Loading-shooting question

[frogwalking]

My 20 gauge fowler has a 46 inch Long Hammock Barrel and patterns quite well using a single thick card over powder wad.  At the moment I don't remember the amount of powder (2F) or shot, as I did not check my measures before sitting down to write this, but they are within normal limits.  My problem is in reloading the fowler.  I must perform a quick cleaning of the barrel before I can push the next overpowder wad home. The fouling from a single shot is enough to stop or greatly hinder reloading.

I have obtained some thick felt and a 5/8 inch wad punch.  The intent here is to make some lube soaked felt wads (Dixie Old Zip was selected as it is normally a solid, but should melt upon fireing).  Load them between the powder and card wad, with the hope that the lube will melt and soften the fouling enough to allow subsequent loading without cleaning.  (Loading round ball loads goes without difficulty.)

Do you think this will work?  If not, what i your alternate solution?  Lube soaked fiber wads seem to blow my pattern as I tried that between the card overpowder wad and shot.  Let me know as this has become my favorite field gun but is a PITA to load.

Thanks,

Frog

[Dphariss]

Should work. But solid lubes unless very soft don't soften fouling very well. Old zip is mostly sheep tallow so do up 5-6 and try them.
As a side note...
I have used Old Zip for field expedient mosquito repellant back in Iowa years ago just smear on a thin coat. They might land on it but they leave immediately. Too sticky I guess.

Likely why the eastern natives used bear oil and such.

Dan

[Daryl]

Frog- if your barrel isn't choked then the addition of a felt wad might blow your patterns. You'll have to re-pattern your gun with any load change.

1st, soak and press the excess lube from the wads using neetsfoot oil as this will help with the fouling - best to keep lubed wads in a plastic bullet box, like Speer or Barnes uses for rifle and pistol bullets.

When at the range shooting trap, I merely use spit, putting quite a dribble on the felt wad. This keeps loading easy, shot after shot- all day with no wiping. For hunting, lubed wads available from Track will work, or make your own and soak them.  Tallow or saltless lard will probably also work.

[Jerry V Lape]

Something else which will should reduce your fowling is to use FFFg powder charge.  The shotgun shooters at the Western National seemed to mostly be using 3Fg but they were making a quick swab of the bore with a detergent  wipe between loads too.  Don't recall that any of them were reloading without wiping, and they all had their shotgun carts setup to expedite the loading so it wasn't much of a problem to wipe. 

[smokinbuck]

Frog,
I have a 12 ga gun that I use for trap and my load is comprised of 80 grns of 2F, an over powder card, and equivilant amount of shot by volume and 2 over shot cards. No cushioned wads. With this load it shoots a killer pattern, 50-60% at 25 yards on 8.5X11 paper, but if I put a cushion wad in it blows holes through the pattern every time.
Mark

[BrownBear]

I agree with the need for lube, but have no experience with the Dixie lube.  I use my own lube concocted from 7 parts deer tallow to one part olive oil.  It's more like "vaseline" at room temps and does a great job of keeping fouling soft.

[excess650]

My own experience with shotloads in a smoothbore is limited to a 12 bore.  I found the prelubed cushion wads to be a nuisance to load, so used a pair of pre-lubed Wonder Wads over the powder, poured shot into paper shotcups formed around a dowell, and then used a single overshot card.  My loads tested varied from 80-120gr ffg, and similar volumes of shot over the same, nothing ridiculous like 2 oz shot!  I never had any problems loading and the Wonder Wads never caused blown patterns, or donut shaped patterns.  The paper shotcups seemed to keep the shot away from the bore to prevent leading.

[Kermit]

I've been a fan of V. M. Starr's loading recommendation for a couple of decades now. Here's the column in my 20ga x 44" Getz: powder, TWO spit-lubed OVERPOWDER cards, shot, one spit-lubed overpowder card. Equal volumes of FFg and #6 shot. Been using the same measure so long I can't remember, but I think it's about a 70 grain measure. If cold and afield, lube the cards with whatever suits your fancy. As you can tell by the number of various and sundry recommendations for lube concoctions, it apparently doesn't matter much what slippery goo you choose. Fats, oils, water, soap, alcohol, peroxide, don't use X, never use Y, Z is essential. I'm always amazed at the range of recipes for lube that appear whenever questions get asked!

My disclaimer: Your mileage WILL vary...

[Daryl]

powder measure vs shot weight  This is a handy chart to have. The weights are not exact, however are close enough.

50gr.= 5/8oz.
60gr.= 3/4oz.
70gr.= 1oz
80gr.= 1 1/8oz
90gr.= 1 1/4oz
100gr.=1 3/8oz.
110gr.=1 1/2oz.
120gr.=1 5/8oz

[Kermit]

Daryl! That is SO handy! Thank you!

I keep meaning to dump the same measure of different sizes of shot to see how much that changes the weight. Never seem to get a round tuit.

[frogwalking]

My son and I shot the 20 gauge fowler with the above described lubed felt patches over the powder, under the single card wad.  In short, it worked as planned.  Reloads are not a slick thing, but are not difficult either.   Before, without the wad, the second load was difficult, the third impractical.  Now It is a fine woods walk gun, with hunting potential.  (It is a Chamber's kit and the best muzzle loader I have ever owned.)