When the topic of muzzle loading guns comes up most people assume you are speaking of black powder rifles or to a lesser degree, pistols. Smoothbores and shotguns are rarely mentioned. This is unfortunate because smoothbores played a major roll in the settlement of North America and were the most common firearm available during the rendezvous period of the fur trade. A smoothbore gun can be used to take every type of game or fowl. They are extremely versatile, efficient, and enjoyable guns.
Smoothbores come in many different forms. The northwest trade gun, fusil, fowling piece, musket, or shotgun, whether flintlock or percussion, have certain things in common. The loading, shooting, cleaning, and care of them all can be considered as one topic. For the purpose of this article and to reduce confusion these guns will be referred to as “shotguns” when loading them with shot and “smoothbores” when loaded with a single round ball.
Because the shot load is assembled as the gun is being loaded a muzzle loading shotgun allows the shooter the flexibility to tailor each load for a specific purpose. The size of the shot pellets, amount of shot in ounces, and the amount of powder loaded can easily be changed to match the game and the shooting situation. The versatility of the muzzle loading shotgun is evident here because every shot is essentially a custom hand load.
The majority of factory made reproduction muzzle loading shotguns produced today will either be 20 or 12 gauge with a few 10 gauge guns available. Custom smoothbore guns in gauges other than 20 and 12 are available and plenty of old original muzzle loading shotguns are still being used. Standardization in gauges was not practiced much at the time these old guns were built and the gauge of original guns can vary from what might be considered the norm. It is not uncommon to find original guns in 19, 16, 14, 13, 11, or even 8 gauge.
Any original gun should be checked over by a competent muzzle loading gunsmith to determine if it is in good condition to be shot. If the internal dimension of the bore is unknown, it will need to be measured in order to purchase cards and wads that fit properly or the correct size arch punch needed to make them.
All historically accurate replicas of flintlock smoothbores and those percussion shotguns developed before 1874 will be cylinder bore. The idea of extending the range and concentrating the shot on the center of the target by constricting the bore near the muzzle had been worked on for over a hundred years before any success was achieved. In 1866 a patent was granted to an American, last name Roper, for a choke-bored barrel. His choke design never proved practical. W.W. Greener, the famous British gun developer, eventually came up with the tools and a practical method for choking. His first guns with this configuration were developed in 1874.
A variety of chokes are now offered in modern replica muzzle loading shotguns. These guns can be purchased with fixed chokes or interchangeable choke tubes. Standard chokes of improved cylinder and Modified can be loaded with shot without much difficulty. Full choke guns can be a problem to load. Since the cards are larger than the choke they will be difficult to push through the constriction and may deform during the process. This can have a detrimental effect on the pattern.
A special type of choke, known as a “Jug” choke can be done in a cylinder bore gun. This is a custom gunsmith procedure which is accomplished by removing metal from inside the barrel to form a precisely shaped widening of a short section of the bore behind the muzzle. Since the bore is not constricted, the cards will load as easily as in a cylinder bore. The jug choke is said to shoot as well as the best of modern chokes and it is favored by many dedicated turkey hunters.
The choice of a cylinder or a choked bore is up to the individual shooter. If the gun will only be used as a shotgun, choked barrels should be considered for the improved patterns at longer distances. However, shooting round balls from a choked barrel is not recommended. Cylinder bore guns remain the most versatile considering they will shoot both round ball and shot loads very well.
This photo shows the cards and wads used to load a muzzle loading shotgun.
From left to right:
Thin over-shot card.
Heavy over-powder (nitro) card.
Paper fiber cushion wads. (these have not been lubed)
During the early history of the development and use of shotguns and smoothbores just about any material that was handy was used as wadding to keep the powder and ball or shot from falling out of the barrel before it was fired. Documented evidence reveals that such materials as wasp and hornet nests, flax fibers (tow), paper, fabric of linen, cotton, and wool, grass, leaves, and even beaver fur have been loaded into the barrels of smoothbores. Military muskets were loaded with pre-made paper cartridges and that paper cartridge served as the wadding. (See the article on musket loading and military reenactment.) In the interest of historical accuracy many reenactors continue to load their smoothbore guns in this manner.
