8 ga reloads

[charlie cleveland]

today i shot several rounds of reloads in the 8 ga..all the rounds were loaded with bb shot...i did not use any buffer in these loads and no petals on the plastic wad used...they patterned really good at 70 steps 5 shot on average in a paper plate of 8 1/2 diameter...at 50 steps a average of 20 bbs in the plate...was shooting 2 ounce of steel bb...no noticable damage to gun barrels and ive shot several loads thru the parker 8 ga and the fa loomis...supply of bb shot in lead has dryed upon the internet...even buckshot is sold out on the major shot sites... was shooting the fa loomis 8 ga today...not telling everybody to try the steel bb s but they work in my gun... charlie

[George Blair]

Charlie, take a look at Ballistic Products nickel plated lead. I think you will find just about any size shot you need. Not cheap, but you only go around once.

[Dean Romig]

I found this at a small ammo show in NH last weekend... so I bought it. I know what I paid but would appreciate some opinions as to it's value.

It's not a reload to the best of my knowledge and I apologize for hijacking your thread Charlie.

.

[charlie cleveland]

about 30.00 dean...its in really good shape looks like... charlie

[Theodore LeDurt]

today i shot several rounds of reloads in the 8 ga..all the rounds were loaded with bb shot...i did not use any buffer in these loads and no petals on the plastic wad used...they patterned really good at 70 steps 5 shot on average in a paper plate of 8 1/2 diameter...at 50 steps a average of 20 bbs in the plate...was shooting 2 ounce of steel bb...no noticable damage to gun barrels and ive shot several loads thru the parker 8 ga and the fa loomis...supply of bb shot in lead has dryed upon the internet...even buckshot is sold out on the major shot sites... was shooting the fa loomis 8 ga today...not telling everybody to try the steel bb s but they work in my gun... charlie


I can't relate to your "paper plate".....run out of Dr. Pepper cans?

[charlie cleveland]

have to save those dr pepper cans for serious shooting... charlie

[Eldon Goddard]

Charlie how do you load these do you load them by hand or is there an actual reloading machine that fits 8 gauge?

[charlie cleveland]

i load my 8 ga by hand...i use a 10 ga hand reloading kit to knock out primer and push wads in.then i roll crimp with a roll crimper in a cordless hand drill..i bought the roll crimper from ballastic products... they did make a reloader for the 8 ga they used a mec junior and made dies for it for the 8 ga..they no longer make this set up but im sure it could be done again...there are some really expensive reloaders out there for the 8....you can buy the hulls on line then you can make your self a hull crimper for less than 30.00 get a 10 ga or even a 12 ga lee loader hand set and your in business...could even use a round file and a wood dowel to load shells with.. charlie

[wayne goerres]

Hi charlie. I have found an 8ga for sale from a freind of mine. It is supposed to be a pretty sound gun,but of belguim manufacture. Possible a huskavarna. Waiting on pictures before I buy. Will be looking for some loading data.Will probable be doing it all by hand. Any light smokeless loads you have would be handy. Fear not I have lots of Dr Pepper cans to try them out on.

[charlie cleveland]

would be glad to help out with some reloading info... hope you get that gun... charlie

[Bill Murphy]

Who got the great Italian eight gauge from Cabela's a couple of months ago? I tried to buy it buy couldn't get a response, even after I sent my credit card number. It doesn't do any good to get on the phone, because they will call you back a couple of days later and tell you that it was sold when you called the first time.

[charlie cleveland]

sure was not me bill... charlie

[wayne morgan]

Hi,Thought I would put a Picture up of my 8 bore,J & W Tolley, 38 inch damascus barrel 3/4 choke,sidelock, use it for geese and the odd duck.

Wayne

[wayne goerres]

I want one.

[charlie cleveland]

thats one nice 8 ga...what are the chamber lengths and i bet she weighs about 15 lbs loaded...this gun was made by some really good gunmakers...and i envey your choke it should really throw good patterns...what kind of loads do you use on the geese... charlie

[wayne morgan]

Hi Charlie, bit of confusion,my fault! it is a single barrel,weight 10 lbs, 3 1/4 chamber, 2 1/4 ozs ITM,57 grains blue dot,I am going to get some brass cases made so I can get a bit more out of her.going to use them with the old black stuff, because of the extra volume and its got a habit of burning through plastic cases. you are right in what you say, J&W Tolley were good gun makers,I have 3 of them, a little game gun, the Altro 12 bore hammer 32 ins, and the 8 of course
a few more pic's

