doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Beginner needs BP shotshell advice?

I've never had the slightest interest in loading BP shotshells and was looking out the window each time it has been discussed here. I have three damascus barreled guns and as of last Sunday I find myself in possession of several boxes of filler wads and overshot cards from the "Alcan" era. I looked over my old Lyman shotshell manual from 1969 but all data is for smokeless. Some questions: 1) Is this stuff usable for building a BP load? 2) Should I try black or one of the subs? 3) Better to use Federal paper hulls than plastic because of the melt/burnthru factor? 4) Can I use a fold crimp? 5) Given the absence of a petaled shotcup, is leading a problem with a volume use like skeet and does anyone use a sleeve around the shot to mitigate leading?

Really all I'm looking for right now is a 12 gauge, 7/8 or 1 oz. skeet load and of course a lot of smoke. Thought maybe Jim Legg or "Bladesmith" could help me out here?

jack

Can't answer your question, but I have one of those metal shelving units which is almost completely filled with boxes of those Alcan (and Winchester) wads. I picked them up at an auction some years ago and have not yet figured out what to do with them.

Hi Jack,
I usually load 60-65 grains of GOEX 3f with 7/8 oz. shot and
68-70 with 1 oz. Any primer(I use Winchesters) and on top of the OP wad, whatever amount of filler is necessary for a full shell. If you need exact thicknesses of wads, I can give you that later this evening. I like Federal Papers and usually only use them once. Got a fairly nice G grade Lefever with a very low comb. I'm going to try my hand at bending it.

I use dram equalivent on modern loads as a tip on what I should load when using black power. You want to fill the hull to the top and if you are loading for an old girl look for chamber length. If anyone needs them I have a bunch of 11 bore wads by WW for 12 brass.
bill

Rabbit,

I load 12ga. 2 3/4 dram loads (75gr. of 2f Goex) and 1 oz. of 7.5 shot. It is a very effective load.

Your wads are very useable. I mainly use blackpowder 2f Goex but I have a friend who loads Pyrodex. I find in 12 ga hulls usually don't burn through but I usually shoot the hull once and toss it. However, your right paper would work better. I pick up plastic field hulls (high brass hulls) at my local trap range,I can always count on bring some home. Look for deer hunters sighting in their slug loads in to, great hulls too. I have 100 loaded and and easy 100 hulls ready to load.
I keep Rem, Win and Fed hulls in separate bags ready for loading. I used to use Win. Super speed but they don't roll crimp very well. Word of Warning-My 10 ga. however eats plastic hulls but I have the Republic Metallic Cartridge load 5 drams (135 gr. approx)and 1 1/8oz of #4 bismuth. that is alot of powder going off. I plan on duplicating the load with Rocky Mountain brass hulls.

As for fold crimp? You would have to play around with your load. I cut my hulls to 2.5" for my 75 grain load and then roll crimp them. I think it would be a pain to push the wads through the crimp. I prefer using 3 or 3.5" hulls and cut them down. This way I also get a perfectly round hull to load. The 2 3/4" inch hulls work but are kind of a pain as part of the crimp is left when I cut them down.

Leading will be a problem. I usually clean out the powder fouling with my garden hose and then use Hopppes or Rig 44.

Check out this website for blackpowder loading. Good info.

http://www.tbullock.com/bpsg

Sorry this is long, I hope it answers questions. I really enjoy shooting blackpowde loads. I plan on having my LC Smith out for doves this September. Blackpowder bismuth loads out to really suprise some people!

Thanks for the tips. That's roughly the conversion I was getting from one of the BP sites: 1 dram=27 grains. I've got half a 5 gal. bucket of the Federals which may last as long as my devotion to the process (and the smoke). Good luck with cranking up the stock. Guess it has to take most of it between the ends of the tangs and the thumbhole; old wood, doesn't sound easy. Like to see pictures of your bending rig, Jim.

jack

Beginners should buy loaded Gamebore ammo.

Ya think? jack

I'd start out with a few boxes of Gamebore BP, and see how you like 'em. They are not a powderpuff load, a big push - big white smoke - big stink too!
Think Taco Bell drive-thru, and cold beer after midnite, ole Rabbit.

One notes that Rabbit is a beginner to neither shooting or reloading, only specifically to BP shotshell reloading. He will remain so, as did all of us, until he actually starts. My first experience at BP "Reloading" was with a ramrod & a 12ga ML'er. When I decided I wanted some BP shotshells, I felt no need at all to "Buy Factory", as I too was already loading smokeless. My advise Jack, "Try It, You'll Like It".