bp shot guns
11-02-2008, 07:11 PM
#2
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 21,193
RE: bp shot guns
I shoot a 12 gauge with a full choke and I would rate it a modified in my modern guns.. about a 30 yards range. Now if you go to a single barrel like a Knight TK2000 with an extra full choke, you're talking a whole different ball game there.
11-03-2008, 10:21 AM
#3
Typical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Central Connecticut
Posts: 766
RE: bp shot guns
BP shotguns usually shoot much looser than when shooting smokeless shells with equal chokes.
How much looser depends on the load. A full choke may shoot like a modified or spread outlike an evenmore open choke, which can dramatically reduce the longer range pattern.
One way to overcome that is to increased the payload. Another way is to use a modern plastic shotwadwithsometype of overpowder wadding underneath it to protect the plasticand cushion the heavier shotload.
If the gun has screw in choke tubes, then it's easier to load with extended choke tubes that caneasilybe taken outfor loadingthe plastic wad and then re-inserted. The tighter the chokes the better.
Another wayto tighten upthe shot spreadis to cut down on the powder, but that reduces the effective killing range, so I wouldn't recommend doing that.
Mixinglarger and smaller sized shot intoa largershotloadshould increase the chances of havinga least a fewbb's with enoughlethal powertobring downa game bird.
Modern plastic wadscan really make a difference though, and add a lot of shot andthen testoutthe point of impact. There's 3.5 inch smokeless turkey shotshells thatare loaded with 2 ozs. oflargershot like #4. So don't hesitateto load with plenty of shot.
Also,some kind of wadding or over shot cards needs to be placed over the shotload to keep it down in thebreech while carrying itafield and after the 1st shot is taken.
Crumpled newspaper or evenlarge cotton ballscan workin place of over shot cards, but cotton may smolderand someloose fibers will be sent airborne after the shot.
I'd suggest to carry theloaded shotgunwith the muzzle pointed upwards, at least slightlytilted up or levelas much as possible just in case the overshot wadding material or cardsdon't hold the loadsecurely in the breech.
How much looser depends on the load. A full choke may shoot like a modified or spread outlike an evenmore open choke, which can dramatically reduce the longer range pattern.
One way to overcome that is to increased the payload. Another way is to use a modern plastic shotwadwithsometype of overpowder wadding underneath it to protect the plasticand cushion the heavier shotload.
If the gun has screw in choke tubes, then it's easier to load with extended choke tubes that caneasilybe taken outfor loadingthe plastic wad and then re-inserted. The tighter the chokes the better.
Another wayto tighten upthe shot spreadis to cut down on the powder, but that reduces the effective killing range, so I wouldn't recommend doing that.
Mixinglarger and smaller sized shot intoa largershotloadshould increase the chances of havinga least a fewbb's with enoughlethal powertobring downa game bird.
Modern plastic wadscan really make a difference though, and add a lot of shot andthen testoutthe point of impact. There's 3.5 inch smokeless turkey shotshells thatare loaded with 2 ozs. oflargershot like #4. So don't hesitateto load with plenty of shot.
Also,some kind of wadding or over shot cards needs to be placed over the shotload to keep it down in thebreech while carrying itafield and after the 1st shot is taken.
Crumpled newspaper or evenlarge cotton ballscan workin place of over shot cards, but cotton may smolderand someloose fibers will be sent airborne after the shot.
I'd suggest to carry theloaded shotgunwith the muzzle pointed upwards, at least slightlytilted up or levelas much as possible just in case the overshot wadding material or cardsdon't hold the loadsecurely in the breech.
