LOW PRESSURE LOADS

[Double Trouble]

Harry:

Does 7 1/2 shot work well for you on pheasants, squirrels & rabbits ? (A lot of people swear by # 6 shot, but I was wondering what your experiences have been...)

Thanks !

[Richard Flanders]

I shoot a 24gram shot PB load in my light damascus guns that is but 4200psi. Not a good winter load but great for summer preserve birds and grouse in hvy cover. My 1883 twist bbled hammer 12ga has v stout bbls and wood and has digested quite a lot of old 3-3/4 dram 1-1/4oz loads with no issues and I suspect could handle them for quite some time to come. Generally I stick to 1oz loads using 7625 at 6000-7000 psi.

[Harry Collins]

John,

I step up in shot size as the birds get bigger, however I have shot preserve pheasant with 7 1/2 shot.

Harry

[Double Trouble]

Thanks Harry.

All I ever hunt (pheasant-wise) are preserve birds. I usually use # 6, but most of the shots are close anyway, so # 7 1/2 should still work. (I plan on hunting this fall with that 16 ga. drilling I've mentioned previously. It is a very light gun, so I don't want to shoot heavy loads out of it. I've "proofed" it with RST 7/8 ounce PaperLites @ approx. 5800 - 6000 psi, but plan to only shoot it with their 3/4 ounce load @ 5300 psi. It's a great load, but 7 1/2 is the largest shot. So far, this load with # 8 shot works great at trap, as long as I keep that cheek firmly planted on the stock !)

[Harry Collins]

John,

What caliber is the rifle barrel on your drilling?

Harry

[Double Trouble]

9.3 x 72 R.

It's definitely a "handloading only" proposition, as standard dimensions for this caliber (and probably others in Germany in the early days of the 1900's) didn't exist. (Standards were established later, but definitely not in 1904, when mine was made) As a result, an old RWS round will drop right into the chamber, but the rim is too thick to close the gun. Some shells (empty cases, that is...) came with the gun & they were formed/fabricated from Norma 9.3 x 74 R (oddly enough). The must have had the rims thinned, because they chamber perfectly. I've loaded these cases (filled to the top with 3F black powder) & hammered in a .358 pistol bullet. They shot well (ie: bullet stabilized & did not keyhole in the target), but accurace was not good. My bore slugs at 0.359, so that bullet was too small & too soft.

Some day I'll reload it right (with smokeless powder).

[Harry Collins]

What a great caliber. Ross Seifried reloaded the old black powder cartridges with 4198 and at about 40% or 60%, I can not remember, of the original charge. Do not hold me to this as it has been a long time since I was reloading black powder cartridges with smokeless. You might recut the rim on your rifle to accept the new cartridges.

Harry

[Double Trouble]

That sounds like a good idea ! (Sure sounds like a pain in the *** to somehow trim the rims on the cases from the "top" side, since you can't just remove brass from the "bottom." - As that may leave the primers "proud.")

I never even thougth of that...


I won't do anything until I get the proper dies & bullets and try out some o fteh smokeless recipes that I did get fromn guys who shoot this caliber. If the gun/loads are accurate and IF it shoots to point of aim (not a lot of ajusstment to the sights !), then I can make my life easier & get the rim recess trimmed up.

It would be fantastic to take a deer with this gun !

[Twice Shooter]

John Mazza, Please check your PM. Tom

[Bill Murphy]

John, have you tried the new S&B 9.3X72 ammunition? It's a little pricey, but the brass may be perfect for your gun.