[Shasta]

I recently inherited a 10 ga Pedersoli double barrel from my Uncle. When I was a kid I used to have a Navy Arms 12 ga double barrel black powder. I hunted with it all the time and really enjoyed it. Got a lot of doves and hundreds of rabbits with it. My uncle bought this 10 ga right after I bought mine. I ended up giving the 12 ga to my Dad, figuring I could always borrow it back. Unfortunately he traded it off on me. I was pretty happy to get another black powder shotgun.

I was just wondering if anyone on here shoots black powder shotguns or even trade guns with shot. I was thinking of trying this gun out for turkeys but in California they won't let us shoot lead at anything. Wondering if anyone has tried shooting steel out of a muzzle-loader. Any idea where to start with loads? With lead it was pretty easy as you just used the same volume for powder and shot.

Sorry not a great picture but in great shape for being about 35 years old.

 

[vintovka]

No steel please, Yours is now a 6-800 shotgun and steel shot might be bad - very bad. I hunted pheasants for years with mine and shot trap with it quite a bit. Now wild pheasant have become nearly extinct due to pesticides and bad land management not lead. Have friends who still hunt in CA with lead. They do carry some steel shot in case they are every asked but none use it. Hint.

 

[DK PHILLIPS]

Bi metals buy, open box cut shells..legal..
find what shot size you like best..then look for a pound of same.
steel mess that shotgun up..my friends got one in basement safe..turkey killer, squirrel popper..
he used modern cup too..

 

[Shasta]

In my younger days I would of pretty much taken Vintovka's advice as that is pretty much what I did when we first started requiring steel shot for ducks. Now just having lead shot in possession while hunting is a big no-no. I have thought about shooting bismuth but most of that stuff seems to be very expensive. Probably looking at about $2 a shot just in bismuth. Doable for turkeys and geese I guess.

My plan was to use plastic shot cups to hold the pellets and keep them from touching the bore. That is pretty much what I did with my old shotgun too. Of course I never shot steel out of my old gun. My first shotgun had two cylinder bores. This one has one cylinder and one improved. The choke is probably what has me most concerned. I guess I will have to think this over some more.

Thanks for your advice. I will let you know what I come up with.

 

[Caribou]

As a Felon for 5 years, before the Judge rectified that, I was only able to use BP legally.
I used a nice 50 cal and a Pederosoli 12 gauge, and we too are restricted to steel with migratory waterfowl.
I bought ball bearings by the pound and torched them glowing red and let cool for an anealing.
A filled shot cup over my wad and another wad over that and 70 grn. of BP substitute, with a trickle of real ffff under the nipple at below Zero temps for hunting, for sure fire ignition.

 

[DK PHILLIPS]

Very out of the box answer..neat never Thought in that direction..neat<>< dan

 

[vintovka]

As a Felon for 5 years, before the Judge rectified that, I was only able to use BP legally.
I used a nice 50 cal and a Pederosoli 12 gauge, and we too are restricted to steel with migratory waterfowl.
I bought ball bearings by the pound and torched them glowing red and let cool for an anealing.
A filled shot cup over my wad and another wad over that and 70 grn. of BP substitute, with a trickle of real ffff under the nipple at below Zero temps for hunting, for sure fire ignition.

More a testimony to pedersolis quality and use of modern steels. I have seen the result of regular steel shot ( and even BB's) used in a antique or early reproduction ML shotgun. The W. Richards doubles top and bottom straps came loose fairly fast. The early Belgian single barrel DGW bulged but held. You had to run your fingers down barrel or sight along sides to see it. Both owners stopped fast and no telling what may have happened. Most ML shotguns are not for use with lead ball and plastic shot cup. Even new ones. The shot of you taking game with a ball load gave me the willies. FWIW were the ball bearings chromed and did you try whacking them with a hammer after annealing to determine softness?

 

[DK PHILLIPS]

I’ve seen separated ribs lots of high quality doubles ..

 

[john.k]

Vintovka has a bit of a point .....you cant anneal/ soften hardened SAE 52100 ball bearing steel with a short period of heating......cheap ball bearings may be high carbon steel ,in which case even five minutes at 700C will anneal them fully.

 

[DK PHILLIPS]

Chinese bearings few years back..found to have softer centers..causing deformities..when friction heated in the races..
skate boards first, autos, industrial bearing supplies became subject..

 

[john.k]

I can recall Chinese ball bearings fitted to bicycle hubs crushing and breaking within a few days .......back in the days of the five year plans ,and the "Great Leap Forward"...........I also note on Ebay ,a seller of Ball bearings describing the product as round and uniform to .002" to .004".......in other words door track quality balls ,completely unsuitable for any mechanical application.

 

[DK PHILLIPS]

Forgotten about that..was in the article on skateboard tricks crushing bearings.

 

[Sidney Smith]

I've got a .62 caliber (20 gauge) poor boy styled smooth bore that I use strictly as a shotgun. I use it for squirrels, turkey and pheasant hunting when I'm hunting alone. It's a lot of fun to shoot.