mag-spark vs # 11 cap in ml shotgun

04jeep · 03-21-2010, 05:43 PM

do you think it would make your shot pattern crazy ? was using shocky gold i wonder if the mag spark 209 primer made to much heat that it make your shot go crazy i could not even put 3 pellets in a turkey head target at 25 yards what going on????? using t/c new englander

MountainDevil54 · 03-21-2010, 05:48 PM

how'd it shoot before the mag spark was installed?

04jeep · 03-21-2010, 05:52 PM

i really dont have an answer for you before i would just load it up and go rabbit hunting so i thought i would give it a new mag spark and try to maybe kill a turkey with it ,so i should try them both to see what works the best but i do like the mag spark idea..

cayugad · 03-21-2010, 06:09 PM

I really do not think, it being a shotgun, you will notice a lot of difference in the pattern.

04jeep · 03-21-2010, 06:12 PM

could it be from fouling i shot about 5 times with out swabing the bore ?

arcticap · 03-21-2010, 06:13 PM

The Mag Spark might play a small part in it but how your load is put together probably has much more to do with it.

How is your load constructed and what is it made up of?

Whether your shotgun only has a cylinder choke or not, you need to use a plastic shot wad along with placing some wadding under and over it.
Heavily compressing a ball of newspaper under the plastic wad and lightly compressing another smaller ball of newspaper over the shot load has worked for me, as well as using plastic shot wads which help to keep the shot load together longer so that the pattern will be tighter.

If you can't get it to pattern with 100 -120 grains of shot by volume and 90 - 100 grains of powder, then maybe you need to shorten the distance and adjust your point of aim.

Some folks wrap their shot load inside of a type of paper cartridge and experiment with cutting a few small slits of varying lengths in it. But using modern plastic wads are much easier to use and produce more consistent patterns.

04jeep · 03-21-2010, 06:28 PM

Was using about 150gr of #5 shot with a t/c shot wad and 90gr of shockey gold 2f

arcticap · 03-21-2010, 06:39 PM

Maybe your shot load is a little too heavy and has slower velocity.

Did you use a large patterning paper so that you could see where most of your shot was hitting?

Tape together 2 or 3 sheets of newspaper so that you can see the whole pattern.
Start with the smaller load that I recommended, up to 110 grains of Shockley's should be okay since it's ffg along with about an equal amount of shot (110 - 120 grains).
Then pattern it and see where most of the shot is going.

BP shotguns pattern worse than smokeless shotguns unless you have a choke and use a plastic wad.
Without a choked barrel, you definitely need a plastic wad or a paper shot cup which you would need to make for yourself using copy paper.
You would build a shot cup that looks like a shotgun shell but without the powder.
Then maybe put 3 very tiny slits in the front sides of the cup just before you load it into the muzzle, and make sure that the diameter is small enough so that it will fit in your bore . Use paper glue to hold the paper together.
See if that helps to keep your shot load together.

04jeep · 03-21-2010, 06:48 PM

Well i was using a large turkey target and at 20 yards that tom would have just tip toed around and walked away lol... ill try 110gr to see if that helps what about using real bp
think it would make any diff ??

arcticap · 03-21-2010, 07:00 PM

Use a plastic shot wad or paper shot cup, then test. If unsuccessful then get rid of the Mag Spark, then test. If unsuccessful then switch powders, then test some more.

IMHO nothing will matter much except a plastic wad or paper shot cup.
Protect the base from flames with the TC wool wads.
2 wraps of paper can be used for the paper shot cup.
If the paper cup doesn't break open before it hits the target, then make the slits bigger on the sides of the paper cup, or add another slit.