Home Forums Reloading Shotshells Quandry Cure

So, off to the range with my buddy Muffin. Rural part of the community, hilly and adjacent to some powder lines. We shot all loads at 20 long paces and I apologize about the #8 shot target...the holes are tiny.

I shot the right barrel, Muffin shot the left and we found the patterns well formed and fairly centered on the aiming dot in the 30" circle.

The target presented thus:


I must say it was with apprehension that I pulled the trigger on the first round. You see, I have a .45-70 named Thumper by my esteemed friend and it is a valid name. The load for that one runs around 65 gr of Swiss with a 530 gr bullet. The gun weighs 11-12# It thumps on BOTH ends. The WC Scott weighs a rather svelte 7# or so. The load mentioned earlier is roughly equivalent in all regards, save the charge weight. I loaded for the shotgun with charges based on volume. They weighed about 85 gr. Sooooo, I stood up like a man and pulled the trigger. What a pussy cat! Felt about like a 20 ga. We waited about 5 minutes for the smoke to clear and found the target.


The pattern was well centered and only a very few hit the paper outside the 30" range.

So, next up was the #4 buck. 24 pellets as I recall....BOOM!


The pigs aren't happy at all about this.

Lastly, the ball load. When loading these it was obvious the ball would rattle around in the case, thus the .010" patch I mentioned. It started 1-1/2" in diameter and I cut 4 pie shaped wedges to avoid overlaps when inserted. Sufficiently cautious I was that I explored whether or not it would pass thru the choke without splintering ancient metal. It worked with only mild resistance. So, boom and boom! I shot the right one, Muffin shot the left.


Now that I know this sucker works I got some loading to do. I also need to find a bag of #5 or 6 shot.

Misc. info for you fellas. I have a couple of cases that are/were a snug fit and the one I shot like that was difficult to extract. RCBS makes a 12ga sized die kit for this enterprise, but I have not found any tools for other gauges at all. All the brass I have has been fired previously, how many times is a guess, but most of it is easy in and out. Also FYI, all overshot wads had a ring of Duco cement on the circumference and it holds well enough that it holds together during firing of the other barrel. Oooo Raaah!

By the way, unlike BP in rifles I found no need to swab the bore between shots. Worked just dandy. Then I went to clean it after the shoot and....wow...talk about dirty patches!! Had to use three patches on each tube, then a coat of oil just for grins. Took all of about 10 minutes. Know what? I got some 20 ga brass as well, and a Webley Scott 20ga SxS that's never been fired....