would definitely suggest trying more than 65gr. You might find 75-85gr or more performs better. But there will be an upper limit where you patterns start to blow out. Or maybe your shoulder will set the limit, mine does.

With 2 ozs of shot much more powder will start too sting a bit…

Especially if the gun is light in weight, I’m not familiar with the weight of the Pedersoli..

65 grn of T7 if I recall should be equivalent too probably 80-85 of ffg black powder.

There's a 15% equivalent equation to BP with T7. So my 65gr of T7 should in essence be performing like 75gr of real black powder.

Next trip I'll try moving up in 5gr increments until pattern starts to suffer. Recoil isn't bad at all so far

Rather than upping the powder, why not try less shot? 2oz is a lot of shot.
Maybe try 70 grains powder and 1.5oz shot?

Sounds like the classic scenario with a muzzloader.
To much wadding ruins patterns so reduce the charge to improve pattern by reducing ultimately velocity.
Do you have any thin over shot cards and if so did you try four for the wad and one on top of the shot!
Do you have any 3f?

In my Pedersoli I use 2oz and 90gn of fine grade powder, a mix of 3f and 4f.

Was able to sneak back out to gun range this am. Ended up getting to 80gr of T7 and kept a good pattern. Chrono surprisingly worked in the cloudy weather and gave me a velocity of 1210fps the one shot I threw through it. I feel much better now. Lost a lil on the cylinder bore brrl, but the choked brrl held up great pattern wise

smo said:

With 2 ozs of shot much more powder will start too sting a bit…

Especially if the gun is light in weight, I’m not familiar with the weight of the Pedersoli..

65 grn of T7 if I recall should be equivalent too probably 80-85 of ffg black powder.

Click to expand...

That would be around a 3 dram load. 1 dram is 27.3 grains. Anyone know what the original dram loads were for the 10 gauge?

I'm 2oz #5, my wadding as explained, and now 80gr

Tom will be in trouble this spring!!

I predict a dead turkey!

Or turkeys!!!