Pedersoli queations

[mnbearbaiter]

Locked up some new Turkey hunting land and my mind shifted back to my Pedersoli. 10ga perc double with cyl/mod bores. I truly don't feel I've ever perfected it. I shoot ffg T7 in all my sidelocks due to ease of getting it so that's a constant variable. I've shot a lot of different combos with it but probably was overwadding it due to past recommendations from folks on here? I then tried felt wads. They did no better than the paper wads I've used. Wonder about cork? Last year it went afield shooting 75gr T7 pushing an op card, 1/4" lubed fiber wad, an os card, 1.5oz shot, and a 1/4" dry fiber wad to hold everything in place. It seemed to produce better patterns than just using an os card for some reason? She also shoots low to the point where I have to "snowman" front bead on top of rear bead and then hold on top of target yet again. Can I regulate this with a small fine rattail file? Any quirks or ins and out of Pederaolis anybody has would be great. I've shot it a ton and its fun to shoot. I pick the POI up 3" or so I'll really have something. I've also heard of guys using as much as 2oz of shot in these when max is 1 5/8oz and 109gr powder. I suppose more shot and less powder offsets the pressure and probably patterns well?

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Hopefully Spence chimes in here with his wisdom, as he has lots of experience. I thought from reading here that the volume of shot to powder should be about equal?

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Here's an article from Spence that might help on shotgun loads .

As per the article, you might want to check and see if what you're using to throw 1.5 ounces of shot..., when reduced by 1/3....how many grains of powder that measure now throws. I think maybe your 75 grains might be a tad "short".

LD

 

[BrownBear]

I used to use a measure that dropped 1 5/8 oz of shot and another for 1 1/2 oz (approx 110 grains of powder by volume) of shot for my powder when I was using 2f. That was "decent," but by experimenting with 1f powder I was able to switch to using the same 1 5/8 oz shot measure for both. Patterns even improved a little as I also eliminated the 2-measure shuffle for loading. There's fair unanimity among guys that a little less powder than shot usually produces better patterns.

You'll hear lots of disagreement between guys on what constitutes the "right" shot column, however. That's because each gun seems to be different in what wad combo works best for it.

In your moccasins I'd try more powder on the order of what I described to see if that helps with your current wad combo. If so, then go to experimenting with your wad combo to see if you can improve patterns even more.

 

[mnbearbaiter]

Well you must factor in that T7 is 15% hotter than BP. I did see an article on another forum that a guy shot a turkey with 2oz and 85gr of BP. I did the tuna can penetration test and my loading did penetrate it at 30yds which with the mod bore is my max on turkey.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Years ago I had the gun you do.
First off don't use a rattail file to shift the pattern.
To lift the pattern to need to file the portion that is below 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock, from zero to .030" removed at 6 o'clock. In effect you are shortening the barrel by a small amount at 6 o'clock as you look at the muzzle gun right way up.
Go try and not the difference.

You mentioned better pattern with extra over shot wadding. This does not surprise me as a single card stops readily and can disturb the shot.
I now use oil soaked wads on top of my shot, I know they will get out of the way of the shot due to their mass carrying them better than thin cards.
In fact, the thin cards go between the powder and shot now!

B.

 

[Brokennock]

Reread what Brit wrote, look up posts and threads from Spence, look up SkyChief's topics regarding his SkyChief Special load, this last will explain why I'll also say to ditch the 1/4 in lubed fiber wad between your powder and your shot (maybe try a lubed felt wad or wadded up lubed tow/shredded sisal or jute twine for some cushion) and stick with your heavily lubed fiber wad holding the whole thing in.

 

[mnbearbaiter]

So I would "file" the bottom 180deg of each barrel to lift patterns up and keep center? Do I file inside bore or the ends? Thanks for everything so far.

 

[dodger]

It's just a suggestion but before you start filing away at the chokes you might try raising the comb of the buttstock by using a leather pad .
Shotguns are pointed , not aimed and generally speaking , your eye is the rearsight .
Happy shooting ,

 

[azmntman]

You mentioned better pattern with extra over shot
In fact, the thin cards go between the powder and shot now!

B.

:metoo: Loaded backwards accidentally (with no mentor) and it works better in all my shot guns (er, both my shot guns). Powder, thin over shot card, shot +10%, half a thick wad. Works fer me.

 

[Britsmoothy]

So I would "file" the bottom 180deg of each barrel to lift patterns up and keep center? Do I file inside bore or the ends? Thanks for everything so far.

The ends yes not the bore.
With a flat file.

I have done it to two guns.
One Pedersoli that was useless without and a greener breach loader.
Not much is needed and when done dress and polish.

By all means you could shoot the gun with more barrel showing or head up more

 

[mnbearbaiter]

So if I'd want to raise POI I'd "file" away the bottom half of the barrels? In essence taking a lil off so that the bottom of the bores would be angling back or away from the top of the bores? Almost looking like this shape "/" from the side?

 

[Britsmoothy]

So if I'd want to raise POI I'd "file" away the bottom half of the barrels? In essence taking a lil off so that the bottom of the bores would be angling back or away from the top of the bores? Almost looking like this shape "/" from the side?

Yes :thumbsup:

Many an old English gun was regulated thus.

B.