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Thread: An experiment of paper cartridges in muzzleloading shotguns

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    630

    An experiment of paper cartridges in muzzleloading shotguns

    I decided to try an experiment. Since paper cartridges were THE way militaries loaded flintlock and even percussion muskets up to the Civil War, I decided to see if it was possible to do the same with muzzleloading shotguns.

    My first attempt was with my Pedersoli Baker shotgun, a reproduction of something used by the Confederate Cavalry in 20 gauge with 11-inch barrels. I made buck and ball rounds, wrapped up in newsprint and tied at the ends over three .310" round balls and a .570" roundball with 50 grains of FFG Triple 7. I would tear the bottom end of the paper off, pour the powder in and then take the rest of the cartridge, paper and all and ram that down the barrel. At 15 yards it proved pretty effective, I lost a couple of the .310" roundballs somewhere, but it worked really well.





    Then I tried the same with my Pedersoli 12 gauge Coach Gun with it's 20-inch barrels. I used the same three .310" and this time a .690" roundball for each round. I tied them up the same, but this time I greased the outside of each paper cartridge with Bore Butter. At 15 yards the pattern was very tight, again, a very effective load.



    Whatever cannot be remedied, must be endured.

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    Sep 2013
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    MI (summer) - AZ (winter)
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    5,098
    Thanks for the post - interesting! I have played with paper cartridges in y flint fusillade de chases but only wihh a rb - no buckshot. Have shot rifled musket for 55 years but lately I have been having an itch to get something like a 1842 Springfield smoothbore just to play wit to try such things as you did. Your shotguns look like a lot of fun and I wouldn't want tone on the receiving end of your loads! LOL Thanks much for sharing.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    LynC2's Avatar
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    Jul 2011
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    Albuquerque, Nuevo Mexico
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    613
    That's very interesting, thanks for posting it.
    NRA Endowment member, TSRA Life member, Distinguished Rifleman, Viet Nam Vet

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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