Shot my fusil for first time

[Crow#21957]

25 yards with full jug choke
Hope you can see my pattern
Maybe 2 to 3 in. Low and couple in. Right.
Looks like at least a 30 maybe 35 yard squirrel pattern. I will be going back to try different loads soon as the doc unwrap my
Finger where I had surgery.
Also shot 32 cal smr pic below
The very top hole was with fusil round ball forget it. The 4 shots below it 25 yards 2 1/4 ctc. I need to get back out and try diff loads cause to me this is bad terrible. Have to use peep sight due to my old eyes. This was 315 rb tight patch 28 gr 3f.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Who did your jug? What gauge? what load?

Rifle: off hand or a rest?

 

[Crow#21957]

The fusil done ok with rb but should do better with some testing loads 3 3/4ctc and 3 1/2 low 25 yards

 

[Crow#21957]

Comfortably_numb
Caywood done choke (full)
Elbows on bench for most of shots
20 ga 1.5 oz #6 I know to much shot but that's me. I will try diff loads
60 gr 3f. I need to get some 2f to try.
I believe just taking a good rest should help my rifle groups a bunch.
4 in low with rifle but in knew that would happen since front sight is tall.
Any help suggestions I'm all for constructive criticism. Any guidance appreciated. Fusil went off like clockwork using 3f primer.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Comfortably_numb
Caywood done choke (full)
Elbows on bench for most of shots
20 ga 1.5 oz #6 I know to much shot but that's me. I will try diff loads
60 gr 3f. I need to get some 2f to try.

That isn't too much shot if you up your powder charge to the same volume. The last 20 bore I had jug choked I had loaded with 1 3/8oz #4 and an equal volume of 3fff. It shot ALL of the pattern in an 18" circle at 25 yards. That was one tight shooting gun!. I was using a standard load column. Powder, 1/8" hard card, wonder lubed fiber wad, overshot card, shot then another overshot card. I found that larger shot always shoots better patterns. It's also wise with a gun like this to use a rear sight as kills out to 50 yards are normal.
The owner shot turkeys in 8 states that year. I built him 4 or 5 turkey guns over the years, The biggest was a 10 bore with a 50" barrel, full jug. I patterned that one with 2 1/2oz of shot. That gun killed from both ends! He routinely killed turkeys with that gun at 50 yards. He said it would decapitate birds shot under 30 yards. A regular turkey guillotine!

 

[Crow#21957]

Wow that's reassuring. I will try that load. I just made a screen shot so I can reread it anytime. If I can get s 40 to 50 yard pattern like that I will be happy as lark.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Don't let people talk you out of a cushion wad
It's very important for good patterns
It not only carries lube it reduces shot deformation. My avid turkey hunting customer always used plated shot too. It all adds up in the end.
Don't soak the cushion sloppy wet for this type of shotgunning, you could even use it dry. I always used a dab of wonder lube smeared inside the muzzle before ramming the cushion.
If your tired of hearing me ramble on about this just tell me to shut up.

 

[Crow#21957]

Not tired at all. You can give me all the pointers you want. I appreciate it. If only I shot like I use to. Even archery competition at 20 yards I could hit a #2 pencil eraser 95% of the time. My old eyes are kicking my muzzeloading butt.LOL

 

[Crow#21957]

Am I expecting to much for ragged hole or at least 1 in. Groups at 25 yards and say 2 in. At 30 to 35 yards? Oh I measured out the load you mentioned and 1 3/8 oz shot if I set my measure to hold that amount of shot and use same setting for the powder I believe is whats Called a square load that makes the powder charge 90 some grains.
CORRECT? I shot 70 plus in my 50 cal gpr so 90 to 100 should be safe in my fusil if I'm correct and reading your post on that 20 ga. Load right.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Am I expecting to much for ragged hole or at least 1 in. Groups at 25 yards and say 2 in. At 30 to 35 yards? Oh I measured out the load you mentioned and 1 3/8 oz shot if I set my measure to hold that amount of shot and use same setting for the powder I believe is whats Called a square load that makes the powder charge 90 some grains.
CORRECT? I shot 70 plus in my 50 cal gpr so 90 to 100 should be safe in my fusil if I'm correct and reading your post on that 20 ga. Load right.

Sounds about right to me. Hang on to it!

 

[Crow#21957]

For sure. I just made a quick count not exact and 18 in. Circle at 25 yards I hot right at 260 pellets in the circle. Not to bad. I had a 3 1/2 nonmentionable jump up outa my hands and headed south. I caught it with both hands at the forearm. That's after it jarred the daylights out me. Never care for 3 1/2 anymore. I can handle some recoil but that thing with xtra full turkey tube kicked like a mule.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I'm not fond of a lot of recoil myself.

 

[CyrusP]

I’ve shot friends .50 BMG and elephant gun unmentionables that were far more pleasant than 3.5” turkey loads in single shot unmentionables. I’ll never shoot one of those again.

 

[Crow#21957]

That's funny CyrusP cause that is how I feel about them.lol

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Try magnum shot. It’s harder and won’t deform as much.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Try magnum shot. It’s harder and won’t deform as much.

Except for plated shot which deforms even less than magnum. When your pattern really counts you want plated shot.

 

[Crow#21957]

I just looked and I've got a 25 lb bag of #6 magnum shot from Wasco granite city

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

I just looked and I've got a 25 lb bag of #6 magnum shot from Wasco granite city

Nice! Send a couple pounds my way lol

 

[Flinter 2]

I've been shooting my CenterMark Fusils (2) almost exclusively for the last 25 years with great results, from a rest I can shoot dead on for an aiming point and fire one shot after another into the same ragged hole using a .600 round ball patched with standard cotton cleaning patches lubed with yellow bore butter at 25 yds.
For shot loads for hunting small game I use 1-1/8 oz. #5 shot and get great patterns out to 45 yds.
My load is the same for both, I use 80 gr. of 3-F , one over powder card wad, one lubed fiber cushion wad, either patched ball or shot, one over shot card wad if using shot, no over shot wad if loading a patched round ball.
I've used the same loads for the last 25 years for hunting, line shoots, and trail walks and it's never failed me, HOWEVER, my barrels aren't choked, so I have no idea how it would work for yours.