Shooting Steel in a Muzzleloading Shotgun

[Dan Chamberlain]

I have a Pedersoli double gun from Cabela's.  The book says it has chrome lined barrels for shooting with steel shot.  I'd like to jump shoot some ducks this year and I'm wondering, is it necessary to us some form of shot cup to protect the barrel?  I cringe to think little steel balls are scraping down the bore even with the chrome lining.

Dan C

[johnt]

Oh boy Dan,I'd cringe also!.For what it's worth,I don't have a BP shot gun,but I'd sure'nuff try to find some way to cut or fabricate some shotshell plastic ta work for steelshot down the bore.
I live in Minn. and usta hunt quackers avidly,I'm old enough to remember the change from lead to steel.An it sure rasied havic with our 870's,had ta have'm honed out a bit ta group proper.(after the bulged barrel!)
Might wanna check out the properties of that Bismuth stuff.
Wish I could help more!?? good luck!

[River runner]

Dan, try www.ballisticproducts.com they should have the proper shotcup for your steel shot, even with the Bismuth, like johnt recommended you should use a shotcup. RR

[Buckshotliam]

I shoot quite a bit of steel in my double and am resonably pleased with the results.  As the others have said Ballistic Products is the place to go for shotcups. Get one of their catalogs and for each of the shotcups they sell they tell how much (in oz.'s) steel shot they hold.  Decide what your payload will be and order a bag.  I load using my normal propellent then an over powder wad, a cushion wad, and then the shotcup, and of course the overshot wad.  I've experimented both with and without cushion wads and I like to use them. It's one more thing to carry I know, but it seems my patterns are a little more even and it gives me something to sop up some lube to keep the fowling soft with. I have only noticed plastic fouling at the end of the day a time or two, by no means every thime I shoot. And the plastic fouling I've had seemed to clean up fine with my regular cleaning procedure...warm water and a brass bristle brush then dry patches and natural oil lube and rust protector. My statement at the beginning indicated I am only somewhat pleased with shooting steel in my ML'er. My trepidation comes not from the shotcups or loading but rather from the performance of steel itself.. I'd love to totally switch to HeviSHot or Bismuth but I can't afford more than one jar a year and so  need to continure to shoot steel some.

Buckshot Liam

[peter nap]

One other trick you can try if you don't want to order the shotcups or need a quick fix. Take an empty 20 ga hull. Cut the head off where the brass starts. Crimp the other end closed. Take a yellow AA 12 ga wad and the 20 ga hull will fit a little snug in it. start them down the muzzle, fill with shot and use an over shot wad. It will seperate but you have to play with your charge to get a really good pattern.

[RandyWakeman]

I have a Pedersoli double gun from Cabela's.  The book says it has chrome lined barrels for shooting with steel shot.  I'd like to jump shoot some ducks this year and I'm wondering, is it necessary to us some form of shot cup to protect the barrel?  I cringe to think little steel balls are scraping down the bore even with the chrome lining.

Dan C

If the mfg. says so - - - then you are okay. The barrel bore is not affected by steel . . . it is the choke area where all the pounding takes place. Enough shooting, you will get a "barrel ring" on some guns with solid chokes.

[mamaflinter]

I have a Pedersoli double gun from Cabela's.  The book says it has chrome lined barrels for shooting with steel shot.  I'd like to jump shoot some ducks this year and I'm wondering, is it necessary to us some form of shot cup to protect the barrel?  I cringe to think little steel balls are scraping down the bore even with the chrome lining.

Dan C

DanC Here is a trick my hubby uses when using a bp shotgun. Since 12 gauge is the most popular we'll use it for the example. Buy a bag of power piston wads as if you were going to reload shotshells. These will be your shot cups. Dump your powder charge down the barrel, then use a felt wad on top of powder. After you get this down, ram a power piston wad down. Dump your shot charge after this. Then use a cardboard over shot card on top of this.

Hubby says to make sure you get the wads that are designed for steel shot reloading as the wads I mentioned are not designed and will not stand steel shot. (He's the expert on loading/reloading) They will withstand the steel shot being shot without tearing up and they will protect your barrel.