Muzzle loading shotguns? Educate me

[ghosthunter]

Thinking of getting into muzzle loading shotguns for birds. I have black powder rifles, but never had a shotgun. I really like SS cap lock.

What are my options? What do I need to know? 20 ga. 410 ?

I also have an old Hawken replica that I was wondering if I could bore out to smooth bore??
 

[Smokeploe]

I have a 12 ga sxs for about 25 years now.  When I CA I use to dove shoot with it,  it a blast and in a good spot quite fun trying to keep both barrels loaded.  Loading is real easy, what ever shot load you use you use the same powder load.  You have to know what is the max load for your barrels,  example 1 1/4 oz load.  You can vari the loading like 1 oz of shot and 1 1/8 oz of powder,  you will need to spend time at the pattern board.  You do want to get the chrome moly barrels so you can use nonlead shot, worth the extra expense.  As far as .410, not worth the effort.  20 ga I feel that it is too small,  12 ga you can load down to 7/8 oz but I stick with 1 oz. They are a kick in the but when you go out in the field and no one realizes you have a front stuffer,  the boom will rattle everyone!   Send me a PM with your number if you want to talk more.

Smokeploe

[SeaRun1]

I have a 20 gauge Fowler but have been looking into a double barrel percussion shotgun myself.  Interested to see the replies.

SR1

[DeerThug]

I have a 12 ga double barrel.  Have not used it in years but used to dove shoot with it. Everyone says dove are hard to hit but with this gun it was very effective.  Dont remember my load but it was a fun gun to shoot birds with.

[Skillet]

Many years ago I thought about adding a SxS caplock 12 gauge to my muzzleloader stable.  Mainly for pheasant and grouse, but also for those bluebird duck days that you don't expect much shooting.  If I recall,  Pedersoli had a few field doubles that fit the bill (steel safe) for a very fair price. Not sure if that's the case anymore,  but might be a good place to start.

[ghosthunter]

Many years ago I thought about adding a SxS caplock 12 gauge to my muzzleloader stable.  Mainly for pheasant and grouse, but also for those bluebird duck days that you don't expect much shooting.  If I recall,  Pedersoli had a few field doubles that fit the bill (steel safe) for a very fair price. Not sure if that's the case anymore,  but might be a good place to start.

I came across some the other day while browsing. $1200 plus.

[Night goat]

I have been eyeballing a sxs 10 gauge black powder shotgun for a while.

I have yet to have the chance to shoot one, however everything that I gathered is that they perform like the modern bore equivalent below the listed black powder bore- dunno if I worded that right...

And now I may be completely wrong, but from what I gathered a 10 gauge bp shotgun will have the oomph of a modern 12 gauge 2 3/4" load, a bp 12 gauge will perform like a light modern 20 gauge round and so on.

I've only seen a handful of bp shotguns in person, but I like the pedersoli guns, however there's a ton out there.

Greens gun shop on north whidbey Island every now and again has one come through, all the ones I've handled were feather light and pointed beautifully.... how they shoot is anybody's guess.

Id reckon some out there are going to have barrels that shoot completely different than where you aim, I don't see a lot out there having matched true-to-point-of-aim barrels but I've always wanted to put on the wool and hip boots and do a duck hunt with burlap and cork home made duck decoys and shoot a black powder on a hunt, although that brings another question as to whether or not barrels are steel safe. I think the new production pedersolis are steel safe, but anything else might be something to look into. I know a lot of black powder shotguns were made thin and the loads were kept relatively light

All depends on what you intend to use it for I suppose


https://www.davidepedersoli.com/en/product/waterfowl-side-by-side-cal10-cyl-impr-cyl

If I had to get one bp shotgun that would be it right there. New enough to handle modern rules, old enough to be timeless