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Thread: The Muzzleloading Shotgun, by V.M. Starr

  1. #41
    Boolit Master




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    As I just picked up a 12ga ML SxS this is a good find, thanks much.
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  2. #42
    Boolit Mold
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    I bought this about 3 years ago and when it came in the mail I read it cover to cover (It's only about10 pages!). I was disappointed because all the shotguns he used he had jug choked and recommended the same. Shoot yeah, you jug choke a muzzleloader you can get some good groups but there's a way to get good groups WITHOUT messing with the barrels and he doesn't give one bit of help in load development for the straight cylinder tubed old percussion guns you're going to have.

  3. #43
    Moderator Emeritus / Trusted loob groove dealer

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    Quote Originally Posted by Marc Adamchek View Post
    I bought this about 3 years ago and when it came in the mail I read it cover to cover (It's only about10 pages!). I was disappointed because all the shotguns he used he had jug choked and recommended the same. Shoot yeah, you jug choke a muzzleloader you can get some good groups but there's a way to get good groups WITHOUT messing with the barrels and he doesn't give one bit of help in load development for the straight cylinder tubed old percussion guns you're going to have.
    On the contrary, this does indeed work with a cylinder bore shotgun. I get very good pattern dispersal with Vic's methods.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


  4. #44
    Boolit Bub
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    Loading 12 ga slug. I have lyman slug mold no. 12 BX, hollow base (big), it mikes out at .705. My barrel is cy bore, the slug slides down the tube. It is too large to put it in a shot cup and load it. can I just drop it over a cardboard wad and place another cardboard wad over it, the big skirt may fill the bore on firing. I even thought of paperpatching the slug for a tight fit. Any thoughts?
    Bill

  5. #45
    Boolit Buddy RhodeHunter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by waksupi View Post
    When I need more card wads, I go to Walmart. Go to the art and picture frame section, and look for the heavy poster board. Works perfectly. It's about 1/16+" in thickness. You get LOTS of wads from one sheet.
    Waksupi, since I made my Spanish-made Kentucky into a smoothbore, I will be trying to make some card wads. Since the cards you are using are a smidge thinner than the 3/32" recommended by Starr, do you change the number of cards you use? Or do you still use 2 cards over the powder and 1 over the shot? Thanks.

  6. #46
    Moderator Emeritus / Trusted loob groove dealer

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    Quote Originally Posted by RhodeHunter View Post
    Waksupi, since I made my Spanish-made Kentucky into a smoothbore, I will be trying to make some card wads. Since the cards you are using are a smidge thinner than the 3/32" recommended by Starr, do you change the number of cards you use? Or do you still use 2 cards over the powder and 1 over the shot? Thanks.
    I've stayed with 2 and 1. Shoot some patterns on newspaper, and let the gun tell you what it likes.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


  7. #47
    Boolit Buddy RhodeHunter's Avatar
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    My Walmart did not have any of the heavy posterboard. I ended up buying a sheet of 20inch x 30inch Canson art board at Joann's Fabric. I thought that was thick enough, but on the micrometer it is 0.055 inches thick. The 3/32 inch from Starr is almost double that at 0.09375. After much research on the web, what is really needed is what is called "chipboard", which is cardboard that is not corrugated. Even with that, 3/32 inch is the thickest it comes. It is called 2X heavy chipboard, 85 point, 3/32 inch, which they say is about the thickness of two dimes. Just an FYI for anyone looking like I am. ALSO, can anyone tell me the year Starr wrote what he wrote? He mentions a contest that took place in 1948. So this must be written at least after that; just wondering when he wrote this.
    Last edited by RhodeHunter; 03-04-2016 at 03:05 PM.

  8. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by RhodeHunter View Post
    My Walmart did not have any of the heavy posterboard. I ended up buying a sheet of 20inch x 30inch Canson art board at Joann's Fabric. I thought that was thick enough, but on the micrometer it is 0.055 inches thick. The 3/32 inch from Starr is almost double that at 0.09375. After much research on the web, what is really needed is what is called "chipboard", which is cardboard that is not corrugated. Even with that, 3/32 inch is the thickest it comes. It is called 2X heavy chipboard, 85 point, 3/32 inch, which they say is about the thickness of two dimes. Just an FYI for anyone looking like I am. ALSO, can anyone tell me the year Starr wrote what he wrote? He mentions a contest that took place in 1948. So this must be written at least after that; just wondering when he wrote this.

