Skychief Powder/Shot Charges?

[Smokey Plainsman]

Hey gang! I’ve got a cylinder bore 20 gauge trade gun and want to try the Skychief load with #5 and #6 shot for small game hunting.

I’ve read all about the “recipe” as far as what wads to use etc., but very little on powder charges and amounts of shot to use.

How much powder and shot should I be testing? Also, does anyone have a formula for converting grains (such as found on an adjustable powder measure) to ounces of shot? For example, if using the same powder measure to also measure out shot, how many grains of volume equals 1 oz of shot? Does this vary much depending on the size of shot?

Thanks so much gang!

 

[Billy-by-gosh]

If you need an adjustable shot measure to experiment with, Lee offers an inexpensive one:
(Manufacturer part number: 90973) priced less than 4 bucks.
leeprecision.com/adjustable-shot-dipper

 

[snakebit]

Trying to do this from memory as my notes are down in the bunker(basement). 70 grns of 2f to 1 oz of shot (by volume) #6, gave me a good pattern at the low 30's, MOS (minute of squirrel). But that's from a cylinder bore 12 gauge. My dipper is an antique that you can adjust by drams/ounces. But they are close. I'm still very green to BP shotgunning. Best advice given to me on were was take your time and test different powder/shot combinations to find your girls sweet spot (all my guns are girls) and take good notes at the range. I was just able to get some #4 shot, but haven't been out to make smoke yet. But the Skychief load is the real deal, tightens the group right up. Good luck with it. I will look at my notes in the morning and find a minute to get back to you. I'm too lazy at present and my knee is giving me fits to use steps.

 

[Brokennock]

Hey gang! I’ve got a cylinder bore 20 gauge trade gun and want to try the Skychief load with #5 and #6 shot for small game hunting.

I’ve read all about the “recipe” as far as what wads to use etc., but very little on powder charges and amounts of shot to use.

How much powder and shot should I be testing? Also, does anyone have a formula for converting grains (such as found on an adjustable powder measure) to ounces of shot? For example, if using the same powder measure to also measure out shot, how many grains of volume equals 1 oz of shot? Does this vary much depending on the size of shot?

Thanks so much gang!

There is a chart located here,

That will give you your conversions. Though for the example you give (equal shot and powder) you don't need it.

I generally find that, just using my powder measures, using roughly a 10 grain measure less of powder than shot gives me the patterns I want. So for say squirrels and pheasants, 60 grains powder and 70 grains (about 1oz) of shot, and for turkeys 75/85 with 2f or 70/90 with 3f.


I wish there were a way to make that, "tables, useful information threads" section more prominent. There is a lot of good info there that gets asked about a lot.