All the best

Wayne

[charlie cleveland]

mighty nice gun...it looks like it has been really cared for.. a fellow can use agun a lot and if he takes care of it it will look really nice like your gun does...ive never tried the ITX shot yet but ive put a lot of lead loads and a few steel loads through my old guns...i use blue dot powder also in the 8 ga and have used the 57 grain load of blue dot...should get a goose way out there...we can not use the 8 ga for waterfowl here in the USA but most states allow you to hunt other things with it...ive taken deer with buckshot loads and lots of squirls with it and several crows...have worked up a good round ball load for deer but did not get to use it on one yet... you have a great gun there theres not to many of us that use a 8 gauge anymore... i would like to have a 4 inch bore 8 ga with full chokes... all of us here on parker like to hear and espically see pictures of these fine old guns... charlie

[wayne morgan]

Thanks for the kind comments,you should throw that 8 in a case and take her to Scotland, I shoot on the Severn estuary,It has the second highest tidal range in the world.13.5 metre spring tides. There's a picture of my Tolley Altro,and a nice mild day in September,If that was January I would be a block of ice!!

Regards

Wayne

[charlie cleveland]

you sure do have some pretty shooting places there..ive read a lot about the places and guns you fellas get to shoot...tom armbrust has written a very good book called four and eight bore it hasd a lot of info about 4 and 8 gauge loadings plus it has several good stories about scotland and england and other areas ..he tells of all the old guns and little shops and espically all the nice folks over there...i surely wood like to bring one of the old 8 s over there and hunt...a few of our fellas here ave got to hunt with there 8 s over in your part of the world maybe they will pitch in here.. that last picture must beyour 12 ga double TOLLY....I have a old f a loomis 8 bore that i like to shoot..took a turkey at 65 long steps with it... the TOLLY 12 LOOKS LIKE A PRETTY GOOD DUCK GUN TO ME.... charlie

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Never shot on the Severn but I've shot geese and duck in the Outer Hebrides, around Aberdeen, and in Perthshire as far as Scotland goes. Lots of pretty country and good friends there. It's been several years since I've made a trip, might never go again but it was well worth the trouble when I did.

Did my shooting with a Churchill 8 bore I owned at the time and took a couple of geese with a Tolley 8 bore that I'd found over here and shipped to a friend in England.

The best time I remember with the 8 bore was one night on a small pond near Aberdeen. Two friends and I killed 40 widgeon in about an hours gunning, all after dark, shooting them against the light halo of a nearby village.

A close second was shooting pinkfoot geese under the moon a couple nights later. The big Churchill accounted for a few that evening. All very high lucky shots where I only saw the geese for a split second as they passed over me and I had to get a lead, then swing on and shoot into the dark. Couldn't tell if you'd made a hit until you heard the bird thump the ground a few seconds later.


DLH

[charlie cleveland]

destrey that must have been a grand trip for sure...i live hearing and reading these posts of hunters whose been there and done it espically with the big bore guns...and getting to shoot ducks and geese by the moon light wow... as long as you fellows keep tellin us about these grand trips will all know and feel how it was to be there..who knows some of us may get to go someday but if we dont we ve got the stories of those who still live there and those who have been... keep us posted you big bore hunters.... charlie

[Eldon Goddard]

Charlie I can say the same for your stories. Keep us updated on that 8 gauge project.

[charlie cleveland]

the old silent parker auction 8 will get some turkey hunting in soon...got a little more fiddleing around with it...one thing for sure want be totin this thing very far gona weight it i bet it weighs 14 lbs or more...i can lay claim to the biggest rib of any parker ever made on this old war horse...1/2 inch tall and 1/2 inch thick of solid steel and 27 inches long it will make the purist fellows have nitemares when they see it. and theres enough silver soler to do 1/2 dozen more guns... will be useing 70 grains of triple 777 and a 1 3/4 ounces of copper 6 s as the rite load for turkey.... charlie

[wayne goerres]

Charlie I was thinking about trying tripple 7 in my 72ca. How clean dose it burn. Are you useing 1f or 2f powder. Any idea about the cost.

[Mills Morrison]

Can't wait to hear about the silent auction 8 going turkey hunting. Hope it gets one.

[charlie cleveland]

wayne im using 2 f and it burns fairly clean...i think i paid 17.50 a pound for it... mills i too hope the old 8 gets a chance at a turkey.. charlie