The 8 goes to war !

[45workhorse]

Just a tad off!
What powder/charge do you use?

[6pt-sika]

Just a tad off!
What powder/charge do you use?

I’m basically using Tom Armbrust’s loads for 1 1/2-2 ounce loads in WIN cases with SP-8 wads . I use Universal Clays , International Clays and Clays all Hodgdon powders . And of course I keep my buckshot and slug loads under 2 ounces . Tom has Blue Dot loads in his book as well but in REM hulls and using the Gualandi wad , when I’m able to acquire some of those wads I may try an adapt Blue Dot to the WIN hulls . I would just get 25 or so new REM hulls but they’re quite thick at the mouth and supposedly don’t star crimp well as at present I have no intrest in roll crimped .

[6pt-sika]

A quick check shows that around 1900, some standard 8 gauge shells for sale were 6 1/2 and 7 dram blackpowder loads, with 2 and 2 1/4 ounces of shot. That translates to about 175 and 190 grains of black powder. That roughly works out to 38 to 40 shots per pound of powder.

Of course you could load lighter too.

I went up to 110 or 120 grains by volume of 777 2Fg in my circa 1850 10 gauge percussion double barrel shooting the same .775” 730 grain slug I shoot in this 8 and in the ML with the metal buttplate it was a bit rough on the shoulder from the bench matter of fact I gave myself a bone spur or bruise after about forty shots over three days . But that ML is a good bit lighter than my 8 .

[6pt-sika]

I would like to see a pic of the wound that 730g slug makes on a whitetail.

BB

I plowed a deer I think two seasons ago with the smaller diameter 730 grainer I got from you in a Parker EH 10 gauge 28” factory original gun at I think it was 23 yards slug blew thru deer hit the ground . My alloy is 50/50 WW/pure the hole was pretty straight thru eat right up to the hole kinda thing . But on the other hand if I’d caught the backbone or took a Texas heart shot and got the ham bone the devastation most likely would be different .

[6pt-sika]

The only negative I have against the gun as far as using it is concerned (and I was aware of this going in) , the thing is not lively in the least in your hands and I understand a person that doesn’t shoot clay targets or birds a lot may not understand . By not lively I mean the feel in your hands isn’t great but at 14 pounds what would one expect . I do however have 10 gauge doubles that weigh a touch over ten pounds and they still feel relatively lively in my hands , but then for a number of years my tubes skeet gun was about 9 1/2 pounds so relatively speaking a heavy target gun feels good in my hands . But that not to say my light 16 , 20 and 28 gauge Parker’s don’t feel good in my hands as well as they most certainly do feel good .

[missionary5155]

Good morning
I appreciate reading these as I have been a double fan all my life.. So much so we have a double flintlock I use on crows and other vermin.
But what fun a double in some caliber .84 or larger would be. We have a flinter caliber .84 that may have been a wall gun and finally cut shorter for goose popping in SW Michigan long before my time. Still will mash crows at respectable ranges when the shooter follows through.

[45workhorse]

I’m basically using Tom Armbrust’s loads for 1 1/2-2 ounce loads in WIN cases with SP-8 wads . I use Universal Clays , International Clays and Clays all Hodgdon powders . And of course I keep my buckshot and slug loads under 2 ounces . Tom has Blue Dot loads in his book as well but in REM hulls and using the Gualandi wad , when I’m able to acquire some of those wads I may try an adapt Blue Dot to the WIN hulls . I would just get 25 or so new REM hulls but they’re quite thick at the mouth and supposedly don’t star crimp well as at present I have no intrest in roll crimped .

Somebody on here might have a 3D printer, that could make the Gualandi wad. Just thinking out-loud.
That is one heck of a hunk of lead and powder rumbling down range though. If close enough, one shot will kill, skin and cook
Who knows I may stumble across one of those and bring it home........

[6pt-sika]

All is good with the world I have 500 new WIN hulls on pre order with Precision . I wouldn’t mind having 50-100 of the REM hulls as well .

[6pt-sika]

Today I decided to order an 8 gauge roll crimp tool from BPI . I think I might get 50 of the new Remington hulls from the guy on GB they’re kinda stout price wise but I can endure the price for 50 . Just would like to get a couple hundred of the Guluandi wads to use in the REM hulls with the heavier loads .

