Skychief Load field test

[coloradoclyde]

Well! Today I did some testing...

I used BB sized steel shot@ 25 yards
A normal load is circle fly op card/ lubed fiber cushion wad/shot/OS card.

Top left...Modern 12 gauge Modified choke with sky chief load..
Top right normal load. fired from modern 12 gauge.

Bottom left CVA trapper cylinder bore sky chief load...Square load 70 grns 2ff goex circle fly OP wad/ shot of equal volume/ lubed fiber wad.

Bottom right normal square load ...OP wad/ fiber cushion wad/shot/OS card.

I'd say the results were inconclusive....but if I had to make a decision based on my testing, I would say a standard load performs better...
Obviously, my testing wasn't the same as Skychief's and I can't help but wonder if some other factors aren't coming into play.... :hmm:

 

[George]

Skychief shot those witnesses, not I. I was so busy trying to be cute I neglected to mention that. My bad.

Spence

 

[Skychief]

There are different kinds of profit, and Skychief is reaping a variety which is certain to please him.

Your Honor, three more witnesses for the prosecution, if you please. May it be entered into the record that they were taken today with a percussion 12 gauge loaded with the magical Skychief Special, and are here to testify as to its effectiveness.



Spence

Thank you Spence for posting this picture. It's not often that I laugh out loud when reading accompanying text, but, you made me. :rotf:

Thanks for that too!

These were taken today as Spence notes, with my 12 gauge. Thinking of BrownBears posts here, I used pretty light loads for a twelve.

50 grains 2f and an ounce of 5's brought them to bag. Handily. I knew they'd be on the ground and waited for each to get pretty close. The farthest was about 25 yards, the others about 15. Remarkably, they each fell as quickly as if shot with a much larger payload. Even the one "out there always". Always like to see an instantaneous end.

The Skychief Special was used again (are ya listening Federal, Remington, Winchester? :blah: ).

I see that Clyde tried the load through a choked barrel. Others have found the load to make little if any difference in patterns through such barrels. Possibly thinner. I can't comment as I have no choked smoothbores.

Thanks much again partner. :hatsoff:

Best regards, Skychief

I see that Clyde did indeed try the load from a cylinder bore as well. Clyde, can you tell us what you used for lube and if the wads were saturated? I wonder if the large BB sized shot, or their steel composition could be factors of different results. :idunno:

 

[Skychief]

Question:
Are the cushion wads we are talking about the thick felt wads that are soft, or the Circle Fly - type wads that are made out of insulation board?

Could be an important difference.

They are the circle fly type smoothshooter. Not the felt ones.

Best regards, Skychief

 

[coloradoclyde]

One thing is for certain......
The versatility of a smoothbore is undeniable.... :grin:

 

[coloradoclyde]

I see that Clyde did indeed try the load from a cylinder bore as well. Clyde, can you tell us what you used for lube and if the wads were saturated?

They were Circlefly waxed fiber wads,I think...The label is gone, they are 1/2 " thick and quite hard. and I hand lubed them with a mixture of beeswax and olive oil right before loading.

 

[Skychief]

I see that Clyde did indeed try the load from a cylinder bore as well. Clyde, can you tell us what you used for lube and if the wads were saturated?

They were Circlefly waxed fiber wads, and I hand lubed them with a mixture of beeswax and olive oil right before loading.
I can get you a product number if you want one...

No need Clyde. I use unwaxed wads. I wonder if they saturate with more lube than the waxed ones, making them heavier.

I can say those that I am using really suck up a load of lube (olive oil in the case of the wads used for this afternoon's hunt).

Best regards, Skychief

 

[coloradoclyde]

Are you dipping them in melted lube?.....Do you want me to weigh one?

 

[Skychief]

I carry my wads in an old metal container. Today I switched out the few twenty gauge wads in the container for twelve gauge wads. Once the dry and unwaxed wads were in, I poured olive oil all over them and swished the around. I did this three times over several minutes as I gathered other gear. Once they refused to soak up anymore, I took them out and wiped the container free of excess oil (to keep my other bag items from getting oily) and replaced the wads inside. I do not blot or wipe any excess oil from the wads themselves, just leave them completely saturated and go huntin!

