Home Forums Reloading Shotshells Quandry Cure

Well, I thought I'd lean something and boy did I!

Per prior conversation a supply of brass was donated and I set about making things happen. Round 1 was cleaning the brass a bit, checking some dims and other miscellany.

The gun is a W&C Scott and Son 12 ga SxS with FC on both barrels of ~30" length. Muzzle I.D. is .695".


I just discovered today during the cleaning process it is the oldest gun I've shot. The proof mark dates production 1855-1868. Action is drum head tight, safety fully functional, and I popped a couple primers just to verify it would shoot before loading brass.


Not having dies/shell holders etc I reverted to my style with priming the .22 GTC with a hammer. Worked just dandy. I did use a wooded dowel also. -hint-


Chucked a little powder in and started assembling the loads. 3 series of loads with #8 shot, #4 buck and a .690" lead round ball. By coincidence the ball weighed 1-1/8th oz so all the loads were of that charge weight. All propelled by 75 gr (volume) Swiss 1-1/2FG and a CCI LRP in the MagTech brass. Wads were of 11 ga size due to the thin walls of the brass, and worked well save for the overshot wad which was a little loose. I have since purchased some 10ga overshot wads. FYI, the ball was wrapped in a .010" thick cleaning patch and the shot was loads used a paper strip as a sleeve. No leading occurred with any of the loads fired.