[Greg]

6pt-sika

Wow, just wow !
that is one beautiful Parker

[6pt-sika]

6pt-sika

Wow, just wow !
that is one beautiful Parker

Thanks !

[W.R.Buchanan]

Wow: that is a beautiful gun! Who cares if it is a refinish. 99.9% of t people would never know the difference. It is very unlikely for a 100+ year old gun to be in as new or even real nice condition. Time has a way of degrading everything's condition.

I just looked in the Mirror and found out that I don't look like I'm 25 any more. Who'da thunk?

Randy

[6pt-sika]

Wow: that is a beautiful gun! Who cares if it is a refinish. 99.9% of t people would never know the difference. It is very unlikely for a 100+ year old gun to be in as new or even real nice condition. Time has a way of degrading everything's condition.

I just looked in the Mirror and found out that I don't look like I'm 25 any more. Who'da thunk?

Randy

I’m a collector as much as I hate to admit it , so OBVIOUSLY I’d rather have one in decent ORIGINAL condition . I’ve got about twenty (Parker’s not 8 gauges) that are older and in very nice shape a good many are 130 years old .

[Ozark mike]

You wouldn't happen to have a 10ga coach in that collection that you would sell would you

[6pt-sika]

You wouldn't happen to have a 10ga coach in that collection that you would sell would you

Short answer is no I have none . Long answer is if I had a 10 gauge Parker the barrels will atleast be the original length and I look for factory original 24 and 26 inch 10’s hammer and hammerless . I actually have one Parker 10 from the 1890’s that’s an original factory Grade 0 hammer gun two barrel set of which one of the barrels is 26” .

[6pt-sika]

Got the molds from the UK for 000000 buck (.415") and the one for a punkin ball at .775" . Cast about 18 of the punkin balls and not enough of the 000000 ! I'm going with six of the 000000 in a shell . Tried them last weekend at 30 yards and both barrels patterned them pretty well . Nothing like having a Kicks choke but well enough for deer extermination inside thirty yards which meets my parameters well enough . The punkin balls so far have not performed to suit me but I've not really had a single ball load in any gauge smoothbore I was satisfied with . Gonna do damage control Tuesday evening so ill drag along my howitzer with a couple 0 buck loads and a couple 000000 buck loads .

[megasupermagnum]

The key to getting a round ball to shoot good, is that they have to be a tight fit. I'm guessing you are shooting those balls without petals, so they go through the chokes freely, which leaves a ton of slop in the bore. I have absolutely no idea if this will work, but give buffer a try. Add a scoop of buffer under the ball, set the ball in as centered as you can, then dump buffer over the top until it is at the right level for a crimp. Then fire and pray it self centers.

[6pt-sika]

The key to getting a round ball to shoot good, is that they have to be a tight fit. I'm guessing you are shooting those balls without petals, so they go through the chokes freely, which leaves a ton of slop in the bore. I have absolutely no idea if this will work, but give buffer a try. Add a scoop of buffer under the ball, set the ball in as centered as you can, then dump buffer over the top until it is at the right level for a crimp. Then fire and pray it self centers.

Nope they fit in the shot cup . I was contemplating putting a few wraps of masking tape to tighten them . I’ve been doing that with the .775” 730 grain slug . I also ordered from BPI a roll crimper that works in a drill press and the clamp thing to hold the shell .

[6pt-sika]

I might also try putting a wrap of mylar inside the shot cup to tighten the roundball and the slug . I’ve got mylar in .003” and .010” . But the first thing I need is for my 500 hulls to arrive at Precision and then get on their way to me . My well used hulls with a folded crimp have proven pretty useless for the slugs so I thought I’d try a roll crimp to see if they stayed crimped any tighter . Because of weak crimps I’ve been getting a bunch of whoosh booms almost like a flintlock .

[W.R.Buchanan]

I use a 1/4" thick Felt Wad under my .662 balls, and it centers the ball up in the wad as it creates a pocket that conforms to the shape of the ball. My Ball and Wad combo measures right at .727 which is close but not tight.

These are loaded in my standard Trap Load of 18 gr of Green Dot and a Win AA Hull refolded. These are 50 yards rounds.

Randy