In a recent article in SSM Chris Batha wrote this ............
"It is often said that a 16-gauge carries like a 20 and hits like a 12. This balance of lighter-weight guns and solid hitting power is often credited to the fact that the 16 is a square load a term developed by muzzleloaders for a load in which the shot, powder and wad are the same length as the nominal boring.
The modern 16-gauge cartridge does not conform to the muzzleloading axiom in overall length, but the depth of the shot column of a 1-ounce load does still closely match the nominal boring of .662″. (As a quick review: It takes 16 lead balls of .662″ to make one pound, and there are 16 ounces in one pound.) The logic holds that a square load maximizes the shot charge with the least pellet deformation from shot-column depth, thus resulting in an optimally powerful and even pattern for the gauge."
While I have read about the "square load' most of my life I have never seen the reference to it having been used in muzzleloading days to mean the overall length of the entire load of powder, wad and shot. I have always understood it to mean that the shot payload alone was the same depth as width, or, the same distance from top to bottom as the bore diameter.
How in the world could an entire load of powder, wad and shot be the same height as the bore diameter, unless it was a very anemic load? I suspect Batha is wrong about that, but am open to references from you all. What say ye?
SRH
Last edited by Stan; 04/12/17 10:04 PM.
