Range Report: Flintlock smoothbore Dove / Crow load
.62cal Cushion Wad Range Report
Muzzleloader:
GM .62cal (.20ga) Flint Smoothbore drop-in barrel on a TC Hawken stock (Barrel Jug Choked ‘Improved Cylinder PLUS’)
80grns Goex 3F
1 full Circle Fly prelubed cushion wad
90grns chilled #6s (1+1/4oz)
Circle Fly OS card
Outstanding 30" pattern at both 25 & 30 yards tested. Excellent load for crows, late season doves, long range squirrels, etc.
NOTE 1:
1/2 of a cushion wad was OK…patterns were usable, but slightly thinner than with a full cushion wad
NOTE 2:
Tried 90grns 2F instead of 80grns 3F, patterns were unacceptable, 3F is perfect
For those who may not be aware of it, having a Jug Choke in a barrel causes the opposite effect when using different amounts of cushion wads than what is normally experienced when adjusting wad configurations in a smoothbore.
Normally too large of a cushion wad tends to thin out a pattern...often a half wad, a smaller amount of wad, will give a tighter pattern than a full wad...but just the opposite when there's a Jug Choke involved.