The traditional method for loading shotguns commonly used today utilizes the same components which were used in the old paper shot shells. The only difference being the load is assembled in the gun barrel instead of a shot shell. Building the load in this way produces a very efficient, hard shooting round. Velocities of these black powder loads are only 100 to 200 fps slower than modern shot shells and that little difference is not enough to prevent the clean killing of game or consistent breaking of clay targets. The components used and the correct sequence for loading them in a muzzle loading shotgun are as follows:
- black powder
- over-powder (nitro) card
- lubed cushion wad
- shot
- over-shot card
Before loading any muzzle loader be sure the barrels and nipples are clean and dry. Run one or two dry patches down both barrels and pop a couple of caps on each nipple. This clears the nipples of any oil residue. Follow that by running another dry patch down each barrel. This picks up any oil or debris knocked loose by the caps.
To load the shotgun:
1. Measure and pour the correct powder charge down each barrel. If shooting a double barrel gun it might be wise to charge each barrel at the same time to avoid confusion as to what has been done in the loading process. The most frequently recommended black powder granulation for shotguns is FF granulation. (2-F)
2. The over powder (nitro) card is next. The nitro card is made of dense cardboard about 1/8th inch thick. It should fit tight in the bore to prevent hot gasses from passing through the shot charge. This card along with the cushion wad prevent the shot from settling to the bottom of the powder. Depending on the choke of your gun, these wads can be snug to very tight. Start an edge of the wad and then finish it off by pushing it down onto the powder with the ramrod. Seat the wad firmly on the powder.
3. The lubed cushion wad is next. Cushion wads are made of compressed paper or felt. These can be purchased lubricated or non lubricated. Hunters typically lube their cushion wads with a grease based lube such as Bore Butter or Crisco. Trap and Skeet shooters often use water with a little dish soap mixed in or moose milk which is a mixture of water and water soluble oil. The lube helps to keep powder fouling issues to a minimum without needing to clean the barrel between shots. Push the cushion wad firmly down on top of the over powder card. Maintain a firm grip on the ramrod, air pressure can force it back out of the barrel.
4. Measure and pour the desired charge of shot down the barrel.
5. The over-shot card is last. These are made of light cardboard or heavy paper about 1/16th inch thick. The purpose of the over shot card is to prevent the shot from falling out of the barrel. Push the card down the barrel till it is seated on top of the shot charge. Seat it firmly, but don’t pack it down so hard as to deform the shot pellets. Some shooters use the vent pick or nipple pick to pierce a small hole in the center of the over-shot card to allow air pressure to escape, making loading a little easier and preventing trapped air pressure from moving the card back up the barrel.
6. Return the ramrod to the thimbles. Clay target shooters generally use metal loading rods. The wooden ramrod that accompanies the gun is more convenient for hunting and loading in the field but wooden ramrods can and will break.
7. With the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, prime the pan or place a percussion cap on the nipples. If the cap is loose, squeeze the skirt of the cap together and reinstall. Lower the hammers to half cock.
8. When shooting a double barrel gun and only one barrel is fired, remove the percussion cap from the unfired barrel or clean the priming powder from the pan of a flintlock, and put the hammers in half cock position. This will help prevent an accidental discharge while you are reloading the empty barrel. Check the unfired barrel with your ramrod to be sure recoil from firing the first barrel did not cause the shot charge and over-shot card to move up the barrel. If the over-shot card fits the bore properly this will not be an issue. However, repeated firing and reloading of one barrel only could possibly cause this condition. It is a good idea to check it by placing the ramrod down the unfired barrel while loading the empty one.
As a general rule most shotguns will perform very well with an equal volume load. This is easy to accomplish by using the same measure for both shot and powder. Simply decide on the amount of shot needed, set the measure for that amount and use that same measure for the powder. For example; a measure set to hold 1 ounce of shot will also hold 2 ½ drams (or 68.0 grains) of powder.
The adjustable measure pictured here is marked in both drams of powder and ounces of shot. It is very handy when loading equal volume loads.
CAUTION never exceed the maximum load recommended for your gun.
