3F powder in a 10ga SXS

[AZ Longrifle]

I just fired a new old stock Navy Arms 10ga. over the weekend and the thing was caked with powder residue from using FFG powder.
I am using 75grn and coated shotwads and still dirty as hell.
Can I safely use 60-75grn of FFFg in this gun?
Thank you!

[Bigsmoke]

One of the age old questions.  
Personally, I would be thinking in the area of using Fg in a 10 bore, but that's just me.
First off, I would think 75 grains of Ffg in a 10 bore would be just a bit of a whimpy load.  How much shot are you using?  What does the pattern look like?  Time in front of a patterning board is time well spent.  Just like rifles, shotguns seem to require having a load developed for them, too.
But, in answer to your question, a 10% in volume reduction is generally the rule when switching from Ffg to Fffg.
Wondering what kind of wads are you using?

[AZ Longrifle]

1/2" wads from Circle Fly. Lubed with Bear Grease.
The load works well for local BP Shotgun matches.
It's light and not beating up my shoulder. I have to watch for a problem with my Rotator Cuff.
Thanks for the reply.
I'll try 65grns of 3F next time an print in on a cardboard box too.

[Bigsmoke]

Another thought about the wads.  I guess you are lubing them yourself?
You might try wet lubing them instead with a bore solvent.  Not squishy wet, but wet.  That might cut the fouling better than the bear grease.
It's funny how different guns react to different lubes and such.  I shot a trail walk with a 12 bore rifle some time ago.  There were something like 22 or 23 shots on it and I was running an OxYoke prelubed cushion wad over the powder, then an Ox Yoke patched .715 ball.  The patch was lubed with their Wonder Lube, as was the wad.  I was shooting 200 grains of GOEX Ffg powder.  I dare say the last shot loaded as easily as the first one.  Logically, one would think that with no wiping between shots, with heavy charges like that, you could not even get the last shot down the barrel.  But, not so.
Incidentally, I did ask if that would be OK prior to the match and they said go for it.  Them clangers sure do swing when that big pumpkin thwacks 'em hard.  Heh, heh, heh.
I have found that GOEX Cartridge grade powder is a bit cleaner shooting than their Ffg.  I think they get an extra buck a can for it, but, that's not that big a deal.

[Loyalist Dave]

I agree you may only have a lube problem, not a powder problem.  

If you are going to use such light loads, AND you have a shoulder problem, you may also have a gauge problem.  The 10 bore was meant to throw 1.5 ounces of shot or a 650 grain (rough guesstimate) ball.  So you have that weight pushing back on your shoulder as it moves forward.  Dropping the powder load to 2 drams as you are doing really drops the muzzle velocity of the shot, and so defeats the purpose of the gauge, which is for waterfowl.  Ducks and geese really have good protection with all them feathers, and if you don't have good velocity, you won't penetrate, but merely wound, if you do any damage at all.  OR..., you have to get them in so close..., that a 12 or even a twenty gauge with the same powder and 1 oz or even 7/8 of an ounce of shot would be more effective.

IF you're not going for waterfowl, then I'd suggest a 20 gauge, with 55 grains of 2Fg, and 3/4 ounce of 7.5 shot.  That's a nice, moderate load, that will slay any upland fowl, as well as squirrels and bunnies, while not beating up on your shoulder.

LD

[Gambia]

For the gun in question  a 10 bore sxs you need a volume load of 3drms  {82grains} of Fg  to  1.5oz of shot . This load shoots best in guns with 32inch barrels for Fg powder you need a longer barrel to burn the powder .for wads try two 1/8th cards over powder and 1/16th card  over shot I have used this load of Fg in 10 bore sxs for decades  I also use Fg powder in 9,8,6,4 bore guns.
Feltwad
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