Reduced Loads in Fowlers

[Ray Settanta]

Would there be any problems with reducing the powder charge and lead shot in a ten gauge fowler from time to time so my wife can shoot it?

[rich pierce]

No reason you couldn't shoot a 3/4 oz load of shot with equal volume of powder behind it.

[smylee grouch]

Better to shot reduced loads than overloads. 

[Ray Settanta]

That's good to know. In some cases, with other types of firearms, reduced loads can be a danger.

[Scota4570]

Long ago I wanted to shoot a nice damascus 12 ga breech loader.  I did not know anything back then.  I used AA hulls and AA red wads.  The wad cushion was filled with Crisco.  That only left room for about 45 grains of 2F.  The leads required to hit doves was about twice that normal shells required.  The doves fell just fine.  Recoil was non existent.    Reduced loads are fun, go for it!

[Daryl]

As far as reduced loads go, a close friend of mine used 1 1/2 ounce 7 1/2 loads in a 5 bore SXS H&H (6 boreball and shot fun, 36" bls. re-bored by H&H). He absolutely hammered clay birds with that gun, from the 16 yards pads. They put in about IMP cylinder bore chokes.  It produced totally round patterns evenly spaced and deadly on flying critters, especially at turkey shoots.  The trap boys with their modern guns really did not like shooting against that 12 1/2 pound shotgun.  You could not stop the swing & shoot behind the bird - impossible. Slap the trigger on the way by and poof!

[bob in the woods]

How is a reduced load dangerous ?   We are talking muzzleloaders, right ?   The only drawback or possible danger would be using a charge that does have sufficient power to drive the ball or shot load out of the barrel.  I've shot 20 gr charges in my .45 rifle, and 50 gr. charges in my 20 bore with good effect.

[Elnathan]

Underloading cartridges with modern smokeless powders may be dangerous, though a quick google search suggests that opinion is divided on the issue. Possible reasons why may be that the use of faster powders to compensate for smaller loads may lead to inadvertent overcharges (in which case the problem is not the load but human error), or having too much space in the cartridge may do the same thing as not seating the ball on the powder in a muzzleloader, improper ignition because the powder was too far from the primer....

As long as the projectile is seated properly, it doesn't seem to be an issue with a muzzleloader.

[Ray Settanta]

How is a reduced load dangerous ?   We are talking muzzleloaders, right ?   The only drawback or possible danger would be using a charge that does have sufficient power to drive the ball or shot load out of the barrel.  I've shot 20 gr charges in my .45 rifle, and 50 gr. charges in my 20 bore with good effect.

I was talking about reduced loads in other types of firearms being dangerous. I know we are not supposed to discuss other types of firearms, but I was concerned about a possible parallel safety issue with a muzzleloading 10 gauge fowler that I want to build. I don't have much experience with muzzleloaders.

[rich pierce]

Ray, one of the beauties of black powder is being able to customize loads in real time. Welcome to the fun!

[Ray Settanta]

Thanks everybody for the information. This puts my mind at ease.