137 YEARS AND STILL KICKING
 

Hunting dove on opening day with the 10 gauge lifter was a real BLAST. I loaded the Track of the Wolf brass shells with 19 grains of Red Dot and 1 1/8 ounces of #9 shot. I agree with many on this site that you can't go wrong using this load. I was a little apprehensive considering I use brass cartridges but the load couldn't have worked out better. The recoil was light and they burn very clean. It is very rewarding having a successful hunt using shells you load yourself and shooting them in a 137-year-old antique gun.

Were any of those the Eurasian Banded variety ?

All the dove are Mourning dove. I saw a few White-wings too far to shoot. Didn't see one Eurasian collared dove till I got back into the Phoenix metro area where they are everywhere.

Pretty awesome

Wayne, What a great way to shoot doves on opening day! I have the brass Track of the Wolf shells in 10 and 12 gauge and really like them. Are you using hand tools or a loading press to load them? Also with the smokeless powder are you using a plastic wad?

I have only used black powder so far for the brass shells with felt wads. I would like to to try that Red Dot recipe in my 10 gauge lifters.

Thanks for sharing,

Jay

Hi Jay,
I am using original Parker Bros loading tools. It is time-consuming even with the 20 shells I have. The wads being used are the Track of the Wolf brand .125" over-powder cards, the .500" fiber-cushion wads, and the .025"thin white over-shot cards. I load them exactly as the Track of the Wolf hand loading manual states including lubricating the fiber-cushion wads and sealing the over-shot card with Duco cement.
Hope this helps,
Wayne

Thanks Wayne! That does help. I am going to try that the next time I load them. I have enjoyed the shells and really like the loading manual for the shells as well. I did get better patterns making felt wads as described in the manual, but have had good luck with the fiber wads and they are easier/quicker.

I also like the ability to load the brass shells by hand even though it takes awhile. I have to admit I would probably use them more with a smokeless load.

All my 10 gauge lifters have 2 5/8" chambers and I am not set up to reload for 10 gauge yet so the brass shells have let me shoot.

Congrats on a great hunt and thanks for answering my questions.

Wayne, years ago I had about 200 brass shells for Cowboy Action Shooting and never had any luck loading nitro powders. Always got bloopers, so I sold all of them. I loaded them pretty much the same as you described other than using Circle fly wads that weren't lubed. I used 10ga wads in the 12ga brass for a good tight fit. I've read on other forums of guys having success loading nitro in brass shells and can't figure out why I didn't have any success. I have a couple of original brass shells in 10 and 12ga. Guess I'm going to have to try again. Those Track of the Wolf brass shells marked Parker are quite expensive. I believe they are machined. You can buy Magtech brass shells for about a buck each. Too bad they don't make them for the 10ga. Looks like you had a nice hunt and I'm glad to hear someone else is having success loading nitro in brass shells.

"137 years and still kicking" is a great double entendre, for a 10 gauge post.
That said, I would love to have a Parker 10.

I hunt turkey and waterfowl with my 10 gauge using TOW brass shells and black powder. I have loaded nitro as well but like the black powder better. There have recently been some great buys on Parker 10 gauge guns in the For Sale section. Many guns are listed there that don't get listed on other venues. You should consider becoming a member so you can have access to that part of the website. It is my personal belief that every Parker caretaker should be a member of the PGCA.