2.75 12 gauge Black powder Load

[Eric Johanen]

Just finished up 100 black powder loads. 2.75 inch Cheddite paper hulls, Orange or Red, Cheddite primed, 82.0 grains KIK 2 fg by volume, ( one can use 2 fg OE, 1.5 fg OE and 2 fg GOEX. Goex fouling is a bit heavier and harder than the other powders). 1- 1.25 inch nitro card, 1- 1/2 inch lubed fiber cushion wad, 1- 1/4 inch felt wad, 1- Circle Fly over shot card. 1 oz. #7.5 hard shot, 1- Circle Fly over shot card. Finished off with a roll crimp. A good roll crimp really makes this load a visual stunner. This is a very good load. Load height is right for a tight roll crimp. Lubed fiber cushion helps keep fouling manageable. Absolute clays crusher both near and pretty far. I load #5 and #6 shot for hunting. Next time out we will smoke up the course! My squad mates will be amazed and astounded by a vintage double and vintage ammunition! For a 1 1/8 oz load, just substitute a .070 or 1.25 hard card for the 1/4 inch felt. What ever brings the load column up for proper roll crimping. Great good fun for a round of clays!

[OH Osthaus]

been thinking about it for the 10 ga hammer guns

sounds like a good way to use up the BP left over from my re-enacting days

do you get burn trough on the plastic hull with the first load?

[Eric Johanen]

No burn through using plastic hulls...(paper is better if you can obtain them). No plastic wads, card and fiber fillers only. One shot and toss as the black powder will pretty well fry them. 4 to 4.5 drams of black makes a great 10 gauge load with 1.25 oz of shot. 3.75 drams is very comfortable with 1&1/8 oz shot. I usually use 110 grains of 1 fg with 1&1/4 oz shot and it generates a huge amount of smoke and there is a bit of a concussion from the blast. People who have never been in the area of a heavy black powder load are generally surprised and ask "What the hell are you shooting? Good fun and you will simply smash the clays!

[Paul Harm]

My 10ga Rem plastic hulls are still ok after one firing of BP - no holes. I don't expect them to last very long. Eric, what brand is KIK or OE ? The stuff Grafs sells is a little cleaner and cheaper than GOEX.

[Eric Johanen]

KIK is the brand and now discontinued. OE is Old Eynsford and a GOEX product. Graff is Schutzen (WANO?) Similar to Swiss but not as much energy and does not burn quite as clean. OE is very good for shotguns... good velocity and a softer fouling. I can shoot a 50 round clays course without having to clean the bores. I do not save the hulls, one and toss. They get pretty fried from the black powder. Clean up of the gun takes only about 10 minutes longer than using smokless. Dry and oil (I use Slip 2000). Check the bores next day and another light application of Slip and call it good. Never had a problem with rust.

[Paul Harm]

OE is $5/lb more than Graf powder. I'll put up with the fouling. I throw 12ga hulls after one firing but when it comes to 10ga hulls at around $44/100 I try to get all I can out of them. If the ends get bad they just gets cut and shorter shells are used. 2.5" 10ga hulls are kind of neat.

[Eric Johanen]

I always have OE in stock as I use it in my long range single shot cartridge rifles for Creedmoor matches and mid range events. It really is much softer and cleaner that the others available. Good idea about cutting back those 10 gauge hulls. Shorten them up at the crimp and I could get a 2'nd reload out of them. I'll put that idea into practice as a black powder 10 gauge load is really a show stopper. And the cost of the hulls is greater so it make a good deal of sense. Have another 100 paper hulls in the blocks now and will get them stuffed in the next day or so. All my 10's are now loaded with either Red Dot and 1&1/8 oz or IMR 4756 and 1&1/4 oz. Once empty some will be put up with black powder.

[Elk Hunter]

I like paper hulls but since they're not readily available in gauges other than 12 I normally use all brass cases for black powder loads. No burn through and they seem to last forever. Some of mine have to be nearly 100 years old and are still going strong. I keep thinking I'm going to make some 8 gauge brass cases as the only ones I have are plastic, yuck what a terrible, no class thing to use in an old gun.

[Eric Johanen]

Shot a round of clays yesterday using some of the black powder shells I loaded last week. Joined 2 new young shooters and I amazed and astounded them with my 1870's hammer gun and those loads. I only missed a few birds so it was a good example of how effective old guns and loads really are. A gentleman my age following us was explaining to his young sons how black powder is different that modern smoke less loads. So with the pressure on I turned a good performance. It was a bit brisk yesterday so It was nice to feel the heated barrels through my shooting glove. Toasty! Once home it took about 15 minutes to clean the gun. I was not in a hurry. Inspected the barrels today, gave them another quick wipe with Hoppes and then a patch with Slip 2000. Done!