Blackpowder loads for Rabbits?
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passthru89
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2010 10:39 am
- Location: huron co., ohio
Blackpowder loads for Rabbits?
I just bought an H&R Huntsman 12 ga. muzzleloader. I've been around muzzleloading rifles for many years but am new to the muzzleloading shotgun part of it. Anyone got good loads for rabbits/squirrels? As far as it looks it has no choke, just a strait barrel about 26 inches long.
Re: Blackpowder loads for Rabbits?
If I remember correctly the standard load is 65 grains of FFG.
I would start out around there behind an ounce and an 1/8 of shot.
I shoot a 10 ga, with 90 gra FFg or FFFg and 1 1/2 ounce shot.
However, mine is not choked so it doesn't pattern well.
If I had a choked gun, I could probably cut it back some and do just as well.
I use circle fly wads.
Dump the powder charge, cover with a card board wad, then with a fiber cusion wad.
Dump the shot down and cover with an overshot card.
Here is Circle Fly's website:
http://www.circlefly.com/
The test for a shotgun is the "soup can" test.
Set tin cans out at the expected maximum range and shoot it.
In a soup can you should have about 4 or 5 shot hits that penetrate the can.
If you get 4 or 5 hits, but not penetration - your pattern is good, but velocity too low.
If you don't get enough hits, but the ones that hit penetrate - your velocity is good, but pattern too loose.
Experiment with shot size. My 10 ga throws 7.5 shot better than anything.
With 6 shot the pattern density is too low.
Another thing, if you want increased pattern density, you can switch to a shotcup type wad. Like what is used in modern shotshells. Your pattern will improve greatly, but the plastic requires cleaning every couple of shots. you will pull strings of plastic out and the shotgun will be hard to load. I shot fiber wads except during turkey season. Then I switch to plastic. I cuss it everytime I clean it afterward.
I would start out around there behind an ounce and an 1/8 of shot.
I shoot a 10 ga, with 90 gra FFg or FFFg and 1 1/2 ounce shot.
However, mine is not choked so it doesn't pattern well.
If I had a choked gun, I could probably cut it back some and do just as well.
I use circle fly wads.
Dump the powder charge, cover with a card board wad, then with a fiber cusion wad.
Dump the shot down and cover with an overshot card.
Here is Circle Fly's website:
http://www.circlefly.com/
The test for a shotgun is the "soup can" test.
Set tin cans out at the expected maximum range and shoot it.
In a soup can you should have about 4 or 5 shot hits that penetrate the can.
If you get 4 or 5 hits, but not penetration - your pattern is good, but velocity too low.
If you don't get enough hits, but the ones that hit penetrate - your velocity is good, but pattern too loose.
Experiment with shot size. My 10 ga throws 7.5 shot better than anything.
With 6 shot the pattern density is too low.
Another thing, if you want increased pattern density, you can switch to a shotcup type wad. Like what is used in modern shotshells. Your pattern will improve greatly, but the plastic requires cleaning every couple of shots. you will pull strings of plastic out and the shotgun will be hard to load. I shot fiber wads except during turkey season. Then I switch to plastic. I cuss it everytime I clean it afterward.