Reloading supplies of black powder shotgun

how do you know how much powder and shot to put in the shotgun? What are the names of all the different wad you have to use and where can you buy them from?

 

[luieb45]

Shooting and loading black powder, muzzleloading shotguns is COMPLETELY different than modern breechloading, smokeless powder guns. There is no 1 load that will pattern good in your gun like you'd find for reloading your modern shotgun. To come up with a good load in a muzzleloading shotgun you need to start at a certain powder charge and experiment with different charges, different wads, and shot weights. As for "reloading" supplies Track of the Wolf has everything you'll need except shot. In muzzleloading shotguns the wads aren't at all the same as a modern plastic one, they are small cardboard or wool discs that you have to try different thicknesses and amounts of these cards and wads to get a good pattern. What gauge of shotgun are you using?

 

[Stumpkiller]

Circle Fly makes overpowder cards, fiber wads and overshot cards; available from them direct of through Track of the Wolf.

The sequence is powder, overpowder (0.125") card, fiber wad (0.5") shot and then over shot (0.030") card. How much powder and how much shot depends on the gauge of your shotgun. For a 12 bore I like 1-1/8 oz shot and 75 gr of FFg powder to start. Depending on pattern I'll up the powder a bit to 80 or 85 gr, you'll know when the pattern starts to get a doughnut shape or blown edges that you've used too much
http://www.circlefly.com/
http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/TableList.aspx?catID=2&subID=37&styleID=118

 

I'm using a 12 gauge I just needed to know where to start with a powder charge, the different types of wads, and the shot type and where to buy them of course. I have been looking at track of the wolf. They seem to have quite of bit of stuff, I just wanted to make sure I'm getting all the wads I need. One guy in a shotgun video put a wad over the powder then a cushion wad. This cushion wad was mushy. It peels off when he put it in the barrel and I know when he used his ram rod it flattened it all in the bottom. Then he put his shot and the carton over shot wad. I just don't know the exact right names for the wads so I could buy them.

 

nevermind last statement. Didn't read the rest of the thread. Thanks though for your help and advice!

 

thanks very much!

 

[Shine]

Just remember black powder is measured by volume.
Modern smokeless is measured by wieght.

 

[Richard McCullough]

it would be nice to know what make or who made your shotgun so none of our recommendations harm you or your gun.

My double Pedersoli I shoot 80 grains of 2F black powder, two 1/8" hard felt lube wads, 1 1/4oz of ITX shot or lead shot, and one 1/8" wool felt wad over the shot.

 

[Rifleman1776]

An excellent, but relatively unknown, source of wads is 'Mike's Quality Blackpowder Wads' from Flintlocks, Inc. in Ninevah, Indiana. They do not have a web site. I think they are foolish not having one, but that is their business. Contact them by e-mail:
[email protected]
or phone: 317-933-3441
Very nice folks who attend many large shooting events. They have sample packages of wads in non-standard sizes they provide very reasonably, or free if you just want to try. e.g. they gave me some 17 ga. wads for a gun I'm anticipaing having built.

 

Mortimer 12 gauge. I am thinking of getting later the double barrel 20 gauge by them so I will start with this information. When experimenting do you only change the wad and shot type? I know with shot shell reloading with modern shotguns you have to have a certain amount of powder and shot weight or it causes problems. Does any of this relate to black powder shotguns?

 

[paulvallandigham]

Go to Track of the Wolf's catlog on line, ( listed in our Links) and go to their ammunition components section. They show life-size pictures of the wads, and cards, and give information on their thickness, and diameters for each caliber or gauge.

As for starting loads, here is some information from Hodgdon's Data manual from many years ago:

12 gauge, using FFg powder:

2 3/4 drams(76 grains)with 1 1/8 oz of shot, will give 1062 fps MV.-light load.

3 drams( 82 grains) with 1 1/4 oz. of shot, will give 1035 fps. MV- medium load.

3 1/4 drams(89 grains) with 1 1/4 oz. of shot, will give 1050 fps. MV.

You should also look at Bob Spenser's Website, Bob's Black Powder Notebook,

http://home.insightbb.com/~bspen/ Which has a lot of information in a couple of articles on how to load shotguns and fowlers. Pay attention particularly to the advice given by V.M.Starr in his article on the second page. He covers a wide range of shotgun gauges, and gives good advice on which gauges to use, and why. Bob's own article covers loads for his 20 gauge fowler, and is absolutely Excellent advice.

You will find equally good advice under the Smoothbore topic here on the forums. Go through back posting for a year or more, and you will learn an amazing amount of information that will answer all your questions, and save you hours of work trying to come up with a "better load". Then, read a year or more of postings under the Traditional Hunting topic, to find out what members have been using to actually take various game species. You will find information- and often pictures-- of game taken from varmints, and rabbits, on up to bears, and moose.

 

[F_Thomas]

Take the time to really read the information on the "Black Powder Notebook". Particularly the section on Black Powder Shotgun Basics .

I have a 12 ga. and shoot 90 grains of 3f with an equal amount of shot by volume. I'm using a shot flask with an Irish Automatic Measure built in. Powder - Over Powder Card - Fiber Lubed Wad - Shot - Over Shot Card.

You will have to do some work to see what patterns best for you. You can increase or decrease charge and/or shot to customize your load to get the best pattern for your intended purposes.

It really takes a lot less time to load than one would think. You can get all the supplies you need from Track of the Wolf. Enjoy it. It is a new experience!

 

thanks so much for information. It will take me a little time to get around to reading it all and I will be back eventually with any other questions. I'm off to reading! Thanks!