Shot charges in muzzleloading rifle?

[creteham]

Anyone have any wisdom on loading shot charges in a muzzleloading rifle? I realize it's not something they are designed for, and the performance would probably not be the best, but can it be done? Will it damage the barrel? Would it be safe? Just looking for thoughts on the subject.

[biliff]

It has been done. Nobody I know that has tried it really ever got a useful pattern at range unless they were shooting a very large caliber and then 10 yards was about the max effective range. There is also some concern about leading up the rifling with an unprotected shot charge. They built smooth rifles in the old days (a gun that looked basically like the common rifles of the day, sights, swamped barrels, etc.)but with a smooth bore barrel. Effective enough with shot for small game and accurrate enough with roundball for big game. If shot charges were effective in a rifled barrel they wouldn't have bothered.

[creteham]

Thanks biliff.
Don't have a BP shotgun (yet). Thinking it might be fun to try on some of the "flying rats" when they exit the loft in my barn.

[scrat]

So my question are you familiar with loading a bp shot gun. I tried it in my 50 cal. its not difficult at all. Only hard part was finding the wads. Wad im referring to is the Wad cup. Load just like a normal bp shotgun. powder first. used ff then a nitro wad. followed by a two more wads for thickness. Then the shot cup. Add equal amount of shot. ram down the shot and wadcup. Then follow by another felt wad.. You dont have to have that much pressure on the last wad. As for leading Well thats where the cup comes in place. If anything you would have to use a bore brush to remove the excess plastic like a sabot. check out cva website. Look at there video links blackpowder 101. They have a chapter on loading shotguns.

Also this months issue of guns of the old west has a good article on blackpowder shotgun shooting

[creteham]

Thanks Scrat,
I'll check out the videos. I know the procedure for loading a BP shotgun, just never done it. Wonder if a regular .410 wad would work in a .45 ML? I'm not really seriously considering something like this for "real hunting," just curious about the possibilities. Never know what a guy might have to do someday!

[scrat]

No one would recommend it however it would work. Since there are some rifles that do shoot 45 and 410. Wow so easy for you to do. Id do it but then i have done it with a 50. Yours is so easy. Just remember when shooting plastic sabots through a rifled barrel you have to run a brush through it after every shot. So everytime you go to shoot the shot gun you have to run a brush through it. Your going to love it though

[buckconner]

When Herters was still around you could buy different size plastic shot columns that worked like those seen today in modern shot shells. Once in a while I run across them on the Internet, Ebay is a good source. Its not to hard to find .50, .54, and .58 shot columns and cups, the .36 and larger .60's seem to have dried up now. The plastic shot columns is loaded with your shot, the over the powder wad can be glued on the bottom and an over the shot wad my also be glued in place. This makes for easy loading, really can't say if they are more acturate or not over loading loose shot for patterning, never tried that.

[scrat]

you would not have to glue it above the shot on a muzzle loader. as there is nothing to glue. you work the wad in until its just below the muzzle. Then pour in the shot. at that time you can ram it down about 1/2 inch. then place a fibre wad in the muzzle and ram it slowly until it meets the shot. Then push it all the way down unti it meets the nitro card on top of the powder. You will get a heavy recoil this way. if you place a filler wad on top of the nitro wad above the powder. Some of the recoil will be absorbed. This will make a light recoil.

[buckconner]

you would not have to glue it above the shot on a muzzle loader. as there is nothing to glue. you work the wad in until its just below the muzzle. Then pour in the shot. at that time you can ram it down about 1/2 inch. then place a fibre wad in the muzzle and ram it slowly until it meets the shot. Then push it all the way down unti it meets the nitro card on top of the powder. You will get a heavy recoil this way. if you place a filler wad on top of the nitro wad above the powder. Some of the recoil will be absorbed. This will make a light recoil.
By glueing the cards on either end of the plastic column filled with shot you now have a loaded cylinder for ease of loading is what I'm trying to tell you. What you state is true also but with more steps to load, if we are shooting trap or skeet we will use as you suggested, either way works.