Black Powder shotshells: 2 3/4" in a 3" chamber.

["Big Boston"]

I have a single shot 12 ga. I has a 3" chamber. I've tried to shoot BP shells in it but am thwarted by the amount of crud that is left in the barrel. I had chalked it up to my ammo or just the nature of the beast, but the other day it occurred to me that the issue may be with the wads/cards not sealing properly as they jump the gap. I'm considering sourcing some 3" shells, but before I do, I'll ask for for insite here. 

 

Could the 3" chamber be the issue?

 

 

 

BB

[Eyesa Horg]

I've been shooting 2 3/4" BP shells out of my 3" Stoeger for years using plastic wads. Yup, it's filthy immediately!! I have never had the filth cause any issue what so ever. Cleanup is a breeze with Windex/Vinegar and a sheet of paper towel. Cork the barrels and let sit for a few rotating a couple times. Push a quarter sheet of towel stuffed in the chamber through and 99% of the time it's shiny clean. If not add another spritz.

I simply ignore the crud while shooting the match. YMMV

 

FYI.. keep the Windex off the bluing, I've been told it will lighten/remove it. I just wipe any over spray off and have had no issue.

Edited January 16 by Eyesa Horg
Added text

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Fouling issue you would still have with a 2 3/4" chamber.

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

When using plastic wads and real black powder or any of the subs, a portion of the back of the wads will melt and coat the entire length of the barrel with a thin layer of plastic.  The layer of plastic thickens with each shot.  You can check wads on the ground downrange and see the amount of plastic melted away.  I use the same method as Eyesa Horg and clean my shotguns daily.  They start out looking like the interior of a chimney and quickly return to pristine, shiny surfaces.

 

I don't use fiber wads and leave it to others to discuss them.

[German Jim]

5 hours ago, Eyesa Horg said:

I've been shooting 2 3/4" BP shells out of my 3" Stoeger for years using plastic wads. Yup, it's filthy immediately!! I have never had the filth cause any issue what so ever. Cleanup is a breeze with Windex/Vinegar and a sheet of paper towel. Cork the barrels and let sit for a few rotating a couple times. Push a quarter sheet of towel stuffed in the chamber through and 99% of the time it's shiny clean. If not add another spritz.

I simply ignore the crud while shooting the match. YMMV

 

FYI.. keep the Windex off the bluing, I've been told it will lighten/remove it. I just wipe any over spray off and have had no issue.

Exactly!

 

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

+1 for Eyesa
I've shot real BP with plastic wads in my shotguns for 25+ years, and, while the barrels were really fouled, at the end of the shoot the fouling never impeded the function of the shotgun in any way.
After the shoot, a few squirts of PAM, or Windex with vinegar, or Moose Milk followed by several passes with a nylon brush wrapped with a paper towel, and it's shiny clean.
The fouling comes out along with the plastic "snot"
Followed up with a bore mop soaked with lube, and it's ready for the next shoot.

At one time, I experimented with fiber wads soaked in Bore Butter, but the bores got just as dirty, and cleaned up just as easily, so I went back to using plastic wads.

--Dawg

[Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428]

I use fiber wads in 10ga, 12ga and 16ga.  The bores are scary looking, but come clean quickly using the methods mentioned above.  I use moosemilk made with ballistol.

[Blackwater 53393]

I’ve shot shells using plastic wads, lubed fiber wads, plain dry wads, and even shredded packed newspaper! The result was that I generally stick to either of the fiber wads.
 

One reason in particular is that a couple of my old shotguns have pitted barrels and the melted plastic is much more aggravating to remove! The fiber wads don’t cut down on powder fouling, but I don’t have to contend with the plastic buildup.

 

I prefer the lubed wads or a combination of a lubed and a non lubed wad, but in a pinch, (times when I have a low inventory of various components) I’m liable to use whatever I can lay my hands on!

 

As for cleaning, I always keep some appropriately sized smokeless shells. I spray Windex, (doesn’t matter to me which kind) into the barrel or barrels and allow it to soak the entire length inside while I immediately wipe away any overspray and then fire a couple of smokeless rounds down the bore(s), sending all the nasty stuff down range. I then wipe the bore(s) and the rest of the gun with Balistol.

 

Since I have been known to shoot Black Powder from my pump shotguns, I also keep spray Balistol and canned air in my kit for a temporary solution to any fouling in the action.

[Sgt. Hochbauer, SASS #64409]

I for the most part load with fiber wads and nitro cards shooting real BP. After a match I spray the bore of my dbl with balistol or pam. Once home I take the barrels off and run hot water through them in the slop sink. The gunk in the barrel pretty much washes out and then push a rolled up paper towel through each barrel and then ready for the next match. I use the same method if I shot loads with plastic wads.

 

Hochbauer

[I. M. Crossdraw, SASS# 8321]

It's just the nature of the beast.  As mentioned before, spray with any cleaner of your choice followed by rolled paper towel and you're GTG.  

["Big Boston"]

Thanks, I'll try again.

 

BB

[watab kid]

nature of the beast - i shoot smokeless in 3" chambers all the time and have no issues even though im notorious for not ever cleaning - till it quits ....so far only about three times in 20 years because something broke 

not talkin bad about BP but you do have to be diligent in your cleaning regiment , its the nature of the beast 

[Cemetery]

I make my own loob with tallow and cooking oil of some type, and put a dab of it on the cushion section of the wad.  This helps with the fouling for easier removal.

[Bailey Creek,5759]

I have been shooting SASS for 30 plus years. I used to use plastic wads. 

Didn't like the cleanup. Now is load 45 Gr. of 2f. Then a over powder wad.

Then a 1/2 Fiber Wad, on top of that 3/8-inch Waxed Hard Card, then 1 ounce 

7 1/2 shot.

Cleanup is easy. I do use throw away gloves.

[Todd Hayseed]

I do use plastic wads in plastic shells, even with BP.  The shells have big holes melted in them and the wad leaves a smear in the bore.  But function is not affected and if you know how to clean it its only a little more work.

 

I use fiber wads in brass shotshells in my Damascus barreled 1893 shotgun.  Mainly because it's what that gun was made for.  Plastic wads & shells date from 1960, long after BP was out of regular use.  Plastic gas seals or wads are far more efficient than card wads and so the pressure is a lot higher, so I don't risk it in my 133 year old gun.

[Cusz M. Dutch SASS Life 55326]

please keep in mind that using a plastic shot wads tends to tighten your choke by one degree.

[watab kid]

huh , if it tightens a cylinder bore is that bad ? i diont think so 

[Cusz M. Dutch SASS Life 55326]

Not at all - especially if that is the goal.

 

[Scarlett]

You can buy primed 3” hulls from Ballistic Products (100count).  I use them (23/4) and they are great! I load APP with fiber wads and my SXS barrels are a  breeze to clean. A patch or two! 
 

Hugs!

Scarlett

 

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

I've been running plastic wads in my double guns for about eight or ten years now.  Fouling is a fact of life if you shoot black powder or the Subs.  A minor amount of "snake skin" is expected although I haven't encountered much snake skin for the last couple of seasons.  I load with 2F APP exclusively and find cleaning the guns after a match to be no big deal.  In fact I mirror The Prairie Dawg.  Except:  the fouling from APP is not a "bad" as that with black powder.  I simply spritz the barrels with PAM, wrap a quarter sheet of heavy duty Blue paper towel on a brass brush squirted with PAM and the barrels are squeaky clean in just a couple of passes.  Finish with an oily patch.