Black Powder Equal Volume Shot Loads
|
Dram (powder) |
Grains (powder) |
Ounce (shot) |
|
2 |
55 |
3/4 |
|
2 1/4 |
62 |
7/8 |
|
2 1/2 |
68 |
1 |
|
2 3/4 |
75 |
1 1/8 |
|
3 |
82 |
1 1/4 |
|
3 1/4 |
89 |
1 3/8 |
|
3 1/2 |
96 |
1 1/2 |
|
3 3/4 |
102 |
1 5/8 |
|
4 |
109 |
1 3/4 |
|
4 1/4 |
116 |
1 7/8 |
|
4 1/2 |
123 |
2 |
|
4 3/4 |
130 |
2 1/8 |
|
5 |
137 |
2 1/4 |
With any type of shotgun it is always a good idea for the shooter to take the time to pattern the gun and load. Keep in mind that each component of the load can have an effect on the pattern. Hard shot and hard plated shot will produce tighter patterns than soft chilled shot. Loading less black powder than shot will usually tighten the pattern while loading more powder than shot can open it.
The pattern board is used to evaluate the performance of the shotgun and it's load. The pattern shown here was fired at 35 yards from the improved cylinder barrel of a 12 gauge double barrel percussion shotgun loaded with 80 grains of Goex 2-F powder, a nitro card, half of a lubed cussion wad, one and an eighth ounces of # 8 shot, with a thin over shot card.
Different shooters have their personal preferences on the use of cushion wads. These wads are normally about half an inch thick. Some shooters achieve better patterns by loading half of a wad, or a quarter of the wad, others use a wad punched from sheets of cork or felt. All these variables will have some effect on the patterns the gun produces. With some experimentation the muzzle loading shot gunner can develop loadings which are ideal for every shooting situation.
An arch punch the same diameter as the bore of the gun can be used to cut out wads and cards either to save costs or to experiment with different materials to improve patterns. These wads were cut from a sheet of cork.
Another approach to loading the muzzle loading shotgun is to duplicate the performance of a modern shot shell which would be preferred for a given application. For example; a friend who is a very good dove hunter prefers Winchester AA shot shells loaded with 2 3/4 dram equivalent and 1 1/8 ounce of number 8 shot for his modern 12 gauge over / under shotgun. To duplicate that load in his side by side 12 gauge percussion muzzle loader he loads it with 75.0 grains (2 3/4 drams) of black powder and 1 1/8 ounces of number 8 shot. Which, interesting to note, happens to be an equal volume load.
The following table gives some common loadings for each gauge of muzzle loading shotgun.
Once again, regardless of any information taken from any load charts, never exceed the manufacturer’s recommended maximum loads for your gun. And never load a muzzle loading gun with smokeless powder. Always use black powder or modern black powder substitutes.
Traditional Loads for Muzzle Loading Shotguns by Gauge.
|
Gauge |
Amount of ffg powder |
Ounces of shot |
|
28 gauge |
2 drams = 55 grains |
3/4 ounces |
|
20 gauge |
2 ¼ drams = 62 grains |
7/8 ounces |
|
2 ¾ drams = 75 grains |
1 ounce |
|
|
16 gauge |
2 1/2 drams = 68 grains |
1 ounce |
|
3 drams = 82 grains |
1-1/8 ounces |
|
|
14 gauge |
3 drams = 82 grains |
1 ounce |
|
3 ¼ drams = 89 grains |
1-1/8 ounces |
|
|
12 gauge |
3 drams = 82 grains |
1 ounce |
|
3 ¼ drams = 89 grains |
1-1/8 ounces |
|
|
3 ¾ drams = 102 grains |
1-1/4 ounces |
|
|
10 gauge |
4 ¼ drams = 116 grains |
1-1/2 ounces |
|
4 ½ drams = 123 grains |
1-1/2 ounces |
|
|
5 drams = 137 grains |
1-3/4 ounces |
|
For the best performance from a cylinder bore gun remember this old rhyme;
Less powder, more lead, shoots far, kills dead.
More powder, less lead, kicks hard, wide spread.
Adjusting the balance between powder and shot is one way to improve the pattern in a cylinder bore gun. This was a commonly known practice prior to the development of choked barrels that still works today.
Other ways to improve the performance of cylinder bore guns are:
Reduce the range limit by 5 to 10 yards. Simply call that turkey a little closer.
