None of the hunters and shooters I know would with sound mind limit their long guns to just rifles. There is simply too much fun to be had with a scattergun, and a load of shot does things on a regular basis that a single bullet could only hope to accomplish on its luckiest day. Yet when it comes to muzzleloaders, shotguns are barely considered. Most shooters restrict themselves to smokepoles with rifled bores, content to view hunting with a muzzleloader as strictly a big-game affair. But the fields and forests are rampant with rabbits, squirrels and a variety of winged game, and swinging a shotgun that loads from the other end is a rewarding way to put these critters in the bag.

     If you are looking to maximize your time spent hunting with a frontstuffer, smoothbore smokepoles open seasons of opportunity not particularly suited to the guy carrying a muzzleloader designated by caliber. Small game is simply more plentiful and in most cases legal to hunt for months, rather than a few weeks. With a 12-gauge smokepole and a few hours in the field during the golden time of fall, it is not unusual to get a half dozen shots or more at a nice mix of fur and feathers.
     Then, too, is the low-pressure approach that characterizes the pursuit of small game, which provides the ideal atmosphere for creating clouds of smoke. Missing a squirrel or even a long-tailed, ring-necked rooster won’t exactly haunt your dreams, and the relaxed pace gives you the chance to truly enjoy the distinct aspects of hunting with a muzzleloader. Loading is no longer a chore; it becomes a rhythmic, though regimented, study in efficiency. Ignition is not a cause for fret; rather, it is a split-second of celebration. Limitations are not cursed; they are embraced as challenges, all the while knowing men more than a century before used the same type of firearm and rarely starved.
     Since last September, nearly every time I found myself afield with a scattergun, it was with a side-by-side that held a ramrod beneath its barrels. There were days of rabbits missed at 10 feet and pheasants folded at 30 yards. An afternoon of dove hunting when only four birds flew by my hiding spot between rows of corn, but all four fell amongst the pungent punch of Pyrodex. And a long-bearded gobbler that strained my wits as much as my wrists while I waited, gun up and head down, for a half hour while it strutted 50 yards and a world away before fading into the pines.

Hammer Time

     Like muzzleloading rifles, smokepole shotguns come in a variety of configurations with flintlock, caplock and inline ignition systems. The poor ol’ flintlock has been mostly dismissed as an outdated relic by much of the muzzleloading crowd, and this includes shotgunners. You’ll probably have more trouble just finding a new flintlock scattergun than getting it to fire. At the opposite end of the ramrod are inline muzzleloading shotguns, decked out just as modernly as their rifled-barrel counterparts. It’s hard to beat an inline shotgun for reliability, but form follows function a little too closely for those who want a scattergun that looks and feels and points like a scattergun. Most of the modern muzzleloading shotguns I’ve picked up have the lines of their .50-caliber cousins, sharing the same stock design and break-open, single-shot action.
     Between the traditional feel of the flintlock fowler and the functional convenience of the inline lies the smokepole scattergun that utilizes a side-mounted hammer and a percussion cap. These are either single shots or side-by-sides, at least in production models. I prefer the side-by-side shotgun to the single-barrel for several reasons. Foremost, it gives me another chance at game I may have missed with the first shot or the opportunity to take a pair. Two barrels also provide more options, as each can carry a different load and end in a different choke.
     Some of the most popular and widely available side-by-side smokepoles are made by Davide Pedersoli, an Italian firm that specializes in muzzleloaders and replicas of 19th-century firearms. A number of retailers offer Pedersoli shotguns in 10, 12 and 20 gauge, including Cabela’s and Dixie Gun Works. I’ve scattered smoke with the 12- and 20-gauge versions of what Cabela’s calls the “Black-Powder Double-Barrel Shotgun,” as well as the 10-gauge “Waterfowler” and 12-gauge “Side-by-Side Classic” from Dixie. Though they possess similar characteristics—namely rabbit-ear hammers and double triggers; chrome-lined barrels; straight-wristed walnut stocks with bordered, 20-line-per-inch, diamond-point checkering; steel buttplates and engraved sideplates—there are unique qualities about each of them.

