Thread: Suitable ammo for old hammer shotgun

First, if you think the gun may be weak, it also has low safety margin for homebrew reloads.

The factory may have omitted proof tests simply because these were not required for export guns. They certainly would have made the guns as strong as ones going through proof testing for the home market.

Examine the gun carefully, clearance when closed with a feeler gauge, diameter of barrel at a couple marked spots. Then (using firing lanyard and rest) fire a couple hot cartridges, twice, having oiled the chamber walls beforehand.
Re-inspect with the gauges. Wallhanger if the dimensions are changed. You now own a DIY nitro proofed shotgun.

Originally Posted by Cordite

First, if you think the gun may be weak, it also has low safety margin for homebrew reloads.

The factory may have omitted proof tests simply because these were not required for export guns. They certainly would have made the guns as strong as ones going through proof testing for the home market.

Examine the gun carefully, clearance when closed with a feeler gauge, diameter of barrel at a couple marked spots. Then (using firing lanyard and rest) fire a couple hot cartridges, twice, having oiled the chamber walls beforehand.
Re-inspect with the gauges. Wallhanger if the dimensions are changed. You now own a DIY nitro proofed shotgun.

Thanks thats helpful info!
Yes your right, its a belgian Henri pieper model Daina 12 gauge, they never nitro proofed these for export, but as you say, the quality should still be the same.
I had the gunsmith measure the bores with his tool and although heavily pitted, said it should still be safe to use.
I ended up putting a whole box of winchester AA featherlite through it over the weekend and nothing has happened to the gun.
At least its avoided the fate of being a wallhanger, I have no idea when the gun was last fired, but its over 130 years old!
Despite all this, it seems to have a nice consistent pattern! I hit some clay targets with it quite effortlessly.
It should be a usable gun for rabbits and possums with the right loads.

I found some suitable recipies online on the likes of IMR's page and some others, main problem is the lack of supplies here, all we have for primers for example are all winchester 209, I wouldnt mind locating CCI, remington or cheddite primers if possible. Ficcohi have a low pressure primer too, perhaps contacting target products may be of assistance?
If anyone knows where american select powder can be bought would be helpful, but ive found a recipe that can make use of winchester primers and some IMR powders that are available.
It seems clay dot is quite a low pressure powder, but again is hard to find here at the moment.
Anyway, anything under 6500psi should be safe enough, but if i can get it as low as possible, it wont be a bad thing.
6500psi was about the highest pressure black powder cartridge at the time this gun was made, these AA featherlite cartridges are 5800psi.
I can get the pressure down with these recipies if I use a lower weight and/or velocity, but can still achieve 28g at 6200psi which is 1250fps.