Smoothbore pistol (Howdah) patterns???

[bob in the woods]

The reason for the longer barrel is to get enough powder to burn to get decent velocities . If you are getting good results, it probably has a lot to do with the 3F powder having a faster burn.  If anyone would like a longer pistol barrel than the 8 and 10 in ones you see, Charles Burton would be my recommendation . That's who made mine and it is of excellent quality.

[Pukka Bundook]

Bob,

The longer the better really.     
I have an old flint Dragoon pistol barrel, 12" long, but never got it stocked up yet.  (Richard Wilson) 

We don't have turkeys up here, and I like my birding pieces if we did, but hoped to help Skychief make some decisions.
The above test was very basic, and left a lot of  variations untried.
Might get at more trials soon.

I did try a load with a rolled paper shot-cup, base folded over on the wad,  but the pattern was erratic.  I should have tried a good few more, but fingers were freezing. 
An old mate back in England used to shoot bolted rabbits with a double 20-bore pistol, so it can be done.  I'd reckon a rabbit on the fly would take more stopping than a turkey standing there while you shoot his head.

Richard.

[Skychief]

Color me subscribed Richard if any more testing is done!  Thank you.

Best regards  Skychief

[Longknife]

""""An old mate back in England used to shoot bolted rabbits with a double 20-bore pistol, so it can be done.  I'd reckon a rabbit on the fly would take more stopping than a turkey standing there while you shoot his head."""""

Richard, Don't underestimate those turkeys. They are about the hardest bird to kill with a shot charge that I have ever hunted. We call them rubber-necks around here as the shot just bounces off.  On the other hand the rabbits will die with only a couple of shot in them. I've hunted both quite a bit,,,,,ED

[Pukka Bundook]

Longknife,

I must admit I know nothing about turkeys, except I get to meet one every Christmas.
The meeting I find  most agreeable!   

Other than that, I am in the dark and thank you for taking the time to put me right.
 I had Thought, what with that scraggy neck and all, that shot would penetrate very well.

Thank you my friend,

Richard.

[Smokey Plainsman]

Thanks Smokey Plainsman.  I've been looking at these too.  They're a great looking gun with a lot of US history attached to them.  I wish they were a .62 or larger for my purposes.  Have you shot much birdshot out of it?  How'd she do?

Best regards, Skychief

Haven’t tried birdshot but have tried #4 buckshot with great results. Birdshot should do nicely. This is a Pedersoli and quality is great, cost was only $450 new.

[Daryl]

I have a slow twist .54 Pistol that put 3, 00 buck and one full sized ball into about 8" at 12 yards, every shot. The large ball hit centre (10 ring) and the 'shot' radiated out around the centre ball perfectly.
Perhaps that would make a good pistol load for turkey in areas not restricting shot size?

[Skychief]

I've had a friend from another board do some patterning at 15 yards with his original 20 gauge pistol. He used a 45 grain charge of Goex 3f with an equivalent volume of #6 shot out of its 7 1/2" barrel.

His results were very good, better than either of us would have expected.  Each shot would have covered a turkey head/neck plenty .

He used a load that I've used for years now that makes denser patterns out of cylinder bored smoothies.  The load is as follows:

Powder charge
Nitro card
Shot load
Thin over shot card
Sloppy wet full cushion wad (I use olive oil)

My friend reported that he had tried many different loads over the years with his pistol..looking for a reliable squirrel load.  He goes on to say that all loads paled in comparison to the load described above.  Other forums have dubbed said load as the "Skychief Load".

All this to say, we think that a smoothbore pistol will work, especially coupled with this loading.  At least in his gun.

If any of you can test your pistols any more, it would be appreciated.

Best regards, Skychief.

[Pukka Bundook]

I'll try and get your loading tested in the old 16 bore pistol, Skychief.

Broke my snow blade again yesterday, so been welding today!  Allus something to keep me busy!

[Skychief]

Once again, color me subscribed!  Good luck with the blade repair.

Best regards, Skychief.

[Daryl]

Powder charge
Nitro card
Shot load
Thin over shot card
Sloppy wet full cushion wad (I use olive oil)

Best regards, Skychief.

Doesn't the heavy wad (in front of the shot cloud) make a huge hole, somewhere in the pattern, different location every shot?

[Skychief]

No Sir.  Not in my and many other's experience Daryl.

Best regards, Skychief.

[Daryl]

TKS - will have to try that in a non-choked gun.
Another question, why the thin overshot card, with the wet fiber cushion on top of that?

[Skychief]

I gained just a little denser patterns by using the thin card below the saturated cushion wad.  Possibly by saving a few pieces of shot embedding into the rearward portion of it?

Best regards  Skychief

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Speaking of Howdah pistols, this is one of the finest I've ever seen (images of).

[Skychief]

Absolutely gorgeous.

[Pukka Bundook]

That Purdey is a bonny one, Taylor!

V nice pistol.

[Mauser06]

The heavy wad on top makes some sense.  Essentially adds pressure to the shot column behind it keeping it tighter.   I will have to try it from my jug and colerain turkey choke barrels and see what it does.   


The thick heavy wad behind the column blows a donut for me...I think its heavy and pushes through the column and starts spreading it.   Used to have a target at 10 or 15yds that showed it beautifully....6-8" inside was completely empty....then a pretty even ring of shot around that blank circle.   


Another reason that TSS shot might be better is the lower velocity...federal loads it now...ain't cheap but could get a box and gut the shells for the shot.  Can drop shot size as low as legal and still have plenty. Off the top of my head it's over double the weight of lead...much harder so it doesn't deform on impact...all of which help the pattern and help penetration.  A tiny hard pellet will out penetrate a bigger softer pellet. 

I know it's kinda voodoo firing the stuff from a flintlock....but, for patterns and lethality, it may be a good idea. 

[Daryl]

I gained just a little denser patterns by using the thin card below the saturated cushion wad.  Possibly by saving a few pieces of shot embedding into the rearward portion of it?

Best regards  Skychief

Could be.  The "Swedish Cup Wad" helped increase shot cloud density. I was likely the first attempt at changing wad design to improve pattern density.