Cape gun is blooded!

[sharps4590]

Yesterday morning, Saturday the 11th of August, we had a very, very pleasant break in the heat wave we've been suffering through. The temperature was 58 degrees when I awakened. This had been forecast so I was pleased to see the weather prognosticators were right.

The hickory nuts are far enough along that the squirrels are really hitting them right now and I love to hunt the deliscious limb bacon so what better morning to give the old gal a chance to prove herself.

As squirrel hunts go it was uneventful. Lots of squirrels in the trees and they were wild as a March hare. I supose the extended heat has made them so. After about 30 minutes of letting the woods calm down one travelled within shooting range. Nothing spectacular, about a 25 yard shot at a feeding bushytail and the 16 bore loaded with 70 grs. of Ffg and 1 ounce of #6 shot and the old Cape gun proved it could still bring home the "limb bacon". A compelling urge and the knowledge that I had a lot to do in the yard as it wasn't going to be 105 degrees led me on the short walk back to the house. One squirrel didn't justify a picture to me so I cleaned the squirrel, the one brass hul and the gun and began my long morning of yard work. Even with such a short hunt and only the one squirrel I don't believe the grin left my face until I took the pork chops off the smoker for dinner last night.....to be replaced by another grin!!!

[Büchsemann]

Vic,

This is great stuff. It's nice to hear that the old arm is back in business.

I've never heard the term "limb bacon", that's pretty good. You southern boys sure have fun name alternatives. Raimey once told me he was heading out to shoot some "ditch parrots". I felt pretty dull when I heard that one thinking I had always just called them pheasants.

Regards,

Büchsemann

[sharps4590]

Thank you Buchse! I can't take credit for coining the name "limb bacon". It comes from a minister friend of mine farther south than me. He's down in Arkansas. We've had some fine conversations regarding limb bacon and share the same regard for them as table fare. He has written several articles on hunting them. Most were published in Fur, Fish & Game.

Ditch parrots.....that's as good as Indian chickens....maybe better!!

It was a good day!!!

[mike ford]

Vic,
I call the blooming little buggers Tree Rats. They cut up the pecans while they are still green. If they would eat the whole thing it wouldn't be so bad, but they leave half eaten ones all over the yard and driveway. In the back of the house, I can keep them on their toes with CB Caps in a Gustav Genschow single shot. The barrel is long enough that it makes no more noise than an air gun. My best trees are at the front of the house and I can see the Court House, so if I shoot there, I may have an interesting conversation with the Police.
Mike

[sharps4590]

I'm certain you would have some uninvited visitors and a conversation you'd rather not have!!!

I understand what you mean however. Not many pecan trees left around here but they have been making a terrible mess on our driveway and that part of the yard under a hickory tree....and in the bed of my work truck that resides beneath said tree. Fortunately I can step out on the front porch and let fly at them. Nothing west of me for 2-3 miles.

[Büchsemann]

Around the house I have called them every name in the book and perhaps some that haven't been published as yet. As for eating they sure are tasty little varmints. Haven't shot any with a cape gun as yet though.

[sharps4590]

Welp, there is more blood on the "buschflinte", (did I get that right?). I took it for a walk in the woods this morning looking for more limb bacon and apparently God did not take it personal that I skipped church this morning. I ended up with two fairly young grays that will be a wonderful meal for Momma and I.

I wasn't happy with the way the gun was taking out the squirrels so when I got home and after I cleaned them I thought I really should pattern it more thoroughly than I had previously. Good thing I did. It does not like 1 1/8 oz. over 70 grs. of Ffg, not one tiny bit. You could hide a fat Yorkshire Terrier in the holes in that pattern. I did not expect that. The good thing is that it shot the 1 oz. load fairly well although not centered. The main pattern density is a bit high and right which can be accomodated for is one is aware of it. My first change will be reducing the powder charge by 5 grains and see how that performs with 1 oz. If it doesn't make much of a difference I'm thinking maybe the wad column could use some tweaking. I'm not a very experienced shotgun reloader so any advice, criticism or suggestions will certainly be appreciated.

[mike ford]

I'm pretty sure 1oz was the normal load for the 2 9/16 16ga.
Mike

[Büchsemann]

Sharps (Vic),

Thanks again for the hunting report noting your continuing "limb bacon" harvest, great stuff. Unless I'm all wet your gun is called a "büchsflinte". The "e" in büchse (for rifle) is dropped when added to flinte (for shotgun). I am certainly no expert and I have to imagine that my handle "Büchsemann" (hoping for something close to "Rifleman") has probably made a lot of our German members cringe. All I can suggest for your shot column issue is doing some experimentation. In my limited experience with such I have used standard issue wad cups that seem to have held the pattern together pretty well. The majority of my pattern issues in the past had been opening up patterns coming out of the tightly choked later guns. Such was addressed by sticking a splitter "T" post in the end (point first) of the column prior to crimping. Lately I have just been buying splitter loads from RST or Polywad.

Büchsemann

[sharps4590]

It was Mike, I'm just positive. From the various boxes of 16 gauge ammo I have around here it still is. I've loaded a lot of shotgun shells but never spent any effort to learn much about the finer points such as I have with reloading for rifles and handguns. I always just found a load that would pattern to suit me and left it at that.

I've probably fired more rounds from muzzleloading shotguns than breechloaders and I depended more on that knowledge for loading the brass hulls. I haven't tried it yet but I don't believe my 16 bore plastic wads will work in the brass hulls. I think they're too small in diameter. I have piles of plastic 16 bore Federal and Remington hulls and I know they fit the gun so I may have to shorten them and acquire a roll crimper, then pattern them. What the heck, ain't that the biggest part of the fun, dinking around with these old things til you get them shooting the way you want? Oh, how much should I shorten the 2 3/4 hulls if I try that?

Thnaks for the help!

Vic

[sharps4590]

And there is more "blood on the gun'! Great morning yesterday, Saturday. 3 shots, 4 squirrels. In 54 years of squirrel hunting that was the first time ever for me that I got two sqiurrels with one shot. There was 3 playing up in a big ol' white oak and I waited until two were nose to nose and dropped both with one shot. After a few minutes the 3rd came looking for its buddies and it joined them in the bag. 15 minutes later and 100 yards away #4 made the mistake of making a run for it through the treetops, more fine dining for Momma and me!

Now...I had a kinda net picture in mind with the old cape gun and the 4 tails. They were just gorgeous, exactly the kind one prefers for tying flys, big, full and fluffy. I very neatly laid them on the bar on our patio after I cleaned the squirrels and took the squirrels inside to put in a pan of salt water. When I came back out there was my big ol' strawberry blonde dog with about 1/2 a tail hanging out of his mouth....and only one left on the bar. I swear, that dog will eat anything. Sooo....no pics again...doggone it!!!

It was quite satisfying the authority with which the new loads dropped the squirrels. I had pulled the shot charge on the four remaining 1 1/8 oz loads and replaced them with 1 oz. loads. Then, I reloaded another 8 rounds with 65 grs. Ffg Scheutzen and 1 oz. of #6. The two I patterened were very much improved over my previous loads. I'm satisfied with how the old gun is now shooting, both rifle and shotgun barrels. My hammer drilling should be here this week so I'll have another project to work with!

Vic