    No idea. Vic was an old man when I met him in the early 70's.
    The solid soft lead bullet is undoubtably the best and most satisfactory expanding bullet that has ever been designed. It invariably mushrooms perfectly, and never breaks up. With the metal base that is essential for velocities of 2000 f.s. and upwards to protect the naked base, these metal-based soft lead bullets are splendid.
    John Taylor - "African Rifles and Cartridges"

    Forget everything you know about loading jacketed bullets. This is a whole new ball game!


  9. #49
    Boolit Bub
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    I remember reading a reprint of his article in a black powder/hunting magazine my first year in College back in 1975, my guess would be that he wrote it sometime during the 1960's soon after the black powder boom started. I do have a question for you experts out there. I have 4 or 5 old original percussion shotguns, one is a W. Moore 12 ga, another J Hollis 12 ga, an English 16 ga, and two single bbl fowlers of English make (one 12 and the other 32 ga). They are all in pretty decent shape and I have shot them a lot, but with relatively light loads (60 grains FFG and 1 oz shot for the 12's and 50 grains FFG and 3/4 to 7/8 oz shot for the 16). Up until now all I have shot at were a few small critters and clay pigeons. My question is how heavy could I safely go if I wanted to hunt Turkey or Pheasant?
    Last edited by griffiga; 03-21-2016 at 11:42 AM.

  10. #50
    Boolit Bub danthman114's Avatar
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    just seen this thread and am pleased...
    the other forums I frequent have almost no interest in black powder. i took my sxs 12ga out for dove season this year and had lots of looks and grins. im using 1 1/4 pyrodex rs with a 1/8 nitro card and 1/4 pre-lubed wad. (just a 1/2" split in half) with 1 1/4oz #7.5 shot.
    works great for dove.
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  11. #51
    Boolit Master
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    GREAT INFO! My printer bought the farm so I could not print out a copy for myself. I ordered a COPY from smile.amazon . Cost $12.95 plus shipping & tax.
    Last edited by Buzzard II; 08-03-2019 at 07:06 PM.
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  12. #52
    Boolit Mold
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    I've been looking at getting my old Navy Arms SxS 12ga down off the wall. I bought it new around '83 and hunted with it for years. Then about 20 years ago, I put it in the living room gun cabinet and it's been there ever since. I think it's about time to teach the newer generation of squirrels a few things. And see if my grandkids have any interest in shooting the black powder instead of the black guns.

    Now if I can just figure out where I put all the stuff that went with it.
    These newfangled cartridge guns will never catch on.

  13. #53
    Boolit Buddy
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    Had mine out last Saturday.
    Belgium 14 Gauge Click image for larger version. 

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    Izz funnn

  14. #54
    Boolit Bub
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    Agreed, great topic with really incredible information about the old shotguns!

    I'd not seen powder loads measured in drams before and am wondering which
    dram measurement was used for the book? Was it Apothecaries Dram (20 grains)
    or Avoirdupois Dram (27.334 grains) if anyone should know?

    I like the thought of using the larger grain 1fg powder too for perhaps a more effective
    pressure development during the burn. A slower burning grain size is much safer for the
    old guns and, as pointed out in the text, results in much lower peak pressures in the barrel
    than would be the case with faster burning 3fg or 2fg.

  15. #55
    Boolit Mold
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    Sea Monkey, it is Avoirdupois, which is 1/16 oz.
    Good information here, backed up by experience. Interesting to find out that I'm not the only one who ever loaded shot w/o powder. After that I started using a clothes pin on the bbl I needed to avoid.
    Anyone here ever use a buffer w/the shot for tighter patterns on cyl bore guns?

  16. #56
    Boolit Buddy
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    Great stuff. This'll help me out when I start working up shot loads for a repro musket.

  17. #57
    Boolit Grand Master
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    V.M.Starr is who re-lined my 92 Winchester (25-20) back in the early 70's.

    Hmm--I have a H&R 12ga. Huntsman ML shotgun just sitting in the safe. Might have to pull it out one of these days and try it out.
    Last edited by rockrat; 12-10-2020 at 10:34 PM.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check