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10 gauge load data


Tennessee Snuffy

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Depends on the shotgun and the shell, but for our use, 90 - 110 grains 1f or 2f with an ounce or ounce and an eighth is quite sufficient. I've always used brass shells and fiber wads for 10g. If you have a Zabala, marketed under a number of different names, whatever you can tolerate. :P

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As I recall, the Dixie Gun Works catalog showed the original load as 105 grains of BP.  I have used that in my old Colt Model 1878 (hammer double) and in my original Winchester Model 87.  Both guns ate it up with no trouble.  I don’t recall the shot charge, but it was similar to what you asked and what Three Foot said.  

I shortened the hulls so they fit the chambers.  I had a chamber gauge.  You didn’t say if you have a modern or antique shotgun.

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I am shooting a Zabala made in Spain.  Presently I am using 2 1/2" brass Rocky Mountain Cartridge shells filled with 110 to 120 grains of Black plus fiber wads plus 1 oz of #8 shot.  Not a big Kick since the gun weighs about 10.7 pounds.  

 

What would be a good load for 3 1/2" brass shells from RMC?  150 grains?

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1 hour ago, Tennessee Snuffy said:

I am shooting a Zabala made in Spain.  Presently I am using 2 1/2" brass Rocky Mountain Cartridge shells filled with 110 to 120 grains of Black plus fiber wads plus 1 oz of #8 shot.  Not a big Kick since the gun weighs about 10.7 pounds.  

 

What would be a good load for 3 1/2" brass shells from RMC?  150 grains?

I'm running 120 grs of 1F or 2F and 1 1/2 oz of shot.  I tried cannon powder, but a lot of the boom went away.  Plus side there was very little recoil.  Downside it didn't really sound like a 10 gauge

 

When I first got my 10 gauge (a Zabala) I tried a load of 2F Triple 7 that was the equivalent of about 140 grains of 2F BP.  While recoil is subjective and I'm not a small person, that load was uncomfortable.

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Sounds like a modern shotgun with 3 1/2 " chamber for modern smokeless loads.  Meaning with BP the gun can handle anything you're willing to shoot!

Back to your question.  The old formula was a balanced load, equal volumes of powder, wand and shot.  You can do a little experimenting to visually find how much powder fills 1/3 of your hull, same for shot & wad.  Then you have the max.  Try it and taper down to suit your comfort as needed.  

Somebody will come along and tell you what those numbers are.  I have not used the full 3 1/2" hull so I don't have the exact numbers.

I knew a guy who shot 200 gr in his 10 ga.  I tried one, then stuck to trying his 180 gr loads!

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We had a Cowboy that used to shoot with us and he liked a lot of boom! I asked him about his 10 gauge load and he said he used 150gr. Black powder and 1 1/4 oz. shot. We used to have a couple of small enclosed stages and you didn’t want to be the TO on those!!!

 

 Randy 

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