There is a good article in the latest edition of Muzzleloader magazine. Paper wrapped shot charges. I am going to try some the next couple weeks in hopes that I might get out for turkeys in a few weeks.
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FWIWAbout ten or so years ago Captchee and I started a thread on another forum that led to a lot of experimenting, on my part, on "Paper Shot Tubes".
Starting with brown paper lunch bags, per-determined width of paper was cut.
For the 16 gauge I believe it was 4" squares, IIRC.
Using a dowel, or whatever, of the just right diameter..... in this case a stick of propane pipe dope, you add a bit of glue to one side of the paper and roll it over the dowel making a paper cylinder with the fiber wad already inside.
Using the proper amount of shot, 1.5oz in this case, it is poured into the paper cylinder.....
Fold the end over and you have a loaded shot cartridge.....
Here are all the components, laid out.....with a cylinder already rolled in the back ground.
Also, in the background, you notice an open jar of Anhydrous Lanolin....a light "finger" smeared coat of AHL was applied to the paper of the shot cartridge for "lube effect".
After a couple years playing with this I discovered that the full Fiber wad was not only unnecessary, but may have been destructive to the pattern.....so, I started tearing the wad in one-half and that increased the
center pellet count at 30 yds. ( Before doing that, the center of the pattern had a rather low pellet count, I suspected that the heavier fiber wad was opening the center, and I believe changing this proved it. )
Years later I omitted the fiber wad altogether and got a somewhat higher pellet count within the 30" circle, still at 30yds, although center count remained about the same.
Just a FYI, On how choke is determined.
Choke is determined for all shotguns by the amount of shot it delivers within a 30" circle at 40yds.
(1) Cylinder bore-40%
(2) Improved cylinder-50%
(3) Modified-60%
(4) Full-70%
Our smoothbores must be seen as being a Cylinder Bore, and we should not expect too high of a pellet count, especially at 30 and certainly never at 40 yards.
Another side note...if you decide to ever make a "shot cartridge" be sure and
not seal the shot end of the paper with glue...you will end up with about a 4" hole in the paper because it won't open up at all.
I have read a lot of folks controlling their pattern all the way down to Full Choke by using buffered shot from a "sweet" muffin mix, even tried it myself.......however, this process also comes with no guarantees.
That's because on one shot you may get a Modified or better Pattern, while the next shot is all over the pattern board, or the next with a very heavy pellet count in one quadrant or other on the board...which I found to be the most frequent expectation. Like all things Muzzleloading, YMMV (your own mileage may vary considerably.)
Also, when seating the "shot cartridge" be sure you break the top of the paper its wrapped in and add an overshot card or two, as this seems to give the best of all worlds.
Still yet, when you get right down to basis needs, the use of loose components are all you really need, and when applied properly, this will give you the best performance for a cylinder bore gun.
Uncle Russ...
Topic: 20 ga Turkey loads (Read 992 times)