Increase the size of the shot one size larger than normally used. The higher energy of larger pellets can compensate for the slightly fewer hits on the target.
Some shooters use a shot cup for longer range shooting. This technique is more common among trap shooters, waterfowl and turkey hunters. Some construct a paper tube to contain the shot and others use the plastic shot cups made for modern shot shells. Cut off the cushioning part of these leaving only the cup. There are some disadvantages in doing this. One is that plastic shot cups are made to fit inside a shot shell (not the bore of the gun) and will be too small to fit properly. In this case be sure to load a tight fitting over-powder card to seal the gasses behind the shot cup. Also, none of the shot cups are large enough to completely contain a large load of shot. Because of this it can be difficult to load down the barrel without forcing some of the shot in between the plastic cup and the side of the bore. Others claim the plastic from these cups can foul the bore of the gun badly. Opinions of this practice are mixed. Despite the drawbacks there are shooters who have found ways to use these shot cups to effectively tighten their patterns.
As complicated as all this may sound, loading and shooting a muzzle loading shotgun can be quite straight forward. Simply start with an equal volume load with the proper amount of shot and powder for the gauge of the gun. Shoot some patterning targets to check how the gun patterns that load. If those patterns prove satisfactory (and they usually will) No further work need be done.
If you are the type of shooter who loves to tinker with things until you achieve optimum performance, you may enjoy experimenting and developing different shot loads for specific applications. The ability to tailor an ideal load for every shooting situation is one aspect of the muzzle loading shotgun which makes them so wonderfully versatile.
Loading and shooting the round ball.
Any cylinder bore smoothbore which puts the center of its pattern right where the bead is pointed will shoot a round ball with enough accuracy to take large game out to 50 yards. With some practice that distance can be extended to 75 yards. At first consideration, you might think that the lack of a rear sight would be a severe disadvantage to accurate shooting but this is not necessarily true. A well-fitting smoothbore will point naturally at the target and the position of your head and eye serve the same function as a rear sight.
An ounce of lead weighs 437.5 grains. A typical military musket is .75 caliber (11 gauge). A common shot charge for this gauge is 1 ½ ounces or 656 grains. The .75 caliber round ball will weigh 625 grains. Even though it may feel heavy, the .75 caliber round ball is actually lighter than the normal shot charge for that gun and can be safely shot from a cylinder bore with moderate to heavy powder charges. This holds true for every gauge / caliber of gun. A round ball for any given gauge will always weigh less than the maximum charge of shot for that gauge.
The historical method for loading a round ball in trade guns was to use some wadding between the powder and ball with another wad of something on top of the ball to hold it in place. Military muskets were always loaded with paper cartridges.
Today, shooters use different approaches to loading the smoothbore with round ball. One method is to load the gun in the same manner as loading a shotgun, substituting the round ball in place of the shot. When loading in this manner push the cushion wad slightly below the muzzle and place the ball sprue down and centered on the wad. Push the ball and wad down the bore to sit snugly on the over-powder card taking care not to disturb the position of the ball on the wad. Then seat an over shot card on top of the ball. The disadvantage associated with this method is the loose fit of the round ball will not keep it centered in the bore. It will tend to bounce off the sides of the bore as it is fired down the barrel.
Another approach is to load the smoothbore in the same manner as loading a rifle. Pour the measured powder charge down the barrel and load a patched round ball directly on top of the powder charge omitting all the cards and wads. The lubed patch should be thick enough to hold the ball snugly on top of the powder charge and keep it centered in the bore. When loading a patched ball, position the sprue up and centered. The disadvantage of this loading method is that the barrel will need to be wiped between shots to remove excess powder fouling. Because the barrel is not rifled there are no groves to hold the excess fouling or patching material. Fouling will build up quickly, making it difficult to load the patched ball down the barrel after a few shots.
A third approach is loading a patched ball on top of an over-shot card and a lubed cushion wad. The card and wad will clear some of the fouling as they are pushed down the bore and the patching will hold the ball centered in the bore. Using this method the shooter may be able to fire several shots before needing to swab the barrel.
