Paper cartridges?

[Kermit]

So tell me about the possibilities for paper shot cartridges. The guys at the gun club limit my access to the clays 'cuz I'm too slow loading from shot snake, bag, and horn.

[mario]

One pouch with paper cartridges of powder. One pouch with paper cartridges of shot.

Tear, dump powder, drop shot cartridge on top, ram down, done.



Mario

[Bigsmoke]

Mario,
What would you do for wads?  Or after you dump the powder, use the paper cartridge for a wad?  I can see that using the shot cartridge, you probably wouldn't need an over shot wad.
John

[mario]

The shot cartridge itself is the over-powder and over-shot wad.

You can tap the powder cartridge paper down over the powder if wanted/needed.

However, I do have to say this method works/patterns better in some guns than others.

Mario

[markinmi]

I just got done experimenting with the brown paper pieces 1 inch wide 2 inches long fold over, one over the powder, one over the shot.Got a good clean pow for the report and dusted 1 out of 4 clays(my fault not the load) Havnt shot the pattern board yet.

[ridjrunr]

I think I read once that a dime paper coin roll is correct for a 12 ga. ? Been meanin to try that out myself.

[trent/OH]

Get yourself another shotgun just like you have. Have your gunbearer reload for you. That will make you a little better than twice as fast between shots.

Or you could let the other guys shoot your gun a few times until they're hooked, then you set up range times for ML shotgun.

[Kermit]

I'm working on that--the other guys, not the gunbearer. Thinking on building an underhammer 12ga for "learning" purposes. Haven't had a precussin gun in more'n 25 years. Thinking on a CB revolver too. Must be age causing this falling from the faith.

[Loyalist Dave]

I use good bond paper from used books for my powder cartridges, and newsprint for my shot cartridges.  The thicker, heavier bond paper makes good wads when compressed on top of the powder.  At least I think it does..., works fine out of my shotgun; reloads pretty quick too.

LD

[Uncle Russ]

I have made 'shot' cartridges before, and they are a wee bit faster than loading from an Irish bag....certainly less "steps" and less movement on the shooters part.
I have posted this several times, but there is always a chance someone new will see it, and perhaps improve on it a bit.
 
I used plain paper brown bags...for a couple of reasons, but mainly because they are 'stout'.

I lay out my paper, measure off the size square I want, and cut it with one of those little round thingys I stole from my wife's sewing basket....be careful they are dangerously sharp and cut in every direction until you get a grasp on how it should be used. This particular one is for a .69 smoothie, and measures roughly 3.5" x4"
[albumimg:2dz95x4n]304[/albumimg:2dz95x4n]
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I then I put plain old Elmers's glue on one edge of the paper, and using a dowel of the proper diameter (This is a stick of pipe-dope for Propane gas lines.) I add my cushion wad, and roll it up tight...and remove the dowel.
[albumimg:2dz95x4n]301[/albumimg:2dz95x4n]
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This is what your components look like when laid out together.
 [albumimg:2dz95x4n]300[/albumimg:2dz95x4n]
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I use Anhydrous Pure Lanolin to lube the "cartridge pack" with after it's loaded, and although I have a dipper for my lead, you can use your powder measure to start with.
[albumimg:2dz95x4n]299[/albumimg:2dz95x4n]
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The old saying, "Equal shot to equal powder" is still a fine place to start.

As was said, a pre-measured charge in a similar homemade tube serves well for the powder...simply tear off the top, dump the powder, wad-up and push the paper down the bore.

Then..start your "shot cartridge" until only the tag end is out, tear that tag end off and seat a nice tight OS card and you're ready to go.

You can even have "some control" over your pattern by not tearing the tag-end at all just seating it with one, or even two, OS cards on top.  I have actually folded and glued down what would normally be the tag-end...and that is very unpredictable.

However, over the years, I have found this method of pattern control a bit iff'y at best, some fairly nice full-choke patterns at 80+ %, and some no larger than half gallon milk box,  and shaped very similar.
This, of course, would be a great Turkey Load if one could repeat it, but I have never been able to repeat it, it was always just a fluke.
This may be the challenge you face.

Still yet, IMHO, the very best way to control pattern in a smooth bore is by controlling the height of the shot column...seems to work best for most folks.

I would suggest sticking with tearing the tag-end off the shot cartridge, seating an OS card, and let the barrel do what it does best with this combination. I believe, the pattern is a wee bit tighter with this process as opposed to just loading components...but, I have no proof of this, and perhaps it only seems that way to me.

Uncle Russ...

I forgot to add that many folks advocate the use of "Dime Wrappers" for their shot cartridges, but I have never been fortunate enough to own a bore that was just the right size for a Dime Wrapper, and that is what led me to rolling-my-own so I can get that just right size to easily fit the bore and seat on the powder.....those who can use 'em, and do use 'em, swear by 'em.

[Kermit]

Thanks for that, Russ. Is it my 'puter that won't let me get enlarged versions of pics 3 and 4? The first two grow right big.