3" 12 Gauge Black Powder Load?
 

Has anyone worked up a black powder load for 3 inch 12 gauge? I bought an Ithaca 2 grade Lewis heavy duck damascus gun recently, and it has 3" factory chambers and I would like to try some old time long range water fowl loads. The chamber walls are so thick I thought it was a 10 gauge when I first saw it! I have lots of load info for shorter hulls, but nothing for 3" ones.

i cant help you paul with 3 inch loads in black powder but its a interesting load...tell us more about the heavy duck gun...its weight barrel lenth chokes and so on...maybe some body will hop in here and tell us the 3 inch black powder load.... charlie

Paul

Perhaps Craig Smith at Circle Fly Wads http://www.circlefly.com/index.html can help you with loads for your Ithaca.

Cheers
Marc

A heavy 12ga load here is listed as 3 1/2 drams black powder and 1 1/4 oz shot. A 3in shell may have room for extra wadding, for less shot deformation and a tighter pattern?
http://www.tbullock.com/bpsg.html

I would love to give you more details on the gun, but I dropped it off at the gunsmith to have an ivory bead replaced, so I don't have access to it right now. When I get it back, I'll check on the details. It has one ding in the barrels, otherwise the bores are perfect. The reciever is mostly silvered out with faint case on it. It locks up tight on face, no rattles or shakes with forend removed, but the toplever is about center, maybe slightly left. Interestingly, the barrels are unmarked, except I believe the weight is stamped under them. They are fairly fancy damascus.

Actually that makes sense to me. The longer column would leak less and make a tighter seal. I see that Rocky Mountain offers 3" brass shells. These may be just the ticket for this Ithaca. It is obvious when looking at the gun that the chambers were made that way (virtually no taper until way past the chambers). It is a heavy gun on a larger frame. It makes my #2 frame Parkers look dainty!

I just found data from Goex, they say 4 drams and 1 1/2 ounces for 3 inch 12 gauge. I think the gun would handle it with no problem, however I am not sure I could take it! I think I'll try the 3 1/2 dram x 1 1/4 ounce load.

Paul, are you sure 4 drams? I checked Goex's site for the 3" 12ga. load with 1 1/2oz of shot. 1 dram equals 27.3 grains of black powder. 102 grains / 27.3 = 3.73 drams. A pretty stout load! Your idea to start with 3 1/2 drams is a good start

Bad math!
 

Frank, you are correct, my "quick" math was bad. 3 3/4 drams or so with 1 1/2 ounces: still more than I want to try!

I shoot 3 1/3 dram loads [ 95grs ] in my 2 3/4" 12ga Parker. Long time ago - late 70's - I made a 8ga muzzleloader and shot 400grs of 1F and 4 oz of shot. Anyways, you can just about shoot what ever you like when useing blackpowder. I don't think you could load to a too high of pressure when useing a shell - only so much will go in it. The "old rule of thumb" was equal amounts of powder to shot by volume. That was a starting point, then you could fine tune for pattern. Paul

I just checked - BPI sells 3" hulls. They would be great for what you want. Paul