No two gun barrels will perform exactly alike and a load that shoots accurately in one gun may not shoot as well in another. It is always a good idea to experiment with different loads and methods to discover which produces the best accuracy in each gun.
In addition to powder, wads, cards, shot, patching, and round balls other items necessary to the operation of the gun will include:
A metal loading rod or a spare wooden ramrod.
Cleaning jags, patches, solvent, and brushes.
A patch worm, and a ball puller or a CO-2 dis-charger.
Nipple wrench, nipple pick, extra percussion caps and cap holder. Or extra flints, leathers, vent pick, screw driver and flint tool.
A flask, horn, or container for the powder.
A container to hold the shot.
Adjustable and fixed measures for powder and shot.
Knife to cut patches.
Skeet and trap shooters along with some dove hunters will organize and transport all their accouterments in some type of shooters box. This is a convenient method when the gun is being loaded at a loading bench as it is done on the clay target range. Some dove hunters will set up their loading box on a stool in the field. This can work very well when shooting from a fixed location in a dove field. Pre measured loads can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the box until needed. (See the article on “Musket Loading for reenactments”)
A hunter who moves about looking for game will need a more mobile arrangement. Some of the old timers simply filled the pockets of their blue over-alls and went hunting. A more traditional and much better organized system is the use of a shooting bag. (See the article “Shooting Bag Contents”)
Two styles of "shot snake" designed to be worn over the hunters shoulder. These soft leather pouches contain the shot and dispense a measured charge. The first has the English style dispenser head. The second is the Irish type which offers a wider range of adjustments for the shot charge. The preferred style is strictly a matter of personal preference.
Occasionally, a hunter may reach the end of a day with his gun still unfired, in loaded condition. At the target range it is simple enough to discharge a loaded gun down range. But during a hunt it may not be desirable to unload the gun by firing it off in the field, alerting the game in the area of your presence. In this instance the load can be easily and quietly removed with the use of a ball puller and patch worm.
A CO-2 dis-charger can be used to blow the load out of the gun. However, be sure the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction as the load will have quite a bit of force behind it when expelled. Another concern with the use of a CO-2 dis-charger is that it will sometimes leave a considerable amount of the powder charge inside the barrel. Be sure to clear all the powder out before reloading the gun to avoid double charging.
Concerns and considerations for double barrel guns.
Loading a double barrel muzzle loading shotgun can get a little confusing at times. Decide on a system and stick with it to avoid mistakes in the loading sequence. Some shooters prefer to load the powder charge into both barrels, then the over-shot card into both barrels, followed by the cushion wad into both barrels, then the shot charge into both barrels, and finally the over-shot card into both barrels.
Others choose to load one barrel first, always starting with the same barrel (either right or left). Then load the second barrel. If that system works for you use it. But, forget where you are in the process just one time, load the same barrel twice, and you are in for a very unpleasant experience. Keep your mind focused on what you are doing and avoid distractions when loading any gun but pay especially close attention when loading a double barrel.
As mentioned previously, when re-loading one barrel of a double barrel shotgun while the other barrel remains loaded, always remove the percussion cap from the nipple of the loaded barrel and put the hammers on both barrels in the half cock position. For a flintlock, clean the priming powder out of the pan, leave the frizzen open and the cocks in the half cock position. This is an extremely important safety issue which cannot be over stated.
Cleaning a muzzle loading shotgun or smoothbore is not much different than cleaning a black powder rifle or pistol. This subject has been completely addressed in the article “Cleaning a Muzzle Loader” and need not be repeated here.
Smoothbore guns can expand muzzle loading hunting opportunities for traditional hunters. The smoothbore loaded as a shotgun allows the hunter to pursue those birds and small game animals which he may not be allowed to hunt with a rifle. In those locations where deer hunters are required to use buck shot, a smoothbore is a very good choice. Loaded with a lead round ball, a hunter can use a smoothbore to kill the largest game animals in America if the terrain and situation permits him to approach within a distance of 50 to 75 yards. No doubt the early frontiersmen armed with smoothbores were able to supply plenty of meat for their tables. The smoothbore gun today is equally at home at rendezvous, in the game fields, or on the clay target range. A more versatile, efficient and enjoyable gun will be difficult to find.