Hunting Set Up?

[Berks Liberty]

I'm curious as to how you folks set up your loads for a smoothbore for hunting.  I'll soon be taking my 20g out for a test run.  This will be my first adventure with a smoothbore.  Do you make up loads? If so how do you do it.  Is there a way you make reloading quicker.  Any hints and suggestions would be great.  Where do you carry your shot, and so on? Thanks

Jason

[omark]

whenusing a shotgun, i carry shot in a shot bag and load from horn and bag. when using ball i load from bag and horn, but i do use a ball block. its fairly fast when practiced. just like traditional, no film cans for me.      mark

[northmn]

With RB you can set a smoothbore up similar to a rifle.  For hunting I have found through the years that the main consideration is that of the volume of powder and shot one carries.  When young I used to fill the shot vest loops with shells, now I may carry 4 or 5 extra in my pocket.  I  tend to return to a base like my car or pickup grouse or pheasant hunting hunting for instance as you hunt a piece of woods or trail and move on to another.  A shot pouch that can carry one pound of shot is plenty.  Some buy pretty elaborate English or Irish spouts that premeasure the charge.  I just carry a simple pouch with a measure attached to it with a leather lace.  Small powder flasks like used for revolvers are also handy.  I only carry heavy card wads and load two with one split off for an overshot.  A 2 part pouch is nice.  One for shot and powder and one for tools like vent picks, extra flints, flint knapper and screwdriver, cleaning jag etc.  I do not get too excited over faster reloading as even the fastest is relatively slow.  One could try making up a cartridge set up I suppose.

DP

[BrownBear]

I'm pretty basic with shot.  I add these to the bag and horn I normally use with a rifle. When using ball, I swap them out for a loading block plus a couple of paper cartridges.  I've never needed the cartridges for "speed" but my brain tells me I need to have them there.

[rich pierce]

That's some great lloking gear, Brownbear!

[BrownBear]

Thanks, Rich.

It's kind of a "first pass."  The shot flask is about the size of my fist, but holds 3 pounds easily.  The next one is going to be about the size of a lemon with an attachment at the bottom so I can hang it upside down on a bag, rather than in it.  The wad folder is about the size of a deck of cards, but still holds 24 11-gauge fiber wads at about half full.  I'm going to integrate that size, but wider for clumsy hands in the front of the "fowler" bag I'm contemplating.  Still kinda nice to drop those two into any old bag or coat pocket and be ready to hunt, though.