Scatter gun problem

[Cuts Crooked]

Hello the fire!!!!

Ain't been here few a few dozen moons. Glad to see the place is still around!

Got a problem with a scattergun that I hope I can pick yer collective brains about.

IT SHOOTS LOW!!! Seriously low with the load I'm tryin' to get it runnin' with. The load is apprx 1 3/4 oz of #5 shot over a cushion and over powder wad, pushed by 85 gr of 2f. The gun is an old CVA Trapper. This load throws AWESOME patterns at thirty yards, just what I want fer turkey, but it's centered about a foot and a half low........

Suggestions? (and no I ain't gonna aim a foot and half high either! )

[Cowpox]

You have two options.  A shorter front bead, or adding a riser on the breach end.   Either will bring the pattern up.

If this is a double gun, you could drill and tap the center rib, and install a center bead, as found on modern breach loaders.  I persume you know that with center beads, you should see a sight pictue with the front bead over the center bead, which will look like an 8. This will bring the pattern up also.

[Cuts Crooked]

Ok, I wuz hopin' fer an answer that would probably be impossible, like a way to adjust the load

Hmmm? Ok, I can file the bead down ....sum, and since it's a single barrel I jist got an idear! I replace the tang screw with a taller one (this means some wierd machining to make a screw with a tall head) that will function sorta like a rear sight!?!?! 

[quickdtoo]

Old timers just stuck the barrel in the fork of a tree and bent the barrel a little!!! I've done the bending on a .62cal tradegun, but using a little more refined method. 

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,88522.msg534848.html#msg534848

Subject: Re: Bending the barrel? 
I made some cradles for each end of the barrel by drilling a barrel diameter hole in a piece of oak, then cutting the piece in half bisecting the hole. Place a half under each end of the barrel, then use a large C-clamp near the middle with another cradle positioned on top of the barrel to protect it from the clamp. Tighten the clamp until the barrel bends some, it will flex back some, so you'll need to bend it past what it will eventually stay at. You'll need a very stout work surface, I used a steel I-beam used for straightening car frames, but a sturdy work bench or maybe a 4x4 would work, too. I used shims under one end of the barrel cradles so I could control the exact amount of bend, tightened the clamp so the barrel touched the work surface each time. For shims I used pieces of ¼" plywood, veneer and then sheet metal until I got the amount of bend in the barrel that I wanted. I just used a 4' steel ruler on top of the barrel when checking the bend, you can see the gap the bend creates.

[Cuts Crooked]

BEND THE BARREL!?!?!?!

Ok, That's not an option...these CVA Trappers have thin barrel walls, not stout stuff like them old trade guns.

Soooo....I went ahead and turned down a long bolt on the lathe then rethreaded it to fit the trigger plate hole, I turned the head off, but left a shoulder, and cut a new slot. Leaving me with a tang screw that sticks up a whole half inch above the tang, and nicely centered to act as a 'rear sight'. The trick was getting it threaded/cut so that when it's tight the slot for the screwdriver bade actually acts as a sight notch. Trip to the range revealed it wuz STILL centering the load a bit low. So I hit the front bead with a few licks of the file. That nearly did it. Next I backed off the powder charge to 75 grains.........and I got it! Apparently lowering the powder charge gives jist enuff more "barrel time"to let the bore rise that last litle bit needed to center the pattern really nicely. This load put 22 pellets in the kill zone of a turkey target at 25 yards, 5 out of 5 times!   (standard full choke, which stunned me!!!)

Many Thanx fer the ideas! Now I gotta wait fer turkey season and hope my callin' will bring in a love lorn Tom!

[Forestclimber]

I like replacing the tang screw idea.  Since you are turkey hunting, you will be aiming it more like a rifle anyway.  The trappers are light shotguns.  I imagine the load you shoot kicks pretty good.  If you could get some lead in the butt of the gun, it might help with recoil.  Also, when you load the gun,try putting an overshot wad right on top of the cushion wad before you pour in the shot.  That tightens up patterns on some muzzleloader shotguns.  I don't know what type of wad lube you use, but I like a 50/50 mix of mineral spirits and vegetable oil.  Put the wads in a zip-lock bag, pour on a little solution, and shake them up.  Do this until the wads are the way you like them.  If you can get felt wads they don't lose their shape after being forced through a choked gun.  It's just a thought.  Have fun.

[lrrice]

My Pedersoli did the same thing with heavy loads.  I just started shooting lighter loads and it works much better.  Doesn't hurt as much either.  If lighter loads didn't work, I was going to build a lace on leather pad (cheek piece) to raise my eye up.  Hadn't thought of the tang screw, I might have to try it.  I reduced mine to 1 1/8 oz shot and an equal volume of BP.  I did take a turkey with mine (tried aiming high) must not of got it high enough cause there was certainly more than enough lead in the breast meat.  Kinda hard guessing whats under that big black blob.

[Cowpox]

Glad to hear you found a way to get that old girl to shoot where she looks.

Give that first wish bone one last lick for us !

[Cuts Crooked]

Well, I did give some thought to the 1 1/8 oz of shot and equal volume of powder load. But it jist din' put the number of pellets in the kill zone that I wanted. (no sech thing as overkill in my thinkin'  ) Plus the nature of huntin' turkey might mean stretchin' the needed range a bit.

Yes, this load recoils like the Wrath of God! That much shot bein' driven outta that light weight lil whip of a scattergun, will get ones attention. And this older version didn't have a recoil pad/butt plate/anything jist finished wood. But I don' mind recoil much (macho man...comin' through  )

Actually I'm planning on restocking this gun eventually. It has cracked in the tang area before and is currently acuraglassed back into the wrist area. Seems to be holdin' up good, but I can still see the crack and I don' like looking at it. The Birchwood that CVA put on it had some nice enuff figure, but it was in the wrong places! I've got a nice big piece of native walnut I plan to cut another blank out of for this gun, which will probably add some much needed weight to things.

Meanwhile...I gotta wait fer turkey season to roll around on the calendar. Hopefully I cn' post a picture come April.

[lrrice]

I'll stick with the light load that shoots good for quail dove and clay pidgeons but if I ever decide I want to load it heavy to hunt turkey again, I'll definitely be building a "sight" like you did.  Seems like the easiest solution.  My pedersoli weighs nothing and I don't relish the beating the steel butt plate dishes out with those low-shooting heavy loads. Sure eliminates any desire to pull both triggers at the same time