How about a Black Powder one

M

MUZZLESMOKE

New member
I use a 12 gauge coach gun. But, I also use a SXS CVA black powder shotgun. We shoot birds every Thru. at the club. I use both. At a Rondy they shoot birds. And other games....love shooting BP it is a blast.:D
Ya' all out to give ita try.
 
About the only BP shells I have been involved with were loaded and secretly dropped into a buddies shooting pouch.
The sound certainly is different and the smoke value is priceless along with the expression on his face when he knows we did a "gotcha" on the Trap or Skeet range.
 
"Gotcha" rounds come and go in popularity. Some years ago (just after the skeet option was designated Low-8 for a straight round) we had a new shooter who was knocking at the door of his first 25-straight. Finally the day came and the conditions were perfect. Because of some bad targets, the shooter ran out of shells when it was time for his Low-8 option. One of his squad mates gladly passed him a "gotcha" round: black powder 12 ga with 7/8-oz of shot and a nice layer of confetti.

It was spectacular, he hit the target dead center for one of those Low-8 ink balls, there was a huge cloud of smoke and a colorful confetti salute. The shooter was so excited about getting his first straight, he didn't notice that he'd been the victim of a gotcha.
 
70 grains of Goex fffg, one nitro + one fiber cushion wad, 1 1/8 ounce shot loaded in a Win AA or Remington STS case is my standard bp trap load for breech loading shotguns.

Don't shoot them in a gas operated semi auto.

Here I am powdering a clay bird with an 8 gauge muzzleloader.

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BP shotgun

It's the truth. Great fun and effective.
I have a Navy Arms SXS 12 ga, Caplock that is a joy to shoot.
I also have a .62 Fowler flintlock 42" barrel from Tennessee Valley Muzzleloading that points like it was fitted for me.
There are times when I think about selling all of the "modern" guns and just shooting BP.
Haven't done it yet.
Pete

B.L.E.: Where'd you get that 8 gauge from? Possible to post some close ups?
 
I've always thought it would be fun shooting targets (skeet) with a muzzle loader. The obvious challenge is not being able to pick up the second target, because of the smoke cloud from the first. My prime concern is reloading a muzzle loader in a timely manner. Obviously, to keep the pace going, I'd need reload while the others shoot, but standard safety rules require you to load only after you're on the shooting station. What to do? I'm assuming the rules are modified for organized BP shoots.

Of course, if you're looking for the BP experience without all of the bother of a muzzle loader, get some BP shells. You too can experience the excitement of the smoke cloud. I know one shooter of BP doubles: after the first shot, he squats in an attempt to see under the cloud. Perhaps this is the way it's done at organized BP shoots -- I don't know, they don't have them at my club.

One word of caution, if you've never shot black powder before, it's a quantum leap dirtier than modern ammo. You'll want to clean your gun right away -- don't let it linger with BP residue.
 
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B.L.E.: Where'd you get that 8 gauge from? Possible to post some close ups?
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That gun actually belongs to a gentleman who lives near Houston TX custom built by the late Ralph Austin.
Briley custom made a set of screw in chokes for this gun. The owner of this gun won a lot of ml trap championships up in Friendship Indiana, the home of the National Muzzleloading Rifle Association.

I recently bought my own 8 gauge from the estate of a person who was very active in muzzleloading trap. Built by the same gunsmith and similar to the one in the picture except it has a left handed lock and a fixed choke.
The left handed lock doesn't bother me, when you shoot a double barrel gun, one barrel has its lock on the "wrong" side anyway.

I haven't had time to photograph it yet but when I do, I'll try to post pics.

There is a big muzzleloading trap-skeet-sporting clays event in Electra, TX (near Whichita Falls) every April sponsered by the Red River Renegades. Check out their website for info and pictures.
 
A few decades back, a hunting bud showed up one day for a pheasant and quail hunt with a .69 caliber replica percussion musket. He bagged three roosters with three shots and went back to his Ithaca 37.

I've also hunted with guys using the Italian and Spanish ML doubles. The ones I handled were great pointers and did the job required with a bit of style.
 
13 guage double barrel. Not sure what company I got the kit from 22 years ago. Lots of fun hunting jack rabbits with #2s :D

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by zippy13;

I've always thought it would be fun shooting targets (skeet) with a muzzle loader. The obvious challenge is not being able to pick up the second target, because of the smoke cloud from the first. My prime concern is reloading a muzzle loader in a timely manner. Obviously, to keep the pace going, I'd need reload while the others shoot, but standard safety rules require you to load only after you're on the shooting station. What to do? I'm assuming the rules are modified for organized BP shoots.

Of course, if you're looking for the BP experience without all of the bother of a muzzle loader, get some BP shells. You too can experience the excitement of the smoke cloud. I know one shooter of BP doubles: after the first shot, he squats in an attempt to see under the cloud. Perhaps this is the way it's done at organized BP shoots -- I don't know, they don't have them at my club.

One word of caution, if you've never shot black powder before, it's a quantum leap dirtier than modern ammo. You'll want to clean your gun right away -- don't let it linger with BP residue.
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Some places dont consider the gun loaded until you've either primed the pan or put on a cap depending on it being a flinty or percussion gun.

If you're gonna shoot a front stuffer shotty, I'd petition the RO and use that argument to help save yours and everyone else's time.
 
Some places dont consider the gun loaded until you've either primed the pan or put on a cap depending on it being a flinty or percussion gun. ​
Knight0334, thanks for the heads up.
 
Rider, That is a great looking BP shot gun. Good inlays very sweet. Also as far as the 8 guage goes. BP shotguns come in just about any guage. The ones i have read about and seen. Range from 8 -28 the ones i have seen.
11,12,13, and a 15. May sound odd.....but back 150 years. It depended on what size the barrel came out to be. The fowler was a multi purpose gun.
Which would shot both shot and round ball. Folks couldn't aford two guns..
The one fellow was right about the cap'n and the flash gun. Which I have one and never see the flash. So most the time don't shoot well. On my 12 sxs I have a capper to cap with. That way we stil have fast pace shooting. And we don't use wads just thick cards..
You all have fun.......:D:D
 
BLE, Is that a adjustable cheek pad? It looks like a left hand. BP shotgun yours is a fine looking one. I'll post my CVA 12 SXS as soon as I take some pictures. Also i have a 12 sxs coach gun. Use it when we are doing fast pace team shoooting.
 
Yes, it has an adjustable comb, both for height and cast off and it is a left handed gun, which doesn't seem to bother me as long as I remember to focus my eyes where the bird is going to be.
I like to have my head more erect when I compete in trap so I have the comb adjusted pretty high.
 
That is neat, I never seen one before. To the guy who said you could not see. The second shot because of the smoke from first. It is false.....as you get the first bird. The other bird is still on the move. the shooter has to move which every the bird goes. Left, right or stright up. So the smoke should not be a problem.:D
 
And we don't use wads just thick cards..
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I split wads putting the thick piece under the shot and the thin piece (1/8" thick) over it. Greased patches for the 64 caliber round balls of course.
 
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