Swivel gun load

[navygunner]

Currently I fire off a salute charge of (3) tablespoons 1fg in my Carpenter swivel. After the reenactment season I would like to load 3/4 lb of buckshot (#3 or #4) and fire it to see the results as if it was repeling boarders. Should I simply wrap the shot in fine muslim and load over say 1 tablespoon of powder or perhaps load 1 tablespoon with an over powder card, shot cushion and overshot card much like a  blackpowder shotgun? This is still a few months off but I would really appreciate the imput?


Thanks,
NG

[Double D]

I think I would find some proper tools to weight and measure powder  and shot first.  Tablespoons and teas spoons are for cooking not shooting!  Get a little to much flour in the cake  will not have the catastrophic results that getting a little to much powder in the cannon. 

After that I would think you could load the gun like a muzzle loading shotgun.  You could also make  cannister and stand of grape shot,

[navygunner]

Double D,
    I neglected to mention that I measured 600 grs with my musket measure (5x120), placing the load into a small 2 ounce cup and marking it. For grins and giggles I tried the tablespoon to see what it came out to. As a salute charge(per Dom) I have an additional 150 grains to play with but I'm satisfied with the 600 +/- 10 I'm using. When it comes to doing a buckshot load all measuring will be done with the powder measure starting way below Dom's reccomended ball charge esp with the powder cards.

Geo Dailey
U S Naval Landing Party (western waters)
Great Lakes Battalion
Battery D 1st Michigan light artillery