When I load them, I can count on oil oozing out of them all over my muzzle....just to give you an idea of how wet that they are.

Also, I have warmed lard and beeswax in a pan and thrown wads into the mixture for several minutes. Letting them stew for as long as I think that they will absorb no more.

No magic to it. Just getting those dry, non waxy, cushion wads as oiled or greased up as possible.

Best regards, Skychief

 

[Skychief]

Forgot to mention that I've never weighed any, but will, if you'd like.

 

[George]

Forgot to mention that I've never weighed any, but will, if you'd like.

I have. My usual .5" Circle Fly fiber wads are lubricated liberally with melted lard-beeswax, and they weigh 28-30 grains.

Spence

 

[Skychief]

Forgot to mention that I've never weighed any, but will, if you'd like.

I have. My usual .5" Circle Fly fiber wads are lubricated liberally with melted lard-beeswax, and they weigh 28-30 grains.

Spence

All right partner. I've got to go get some weighed now. Stand by....

 

[Skychief]

My 12 gauge wads weigh 46 grains and the 20 gauge wads weigh 38 grains.

These were all lubed with olive oil.

I was shocked at the consistency. Of eight, 20 gauge wads, seven were 38.0 grains. Four, 12 gauge wads were no more than a grain from 46 grains.

Best regards, Skychief

PS to add, I don't know if the twenty gauge wads have lost any weight due to evaporation, as they weeks ago. :idunno:

 

[Skychief]

The above "PS" should read that the twenty gauge wads were lubed weeks ago.

 

[coloradoclyde]

My 12 ga wads run between 25 and 29 grains with most averaging about 28

I was also shooting just shy of 7/8 of an ounce of steel shot.....362 grains.

 

[RogerWYO]

My 1/2" fiber wads average 39gr soaked, but I use 1/2 wad for the load. the weight to volume should be the same. Yes, No, Maybe?

 

[coloradoclyde]

My wads are decades old.....That may be a factor.

 

[Skychief]

That could be.

 

[Britsmoothy]

So let's see now.
We have a wad that nearly weighs or does weigh as much as a regular 22 travelling at the muzzle nearly as quick as a 22! I hazard a guess none of us would like to be in front of either!
But some don't think it could influence a pattern!

B.

 

[George]

I hazard a guess none of us would like to be in front of either!

And the old boys knew that, but they didn't always act prudently on the knowledge.

The Pennsylvania Gazette
January 16, 1753
ANNAPOLIS, December 7.
Last Monday, being Christmas Day, some People having got pretty merry at the House of Joseph Crouch on the North Side of Severn, his Son very imprudently attempting to fire a Gun between his Father’s legs, shattering the Bone of one of them with the Wad in a terrible Manner, so that it is thought he cannot recover.

THE VIRGINIA GAZETTE
March 31, 1738
Norwich, Dec . 24. Yesterday a Boy at Trowse went into the Fields with a Gun charg'd only with Powder to scare the Birds; but when he went to discharge the Piece, it would not go off; so returning, he went to the Smith's, to get the Charge taken out, which was attempted by putting a hot Iron into the Muzzle, and set the Piece right up in a Corner of the Shop, when presently after another Boy coming in, took up the Gun and blew into it which soon lighted the Wadd, and the Powder taking Fire, the Piece went off, and shot the Wadd into his Mouth, which penetrated into his Skull, and kill'd him on the Spot.

The Pennsylvania Gazette
July 18, 1734
From Shrewsbury we hear, That on the 5th Inst. being Training Day at that Place, One of the Soldiers having his Musket loaded with a hard Wadd on the Charge, in attempting to fire between the Legs of one Samuel Davenport his Fellow-Soldier, about Twenty-five Years of Age, the Wadd struck his Ancle Bone with such Force, that it was shatter'd, and broke quite off; and a Day or two after, the poor Man's Leg was cut off, and it was greatly fear'd he would lose his Life thereby.

Spence