12ga Black Powder Load

[Skullbone Willie]

I have 12 lbs of Swiss fffg, Holy Black. I have searched everywhere and what little info I can find is vague at best. I loaded 4 for testing and they performed great. I guess what I’m asking does this load look good ? A Cheddite 209 primer, AA hull trimmed, 60gr of fffg, a fiber wad, 1 oz of shot, and over shot card and roll crimped. Am I missing anything, do I need to change anything ? BPI was out of Waxed Fiber Wads by the way. 

[Blackwater 53393]

Add a good “over powder” card.  You might drop back to a 55gr charge. 
 

I’ve used as little as 50gr without any problems and it’s good for one free shell loaded in every dozen.

 

Looks like a good result!!  Ya’ really don’t need a lubed wad in the shotgun. It won’t hurt anything to use ‘em if you aim to shoot them right away, but there’s an outside chance of the lube contaminating your powder charge if those shells stay on the shelf for too long.

[Boolit Boomer]

They look great, and Welcome to the fun.

I agree with Blackwater. Using a .125" nitro over powder card would be a good addition, and it would save you a few grains of powder. Wax fiber wads aren't necessary, but if you used them in the future the over powder card would give your powder a layer of protection from being contaminated. 

You could also purchase a 3/4" circle punch from a craft store and make your own cards from empty cereal or cracker boxes. These will allow you to add to the wad column and reduce your powder use. I usually use ffg or reenactor for 12g shotshell loads. I do use fffg in 20g shells, because of the smaller volume available. The fffg is a little hotter, but works just fine since you already have it. I usually try to work the load up to be a square load. Meaning that I use the same volume of powder and shot in the load with enough wad column as needed to get the correct height. 

[Griff]

When I used 55-60 grains of 2F I had lots of comments about how stout my loads were.  I've dropped back to 40 grains of 2F and have noticed no difference in how they take KDs.

[Tyrel Cody]

All I’d say is when you run out of fiber wads switch to plastic wads, it’s easier to load IMO and cleanup is just as easy and you don’t have to worry about the wad blowing a hole through your shot because of the cup. 
 

Ok I’d also say switch to Graf’s or Schuetzen reenactor because it’s cheaper and not as hot as FFFg.

 

 

 

[Eyesa Horg]

Using a pink plastic wad, I'm running 40-42 grs by weight of FFF or FF and 1oz of shot. Takes em all down in fine shape! The less Fs, the more flame

[Dantankerous]

AA hull, plasic wad, 4.3 Lee dipper full of APP or BP, 1 or 1 1/8 oz 7 shot, 209 primer loaded on a cheap but reliable Lee Load All. Works fine.

 

Good luck!

 

Your fireball pic looks great!

 

 

[Tequila Shooter]

For 12ga I use a pink plastic wad (it’s a little faster to load using a MEC).  When using fiber wad as suggested by others cut down on the powder, use a nitro card, and I use an extra overshot card between the wad and shot.  I had to take apart some shells and found that when I tamped everything down some of the shot pellets were pressed into the wad, the overshot card helps prevent that. 

 

Are you using clear plastic for the overshot card?  You’ve got a nice roll crimp and looks like a nice flame to smoke ratio going!

[Skullbone Willie]

52 minutes ago, Tequila Shooter said:

For 12ga I use a pink plastic wad (it’s a little faster to load using a MEC).  When using fiber wad as suggested by others cut down on the powder, use a nitro card, and I use an extra overshot card between the wad and shot.  I had to take apart some shells and found that when I tamped everything down some of the shot pellets were pressed into the wad, the overshot card helps prevent that. 

 

Are you using clear plastic for the overshot card?  You’ve got a nice roll crimp and looks like a nice flame to smoke ratio going!

Red overshot bingo chip.

[Tequila Shooter]

2 hours ago, Skullbone Willie said:

Red overshot bingo chip.

 

Now that’s clever 

[Skullbone Willie]

50 minutes ago, Tequila Shooter said:

 

Now that’s clever 

Got that tip from Buffalo Trace

[Skullbone Willie]

I hand weighed the 60gr that I posted about, I went into production this morning to escape from all the Thanksgiving cooking going on in the house. I loaded up 25 for the next match with a MEC Jr I picked up recently, the biggest bushing that I had dropped right at 48gr so I added a .07” Nitro Card on top of the powder, a 1/2 Fiber Wad, 1oz of shot with an overshot chip. These should be just fine now I need to load up some 45 Colts. 

