10 gauge slugs

[skeeter2]

I have a double barrel Pedersoli kit that I built. It's been hanging on my wall for years. Today I looked at it and thought, "I wonder if I can shoot round balls or slugs out of it." Do any of you guys shoot slugs in your BP shotguns? Where do I get molds or even projectiles to try? How much powder? I bet they would be really devastating. Any thoughts and help are appreciated.

[johnson1942]

their was a guy in oregon who made a mould that looked like the pellets you shoot in a air gun. they were quite accurate. they looked like a roundball with a triangle shaped hollow cup attached. try pacific rifle co. on the internet they had a picture of one like it.

[oldracer]

Well if it were me, I would try some shot loads while looking for a slug or other one piece bullet? There are many posts here on loading 12 GA guns and even some You-Tube videos and I'd use that load as a guide which would be less than a full bore 10 GA load. The video I watched the other night had FFG Goex, wads over the powder with some lube, shot, wad over the shot. I forget the thickness of the wads but it was simple enough to make me want to try one!

[DIRT Farmer]

I have never tried to shoot round balls from my guns, although the mould for the Brown Bess would be close. With shot loads you can get good paterns from 7/8ths oz to the 1 1/2 oz that Pedersoli lists as max. 7/8 oz is more fun on clay targets.

[longbow]

Not sure of dimensions offhand but Lyman makes a 0.735" round ball mould (Track of the Wolf sells round balls in various calibers). It weight 575 grs. It should be smaller than a 10 ga. choke (if the gun is choked) and could be centered in the bore using donut wads or a "cup" (inverted 10 ga. gas seal). If the gun isn't choked then a 0.735" RB may fit into a shotcup for the cylinder bore.

Good round ball loads can do very well. I get 3" to 4" groups at 50 yards with 12 ga. (cartridge mind you).

Maybe another option and easy to try.

Longbow

[Coffeecup]

I shoot ball from my double far more often than I do shot (I'm a lousy shotgunner). I generally start with a charge of 70 grains of FFg (NOT FFFg) and work up til the two barrels are grouping roughly in the same place. With most guns (and shotgun sights) 9 of 10 shots on a 10" paper plate at 50 yards is a reasonable goal. A really good double will often cut that group size in half.

My current gun is an old 11 gauge Belgian double. So far (still working up loads) I load the powder charge, then an overshot wad, then a ball patched with denim. Balls are cast of WWL in a .735" mould. I'm still playing with the powder charges because each barrel wants a different charge to regulate POI! Argh. . . .