Muzzle loading shotgun - choke and round ball?

[mj2evans]

So I have a used Pedersoli muzzle loading 12ga SxS. I have shot a few skeet with it but have not patteren it yet. I need to get overpowder wads,etc and wanted to order some round balls just for fun. I was "told" the gun is IC and the barrels are stamped 18.3 on each. I assume this is 18.3mm and that converts to 0.720 in - seems fine. For fun I took a telescopoing hole gauge to the last 3/4 in of each barrel - I get 0.678!!!! The barrel is definately larger as I move deeper in but I cannot measure that due to constriction at the muzzle. Is this normal? I assume a round ball would, even with patching, be bouncing around in the bore if I used one small enough to enter the barrel.

[flyingmonkey35]

The barrel is definitely larger as I move deeper in but I cannot measure that due to constriction at the muzzle. Is this normal?
A: Yes it is.


I assume a round ball would, even with patching, be bouncing around in the bore if I used one small enough to enter the barrel.
A: thats why you get a ball only .001 of a inch smaller then then barrel the patch will make up for it.


Expect NO accuracy shooting ball ammo out of a shot gun, it's not really designed for it. youd have more fun shooting 000 buck out of it.


and making watermelons and pumpkins ok splat


and R ember
Powder / Patch / Ball
or for shot gun
Powder / Patch / BB/ Wad

[Boogieman]

A cylinder bore shotgun will shoot a patched round ball quite well . Just watch a trade gun or smoothbore musket match

[DIRT Farmer]

If it does not have screw in choaks it should be IC in the right barrel and mod in the left barrel. some of the early ones were cyl and cyl.
If you try round ball, try loading as you would shot, over powder and lubed fiber wad, ball and card over the top. The wad centers the ball going dow the barrel. be aware that if you load both barrels the ball may move the card wad (as it can also with a loose patched ball) and you can have an air space in the barrel.

[longbow]

I used to have a Pedersoli side by 12 ga. and wish I still had it. I used it for informal trap shooting and got a spike buck with it using 00 buck.

I also tried using round ball and found that a 0.690" fit both sides (IC and modified as Dirt Farmer says). I got no accurayc with a naked ball though.

Something I did not try and wish I had was donut wads. A felt donut wad pushed down the bore then a round ball then an over ball wad should keep the undersize ball centered all the way so "should" give decent accuracy. It's worth a try anyway.

In cartridge guns some use an inverted gas seal to center the ball and claim it works well. That should also work in a muzzleloader. Again, it is worth a try.

Longbow