[Sgt. Hochbauer, SASS #64409]

I have been using a 1oz square load which is a 1 oz shot dipper of powder and 7.5 or # 8 shot. I use a nitro card over the powder and then lubed wad (from Circlefly) shot then overshot card and roll crimp and have been cheating and using my drill press to do the crimp. It does not come out as nicely as the antique onces but my shotgun does not complain so I will just have to deal with it.

 

Sgt H

[Buckshot Sheridan]

You’ve got a load on the mild end that will do fine for this game. Just add a .125 or .145 nitro card between the powder and the fiber wad. Don’t worry about using lubed fiber wads. I used them originally, but have since gone to unlubed wads. No benefits to the lubed ones and they will eventually contaminate the powder charge even with a nitro card between the two. 

[Burn Through]

I use a 43 mec bushing and a red clay buster wad 1138 1 3/8 and about a ounce or so of shot and use 3 f black for powder gives me around 60 grains on powder drop. and hot water dumped down barrels will take care of the plastic after shooting

[Caladisi kid]

Powder, over powder card, wad, shot, over shot card.  I shoot brass and plastic hulls.  I have been doing "square loads" which is the same volume of shot and powder, I use the same dipper for both. I typically use 1 oz. lead shot of whatever I can find in a size from 9-6.   Adjust the wad column to roll crimp or cut the case back. Non greased wads leave a smaller donut hole than greased.  Go fiqure.  My 2 cents.  

[Preacher Clint]

2 Fg and 3Fg work fine, but a few years back I changed over to 1Fg Skirmish grade powder for my Shotgun loads. It patterned better and substantially less recoil was generated. This was for my SASS loads in my doubles. Used 4cc Lee Dipper of 1Fg, 1/8 Nitro wad, 1/2" Fiber wad and 1 oz of #6 Shot with overshot card in Win AA hulls. I roll crimp my BP Shotshells. Did not find any fowling problems. It doesn't take much time or effort to run a damp paper towel wad through the bores between stages. 1FG was also cheaper than the finer grades from Powder Inc. last time I stocked up.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

AA hull

Claybusters pink wad

Win 209 primer

1 oz #8 shot

#31 Mec bushing - approx 38 gr

3f real BP

 

Plenty of power for knockdowns at CAS distances. 
 

I settled on this load because it’s economical and easier on my shoulder. No need or desire to beat myself up. There’s still plenty of flame and boom.

 

The main objective with shot shells is producing a well-distributed pattern. Some folks use too much powder which produces a pattern that looks like a donut. Be sure you pattern yours. 
 

Your shells look great. Love the flame!

 

From a few years back:

 

[Sedalia Dave]

What 60 grains  (4 cc)of FFg under an ounce of shot looks like in daylight. 

 

 

Special shout out to the photographer for this awesome shot.

 

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

7 hours ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

AA hull

Claybusters pink wad

Win 209 primer

1 oz #8 shot

#31 Mec bushing - approx 38 gr

3f real BP

 

Plenty of power for knockdowns at CAS distances. 
 

I settled on this load because it’s economical and easier on my shoulder. No need or desire to beat myself up. There’s still plenty of flame and boom.

 

The main objective with shot shells is producing a well-distributed pattern. Some folks use too much powder which produces a pattern that looks like a donut. Be sure you pattern yours. 
 

Your shells look great. Love the flame!

 

From a few years back:

 

Thank you for sharing a sane 12ga BP load...

 

Phantom

[Eyesa Horg]

18 hours ago, Abilene Slim SASS 81783 said:

AA hull

Claybusters pink wad

Win 209 primer

1 oz #8 shot

#31 Mec bushing - approx 38 gr

3f real BP

 

Plenty of power for knockdowns at CAS distances. 
 

I settled on this load because it’s economical and easier on my shoulder. No need or desire to beat myself up. There’s still plenty of flame and boom.

 

The main objective with shot shells is producing a well-distributed pattern. Some folks use too much powder which produces a pattern that looks like a donut. Be sure you pattern yours. 
 

Your shells look great. Love the flame!

 

From a few years back:

 

That's pretty much my load, I'm at about 40-42gr by weight, a 3.1 cc dipper. I did load my last 50 with FF and they worked fine as well. Love the picture!