I screwed Up

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kraigwy

New member
First, I dont know if this should be in the black powder section, the shotgun section or reloading section.

I bought a G. Goulcher double barreled, muzzle loading shotgun on Gun brokers. It was suppose to be a 12 ga. so while waiting for the gun to arrive, I ordered and received the necessary wads to load it.

It arrived, excellent gun for what it is. Problem is 12 ga. wads suck in 10 gage shotguns. Ok I can fix this by ordering the proper wads .

My problem is in Loading. I have the Lyman's Black Powder Handbook and Reloading manuel (for muzzle loading) but it has no data for 10 gage muzzle loaders.

Anyone have any sources for loading 10 Ga Muzzle Loaders. Besides shot, I'd like to find a round ball mold.

I'm not looking for super loads, I rather have a good pattern at 25-30 yards as I'll be using it for turkey hunting (and playing).

shotgun3.jpg

shotgun4.jpg
 
H

Hawg

New member
Goulcher was a lock maker. His locks were very popular back in the day. I don't have a 10 gauge but since you're not going for max loads just use 12 gauge load data. As for a round ball use a .760 ball with a .018 patch.
 
S

Sure Shot Mc Gee

New member
Go to Pedersoli web site. Second page of pictured guns sold. Check out the: Waterfowl 10 ga. model. (A side by side shotgun.) Bottom of picture. Click on Support. Click on: PDF down load. PDF shows a list of charges for all David P. models and calibers.
 
W

Wyosmith

New member
The "Standard" in the mid 1800s was what we call a "square load"
What that meant was that you load the same amount of powder (in this case use 2F) and shot.
A 10 gauge is .78 in bore diameter. So shot measure should be .78 inside diameter too, and you fill it .78 up from the bottom. You simply use the same measure for the powder, hence the name "square load". You will find the old loads were not "magnumized" and the 10 gauge standard load of the 1850s was about the same as what we would call a "Heavy 12 gauge load"

Osborn tools makes arch punches. If you buy one you'll never have to buy wads. You just make them yourself. Firm upholstery padding makes good over power wads with a card wad against the powder and the pad on top.

Uses cork gasket material from NAPA auto parts as your over-shot wad. They break into small light pieces upon firing and don't "blow" the pattern.
 
B

B.L.E.

New member
As long as you use the same volume of powder as shot, you will be ok, just keep in mind that the traditional 10 gauge was not meant to shoot 2 ounces of shot.
Any load using 1-1/8 to 1-1/2 ounce of shot and an equal volume of powder should shoot quite well.
If you think 10 gauge loading data is hard to find, try owning an 8 gauge muzzle loader.
I have shot 1-1/8 ounces of shot and an equal volume of 2F in my 8 gauge and it patterns beautifully and gives velocities in the 1100 fps range over the chronograph. That's a normal 12 gauge target load.
Since you wanted a 12 gauge in the first place, just load 12 gauge loads in it, it'll work just fine.
Black powder is very forgiving compared to smokeless powder.

Since you bought an old original, don't assume the gauge is one of the gauges used in modern guns. Gunsmiths of the muzzle loading era made whatever bores they felt like making, 13 gauge, 11 gauge, whatever. Have the bores miked and order wads accordingly. That's why Track of the Wolf sells odd size wads like 9 or 7 gauge.
 
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H

Hawg

New member
Antique muzzle loaders are almost always cylinder bore. You can adjust the pattern by using more shot than powder to tighten a pattern or less shot than powder to open up a pattern.
 
4

4V50 Gary

Staff
From the 3rd Edition of Gun Digest Black Powder Loading Manual, their only entry for the 10 GA (Armsport) is:

Max load: 90 FF with 1 1/4 oz. No. 7.5 shot. Lee shot measure used.

The Lyman Black Powder Handbook & Loading Manual only has information for the 12 GA ML shotgun.
 
H

HiBC

New member
Nice!! I don't see where you "screwed up". Ordering the wrong size wads is just learning.Enjoy!

I have no idea if you have chokes. The old spring loaded machinist I.D telescope gauge would help you measure if yo want to try further down the bore.Some have longer handles than others.Who knows what is on e-bay.

You might browse Ballistic Products.A buddy was loading BP brass 12 ga hulls for CAS. They have thinner wall and 12 ga wads were not working.

He found 11 ga wads at Ballistic Products that worked.
 
N

noelf2

New member
I have a Pedersoli double 10 gauge, but mine takes chokes. I use a bit more shot than a square load, and I also find it's easy to blow a hole in the pattern if I use too much powder. I use 90 grains 3fg Goex, a 1/4" felt wad over the powder (I use felt because it will spring back to shape after going through a choke), and 1 1/4 ounce shot topped with an over powder card for the best patter through the full and modified choke barrels. If your barrels are cylinder bore, I wouldn't worry much about felt wads or thick vegetable fiber wads and such. Just one or two 1/8" over powder nitro card wads and a overshot card wad (or hand rolled ball of flax tow) over the shot will do just fine. I tend to have better patterns without vegetable fiber wads and such. With black powder it seems to work better for me if I keep it simple but YMMV.
 
4

4V50 Gary

Staff
Sometimes locks are recycled. Sometimes guns are rebarreled. I certainly can't tell from the pictures.

BTW, I'd stick with 2F.
 
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