• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

Irish Shot Charger question

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Joined
Dec 5, 2021
Messages
52
Reaction score
110
Location
Perth Ontario
I just built a shot bag and installed a Irish Shot Charger from Dixie,

I half filled the bag with #6 lead, tipped it down and pulled the cup. I was expecting a full charge but what I really got was about six pellets in the bottom.. in order to fill the measure I have to manually raise the gate to let the shot past it.

Is this how a Irish charger is supposed to be?

Thanks.
 
Yes, lift the gate and the measure will fill. Release the gate, you will have a full charger and shouldn't lose shot when you fill the barrel.
 
Hmm... On both my shot snakes with Irish chargers the long angle on the shot measure opens the gate so the measure is filled when it is inserted. The gate closes when the measure is pulled out.
I have only handled 2 of them, both were new, and the angle on the measure doesn't move the gate very much -I guess much like the OP's experience.
 
I have an original and a reproduction Irish shot charger, both of them are full when pulled out. Have you tried smaller shot?

Thinking larger shot is bridging or hanging up some how?
 
I have #6 in it and that’s the smallest I use.. I called Dixie and they offered to try to find a replacement that opens more if I return it.. I think I’ll go that route and if the replacement is the same I’ll look at modifying it..
 
Your Irish charger should fill with shot. The measure should lift thr gate e ought to low the shot to fill the measure. That's how it works with my flasks with the Irish charger.
 
Just an observation that differences between makers may affect what size shot gravity will fill the measure...
I recently picked up two more snakes with Irish-style heads, and compared them to the one I have been using (which was bought new this year from October Country). While they appear nearly identical, the older (likely 70s or 80s) heads open about a tenth of an inch more with the measure inserted. Difference can be seen looking at them side by side: new head on left, older on the right.
However, despite the higher lift of the gate, shot size #6 does not flow without some shaking, tapping or lifting the gate to fill the measure.
 

Attachments

  • PXL_20221104_211637692.jpg
    PXL_20221104_211637692.jpg
    2 MB · Views: 0
  • PXL_20221104_211654261.jpg
    PXL_20221104_211654261.jpg
    2.8 MB · Views: 0
Back
Top