CraigF,
Nowhere in posts these do I see mention of how your old gun patterns with any loads. I too shoot old hammer doubles with original forcing cones, tight bores and tight chokes. With lighter loads (24-28 grams shot) and modern one-peice plastic wads, I usually get nice even patterns with high-Sb shot. Yes, they are sort of tight but, 7/8 oz of USA #7 to #8 shot will give me as high trap scores from 16 yards as I ever get (low 20s). Going to 32 grams shot just opens patterns (not always nicely) and limits my shooting to one round of trap.
A few my old guns with really tight chokes gave really bad patterns with modern one-peice plastic wads, but, only 1-3.
From having patterned lots of loads with old card and fiber wads, loads with plastic sealer powder wad or paper cup wads, loads with modern one-peice plastic wads, I really have to say that nice patterns can be had from each --IF load is right for that barrel. What is easier with modern one-peice plastic wads is getting nice patterns easily, from wide range of loads. Mostly this is because of wide range of bore diameters in old guns, thanks, I think, to varying amounts of reaming to remove those ugly pitts.
Niklas
