What should I get, and realistic expectations?

[brewer12345]

I think I am ready to find a percussion SxS in 12 or 10 gauge for hunting. I hunt about everything you can with a shotgun, but a lot of this will be for rabbit, jackrabbit, ducks, and geese. I plan to use bismuth shot for waterfowl unless someone tells me this is a problem. So a few questions if anyone is feeling generous with a few minutes of their time:

- Do I want a choked or cylinder bore gun? I presume it is easier to get longer shots with chokes, but how much harder are they to load? Do chokes preclude using round ball?
- What is a realistic expectation for range with a good pattern? I would expect to spend time at the patterning board working on loads, but if 20 yards is all I can expect, maybe I will rethink this project.
- What kind of range can you get with round ball with minute of deer accuracy? 50 yards? This is low on the list, but I might as well ask.
- Does buckshot work well in these guns?

I have taken several deer with PRB in my percussion rifles and enjoy hunting with them. For as much time as I spend in the fied with a modern shotgun, I figured it would be worth trying some of this with a percussion double.

 

[Sparkitoff]

The choke makes a difference and extends range. I have a 12 with screw in choke tubes. I use LM/IM with 1 1/4oz #5 Bismuth for ducks, bigger shot size for geese/cranes.

I’ve patterned this quite a bit to get what I want. This choke combo will get me 35 and 40 yards effectiveness. I sometimes use a 20 with IC/LM fixed chokes. With 1 1/8 oz I can do 30 and 35 yards. There’s enough pellets on a big duck for my confidence, but I want a tighter concentration and more pellets for a goose sized bird or bigger.

I pretty much just change to lead #5 for Turkey. I like to call a Turkey to 25 yards anyway, so either of the above guns/loads have worked great.

On the 20, I shoot 2 different sized balls. .626 in the right and .610 in the left. That’s the biggest size that will load with no pressure. I shoot them un-patched. Inn that gun, both balls hit the same spot at 35- yards. At 50-yards they’re within a 6-in circle, so I limit myself to 40- yards, maybe one step further. Never tried to get better group at a longer range, so it could be possible.

You just need a short starter for getting the wads past the choke. Other than that it’ll load easy.

Good luck!

 

[victor#0]

Pedersoli was making a 12 gauge slug gun cyl/ cyl with a fold down rear sight, watched a few youtube videos of a guy using both ball and shot in Africa with it, not sure if they are still making it but it looked like fun.

 

[SciAggie]

I use a single shot cylinder bore 12 gauge. You have to do a lot of pattern work - at least I had to do a lot. I hunt ducks/dove/turkey mostly. My gun prefers the Skychief load and patterns well out to 30-35 yards. I use bismuth for ducks with no issues.
I haven't shot round balls or buckshot from this gun.

 

[William Lincoln]

Cyl/Cyl is for use as Coach gun or close in defensive use. Very powerful. With buck shot,
devastating to that home invader. Far more deadly than a 36 or 44 C&B. For Fowling you are
better off with modified or full choke.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I shoot paper shot cartridges made from three thickness of newspaper, they give a tighter pattern than loose loads, I use two thin leather over powder wads which load fairly easily in my choked barrel. The thin leather wads go through the choke easier than felt wads.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

SXS shotguns generally do not do well with round balls. The manufacturers don't spend much effort on barrel regulation and even if they did, it's still a shotgun with thin light barrels that are not as rigid as they could be. If you want to shoot round balls at deer, then MAYBE you should look at the Pedersoli Kodiak MK III It comes in .50, .54 & .58 calibers and can also be ordered with a 12 gauge barrel set as well.

This is the one I am sorta considering right now, but I would have to find some cash somewhere and I don't want to sell any gold or silver.... maybe some platinum though.

 

[brewer12345]

I shoot paper shot cartridges made from three thickness of newspaper, they give a tighter pattern than loose loads, I use two thin leather over powder wads which load fairly easily in my choked barrel. The thin leather wads go through the choke easier than felt wads.

Can you tell me a little more? What kind of leather do you punch the wads out of? What diameter? As for shot, you just have a measured amount of shot twisted up in 3 sheets of newspaper and ram it down the barrel after the wads? No over shot wad?

 

[brewer12345]

SXS shotguns generally do not do well with round balls. The manufacturers don't spend much effort on barrel regulation and even if they did, it's still a shotgun with thin light barrels that are not as rigid as they could be. If you want to shoot round balls at deer, then MAYBE you should look at the Pedersoli Kodiak MK III It comes in .50, .54 & .58 calibers and can also be ordered with a 12 gauge barrel set as well.

This is the one I am sorta considering right now, but I would have to find some cash somewhere and I don't want to sell any gold or silver.... maybe some platinum though.

Eh, already have plenty of rifles and have killed several deer with round ball. The round ball question is more of an afterthought.