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I have a Pedersoli SXS 12ga, older lightweight one, about 6lbs with browned barrels with a differential fixed choke constriction.
I really don't like misfires so installed 209 ignition nipples to be sure I don't miss bird opportunities. Misfires stopped when I got rid of the percussion cap nipples.

Looking for suggestions on what powder, wad, and shot load combinations have worked for you.

I have done OK nontoxic shot area pheasant hunting with 70gr FFg and 1oz #5 bismuth or tungsten matrix in premeasured capped plastic test tubes for speed loading.
For wadding I use a thin overpowder card, bore buttered felt cushion, another thin card, then shot, and another thin overshot card.
I've tried more powder but the patterns tend to get blown.
I cannot get fiber wads down past my choke constrictions, so tend to rely on flexible wad materials.
I played with pillow ticking and paper shot cups but found no advantage over time lost.
I cannot use steel, or hevishot in this shotgun. It patterns lead beautifully but I can't use it hunting my area.
 
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My experience has been the opposite of yours...my using of traditional shooting and loading methods , have worked for many of the percussion shotguns that I have owned....both original and replica guns.

Will have to ask around and give this some thought for a better answer.
Andy

Edit to add....
Fiber wads , much like patches , round balls and the like...are different , from different companies.
As in...one company's 12 gauge wad may measure .740...the next maybe .742 or .745
Maybe try a 13 gauge wad which is around .720....
 
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Please check your hunting regs in the use of the 209 primers, wouldn't want you to run affowel of Johny Law! I know several states have specifically banned the use of the 209's, so better check!
 
Please check your hunting regs in the use of the 209 primers, wouldn't want you to run affowel of Johny Law! I know several states have specifically banned the use of the 209's, so better check!
Interesting you brought this up. I was tearing down my Pedersoli this evening and discovered one of the 209 nipples has been damaged... so now it's back to hotshot #11 nipples. My only previous FTF were with 777 and other substitutes, but never with real FFg or FFFg, and I have some now.
I'm GTG.
 
I'll share. It's no secret. Skychief is a well respected member of a Muzzleloading forum. He found that loading in this order creates a drafting low pressure zone behind a heavy fiber wad that keeps the shot pattern together out to 50yards... and does NOT donut the pattern like a fiber wad under the shot does.
Powder
Nitro card
Shot
Thin overshot card
1/2" olive oil soaked wet fiber wad on top (messy, use rag)
I have heard this is only a noticeable difference on cylinder bored guns.

My gun is fix choked .705 right/.695 left. These constrictions make pushing in a fiber wad (or nitro card for that matter) very difficult unless 13 and 14ga fiber wads are respectively used, but then they won't be a tight fit in the 12ga bore. I don't want an undersized fiber wad in the second barrel coming loose on the first shots recoil and advancing down the barrel creating an airpocket and obstruction.

That's the nice thing about 12ga thin cards... I can taco them in and straighten them out with the ramrod. Felt is no issue. And they stay put.

I will continue to experiment.
 
I'm committed or ready to be committed now... just bought a shot snake with an Irish head. Spendy bastages. This is going to be a fun bird season.
 
I shoot a 12 and 20 MLBP. The old Navy Arms has very little choke....either cylinder bore or maybe imp cylinder but I have not measured. I use Remington #11 with tite fitting nipples recommended by Track of the Wolf. Never had ignition problems.
Over the years I shot mostly Pyrodex FFG...now I use 777 a lot more. I know traditionalists will not approve ... please excuse... but the lack of fowling and easy clean up is hard to resist. I change out wads depending on the birds. For quail over pointers I use a 1/8" cardboard over powder and 1/2" lubed Ox Yoke fiber wad, #7 lead or Bismuth depending on where I hunt and non toxic requirements. 70gns 777, 1 oz shot.
For pheasants, ducks, geese and turkey I use the same 1/8" over powder cardboard but with Ballistics Products heavy plastic shot wad/cup. These are trimmed to match the shot column length and slit 3/4 way down into 3 or 4 petals depending on how tite I want the pattern. Then I use the thin over shot cardboard. The plastic wad really produces nice even patterns, tightens the chokes by increasing the bore constriction and protects the bore if I shoot steel. I use a variety of shot in the cups. #5 nickle plated lead, #4 Bismuth, #6 hevi shot and even #2 steel. Most time this load is 75gn 777FFG or 85gn Pyro FFG. Depending on shot size I load 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 oz of shot.
Hope this helps.
 
I shoot a 12 and 20 MLBP. The old Navy Arms has very little choke....either cylinder bore or maybe imp cylinder but I have not measured. I use Remington #11 with tite fitting nipples recommended by Track of the Wolf. Never had ignition problems.
Over the years I shot mostly Pyrodex FFG...now I use 777 a lot more. I know traditionalists will not approve ... please excuse... but the lack of fowling and easy clean up is hard to resist. I change out wads depending on the birds. For quail over pointers I use a 1/8" cardboard over powder and 1/2" lubed Ox Yoke fiber wad, #7 lead or Bismuth depending on where I hunt and non toxic requirements. 70gns 777, 1 oz shot.
For pheasants, ducks, geese and turkey I use the same 1/8" over powder cardboard but with Ballistics Products heavy plastic shot wad/cup. These are trimmed to match the shot column length and slit 3/4 way down into 3 or 4 petals depending on how tite I want the pattern. Then I use the thin over shot cardboard. The plastic wad really produces nice even patterns, tightens the chokes by increasing the bore constriction and protects the bore if I shoot steel. I use a variety of shot in the cups. #5 nickle plated lead, #4 Bismuth, #6 hevi shot and even #2 steel. Most time this load is 75gn 777FFG or 85gn Pyro FFG. Depending on shot size I load 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 oz of shot.
Hope this helps.

I just ordered some ballistic products BP12 shotcups. These are the longitudinally ridged ones that used to be called Rangers. They are the only ones I've been able to come close to inserting past my fixed chokes. I may need to lightly sand the inner muzzle edge, which is sharp and tends to peel up plastic on other wads. I expect to need several cards and felts underneath to keep from melting the cup; I do NOT want to be scaping plastic from my barrel. I will be putting bore butter in the ridge gaps on my wads and felts and swabbing every other shot. I like real BP over 777 due to it being much easier to ignite.
I have also found less powder and more shot to provide a denser pattern. I don't exceed 70gr FFG or 60gr FFFG.
My bismuth load is typically 1 1/8oz #5. I can't shoot lead hunting either.
For clays, I have found lead #7 to be excellent, mirroring your quail load.
 
I may need to sand down the muzzle edge then they should squeeze by lubed with bore butter.
I don't have the wads yet; will report success or failure soon.
 
Got the shot snake today. The Irish head works great! Doesn't leak while open (at least w/#5 bismuth, smaller shot might) and has 3 scoop detents for 1, 11/8, and 11/4oz shot drops, which measured out pretty darn close by volume. The scoop pours perfectly.
 

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