nother lesson learned

[jim m]

during the last turkey season, on a couple of occasions I pulled the load after the days hunt. I was shoked to find I had no overshot card and shot. the next time I went to the range I loaded up the smoothie with my turkey load and pointed the muzzle down and jared the breech area several times. put the ramrod in and sure enough the shot and card had move forward about 6 inches.  . it is a good thing I didn't get a shot at a turkey. I'm now using 19ga wads and cards in the 20ga. did the jaring thing again and everything stayed put. it sure is frustrating to think that you were carrying blanks for most of the turkey season
yours truly
dumbo Jim

[Harnic]

Wow!  That's scarey!  Could ruin a perfectly good barrel & day if the shot charge was part way down the bore when the load was fired... 

[trentOH]

That could explain many "missed" turkeys.

[ironsights1]

Trent...I got a gobbler with my 20 gauge fusil this year. Just as a precaution, I loaded two over-shot cards to hold in my #5s.  While I don't know if this made a difference, I felt better about it. Your solution of using 19 gauge cards is something I'm going to follow up on, however.

[billd]

I'm building my first fowler now, a 12 ga. for turkey hunting. I never even shot a fowler before.  Is this a common problem? This post is frightening me.

Bill

[J.D.]

I had the same problem with my bess. It was cured by using an 1/8 inch thick slice of felt wad, over shot. I suspect that the slice of felt wad breaks up on firing, giving consistent patterns.

God Bless,
J.D.

[northwoodsdave]

When learning to hunt with my grandfather, many years ago, he insisted I always keep the barrel UP when hunting.  While he said this kept dirt and snow from getting in the barrel, he also said something about keeping your shot in place in the "old guns."

I still carry my rifles "high," a habit that seems to be a good idea now that I shoot black powder as well.

Dave

[omark]

i have shot and hunted with a double 12 cap gun. the only time i have ever had that problem was with the unfired barrel, after shooting the other one. but once the barrel is fouled with a shot or two, i havent had a problem with the wad moving, but i ALWAYS check it when reloading.  mark

[Dphariss]

"Naked" ML bullets can do the same thing.

Dan

[roundball]

"...I was shoked to find I had no overshot card and shot..."

Be sure you're using a flat faced shotgun jag.

Using a same caliber jag but with a curved round ball face can bend the edges down a little all aroud the perimeter of an OS card, effectively making it smaller in diameter and it won't jam into / grip the bores walls as tight as it would if seated perfectly flat.

[close enough]

the 19 ga. is the way to go.  I had the same problem.
Brian

[joelvca]

The problem is that nominal gauges and calibers are not necessarily standardized.  I've probably seen specifics on 20ga most often, because it is so popular nowadays.  I can recall seeing references to nominally-20-ga barrels (nominally .615") of modern make with bores that ranged from .610" (or a hair under) up to at least .626".  Add a bit of pitting (harder to seal over but with higher friction) or honing (the bore is larger and with lower friction) and the possibilities compound.

Just as one must suit one's ball and patch combination to the individual rifle's bore dimensions, one must suit one's wad diameter and/or combination to the individual fowler's  (or musket's, or fusil's, ...) bore.

Regards,
Joel

[jim m]

roundball brings up a good point. the rod on this gun did have a concve face jag end. have since made a new rod with a regular shot gun jag end. after I discovered the problem of the load moving it kind of made me paranoid, OK so a little more paranoid than normal    it is good to know that I'm not the only one to have ever experienced this

[Daryl]

Right on, Jim.  Roundball's point on rod-tip shape is a good one. Notice the larger button-ends on shotgun rods.

[Gene Carrell]

I agree with Joel. I've three 12ga firearms. Two require 11ga. wadding and one uses 12ga. The  shape of the rod tip is something that I had not given any thought to, but needs attention.