Member
Joined: 01 Dec 2005
Posts: 1550
Location: Minnesota and Florida
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Jroth -- I have loaded and shot quite a few black powder shells in my Remington 1889 hammer gun. I sure don't like plastic shells for black powder. There is a lot of powder, it burns hot, and for a long time, so there is a lot of melting going on in a plastic hull. I used paper hulls. Better yet, use brass. I used Goex 3F black powder. My loads were in 12 gauge -- 3 drams Goex 3F and 1 1/8 oz. of shot. A dram is a sixteenth of an ounce, so each dram is 27.34 grains -- 3 drams is 82 grains!! That takes up a lot of room in the hull. You'll want to use a nitrocard wad (.125 or .135) over the powder, with a little pressure on it, then regular fiber fillers above that and under the shot. DO NOT use a plastic wad over the powder, as it will melt and burn.
If you are an early morning waterfowler, it is nice to have at least one of these in your arsenal for the first shot of the day (I load them with bismuth). It really wakes up your buddies when they hear the sharp crack of a black powder shell, and more importantly, in the dim of breaking sunrise, that 3 foot flame coming out your barrel really catches their eyes, and you will be famous!
If you shoot a lot of shells, such as a round of trap or skeet, you will be amazed at the hard carbon/sulfur buildup in your barrel. Seriously, unless you clean every few shots, your 12 gauge will become a 16 gauge by halfway through a round of skeet. Skeet is also fun with black powder on a still day, as on the doubles, you will be searching for the second bird through a stinky blue cloud.
Fun as it was, I have given up on black powder in any shotgun, for cleaning and smoke issues. Also, I have been kicked out of Minneapolis Gun Club (not really, but restricted from shooting black powder) because of the noise. Depending on your club's rules, you might not have this problem. For target shooting with black powder loads, I shot mostly at Minnesota Horse & Hunt. And as always, it is better to apologize later than to ask permission beforehand for this sort of rowdiness.
Anyway, have fun. And remember, with shooting, same as with sex and pizza, it is all good, but some is better.
Cheers!
Tony |
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