I have some Magtech 12ga. 2-1/2" shells and the website address for Ballistic Products which offers up a dizzying array of wads and such.

Trouble is, I've never loaded any shotshell, never mind one with black.

How does one determine which of the hundreds of wads and cards are needed?

The intended use is....dunno, probably shooting "at" clay birds or partridge (don't seem to connect all that often). I am stuck with the 2-1/2" as the shotgun is an old Husky with 65mm (2.559") chambers. Yeah, I expect there are commercially loaded shells out there but this sounds like fun.

Thanks for any insight!

Hoot:

Ballistic Products has reloading data as well as all the components necessary for black powder shotshell reloading. Spend some time on their web site, order a manual and you'll be in good shape.

There is a web site, Doublegunshop.com, that is dedicated to side by side shotguns and double rifles, with a host of people who have lots of experience in black powder shotshell reloading and are universally generous in sharing that experience.

Finally, if you want to shoot that Husky without reloading, try RST Shotshells. They load low pressure 2-1/2 inch shells that are safe to fire in older guns.

Hope this helps.

Dang Hoot. I wish I would have known. I think I still have some BP loaded 12's around somewhere...

I learned most of what I could from this page:

http://www.tbullock.com/bpsg.html

I basically loaded equal volume of powder and shot. I used felt wads I got from Circle Fly and bought a 3/4" punch and made my own over shot wads. I bought an old bench mounted roll crimper but I think ballistic Products sells one you can mount in a drill press.

When I shot CAS I had an 1889 Remington 12 ga before I moved onto a 10 ga 1884 Remington that was cut down to 18.5". That was a crowd pleaser!!

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Tried several combinations. Being a purist, I tried brass shells with a series of waxed cardboard wads (cut from poster board, shoe box, etc), roughly equal volume FF Goex and shot, overshot wad sealed in place with melted wax or super glue. Most experiments looked cool but pattern even at cowboy action range had holes you could throw large cat through.

I settled for fiber wad, FF Goex, and red Winchester AA plastic wad loaded on MEC Jr and star crimped. Volume of BP was such as to fully compress under the properly crimped red AA wad. I think I used a 1/8 fiber wad between to reduce burning the plastic wad.

Been a few years since I competed so don't remember exactly. I did write down the exact load that worked well and will see if I can find it for you. Make sure the BP gets compressed. I hollowed out a section from a deer antler for a powder measure.

I used a wonderful BP solvent and swabbed out the barrels between matches. I will share the formula if you can keep a secret... fill a squirt bottle with two parts hydrogen to one part oxygen.

The only way BP gets any better is to make sure Mr. Tom is close by and downwind.

I was unaware of the data over at BPI. I will pursue that. I am a member at the Double Gun forums but haven't spent much time in the shotgun sections...it's been mostly for the rifles. I will query there as well.

Excellent site. Looks like most of what I want is there.

And, don't worry, I won't tell a soul.

Maybe we can set up a 'trap range' at the next CSA for Mr. Tom's benefit?

the way I was taught. When, I first started reloading on a Lee I ran out of Red Dot I just subbed Pyrodex... Not the best plan... but it did go bang and didn't blow up my old Winchester 370 ...Use the balanced load method.

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Of the Troops & For the Troops