     Barrel lengths of the Cabela’s and Dixie scatterguns are the same, but they vary by gauge. The 10 gauges have 30-inch barrels, while the twin tubes of the 12 gauges measure 28 1/2 inches. Built for faster handling, the 20 gauges come with 27 1/2-inch barrels. The Cabela’s side-by-sides have blued barrels, but the ones on the Dixie guns are browned. Both treatments reflect quality in their applications, and, on the 12 and 20 gauges, each complements a slightly different set of highlights in the color-casehardened sideplates and hammers. The richly browned barrels of the Waterfowler provide a striking contrast to its stainless steel components. A single brass bead crowns the top rib of the Cabela’s doubles, while the Dixie guns feature a second, smaller mid-rib bead in addition to the one near the muzzle.
     The shotguns on all but the Cabela’s 10 and 12 gauges have fixed chokes: improved cylinder on the right and modified on the left. Pedersoli fits Cabela’s two larger-bored shotguns with interchangeable choke tubes, three of which—improved cylinder, modified and extra full—are included. For small-game hunting, the shotguns that take choke tubes really don’t have an advantage over the fixed-choke models, since improved cylinder and modified will cover most situations. But when the day calls for a more specialized approach, it’s nice to have the versatility offered by screw-in choke tubes. In addition to the three flush-fitting choke tubes that come with the Cabela’s shotguns, Pedersoli offers cylinder, improved-modified and full versions.
     I was impressed by the solid feel of the lockwork. The hammers were crisp under my thumb and settled positively into both the half- and full-cock positions with an audible click, which could be silenced by light pressure to the corresponding trigger during cocking. An oval-shaped bit of checkering on the top of each spur prevented my thumb from slipping—a concern on any gun that utilizes a half-cock hammer as the sole safety. Trigger-pull weights for the guns I took afield varied between 5 1/4 to 7 1/2 pounds. The 20 gauge from Cabela’s had the lightest triggers, while the Waterfowler required the most pressure.

Instead of bluing, the barrels on the 10-gauge Waterfowler (bottom) and 12-gauge Side-by-Side Classic from Dixie Gun Works have a browned finish.
	The trigger guard escutheon on the Waterfowler provides a surface for engraving. Embellishment is also found on the sideplates, tang and breech end of the barrels.

Hold the Hulls

     Think about the components of a modern shotshell, and you’ll realize what goes down the barrel of a muzzleloading shotgun is much the same. The only difference—other than the type of powder—is the lack of an integral primer and a hull holding everything together. When you load a smokepole scattergun, you basically build a shotshell cartridge in the bore, sans the primer and the hull, one piece at a time, with a thin over-shot card keeping the works in place until the gun is fired. Just as each part of a shotshell plays a specific role in getting the pellets through the bore and into the target, everything you ram down a muzzleloading shotgun’s barrel has a purpose, all of it following a set order. And like handloaders who vary shotshell components according to desired performance, each part of the smokepole scattergun load can be carefully altered to achieve different results. With a muzzleloader, though, you can do it between shots without going back to the loading press.
     The first step in loading a blackpowder scattergun is to check the owner’s manual for recommended powders and charges. These vary greatly across manufacturers and gauges, so do not assume what is ideal in one gun will be good or even safe in another. The Cabela’s and Dixie side-by-sides I shoot have the maximum charges stamped on the left barrel near the breech, and I take care to never exceed them.
     Since the diameter of a muzzleloading shotgun’s bore is so large, using FFg blackpowder or an equivalent substitute is the most recommended and best choice. I usually opt for Pyrodex RS, mainly because it produces less fouling than blackpowder and ignites readily with No. 11 percussion caps. Fouling doesn’t limit the number of times you can fire a muzzleloading shotgun without cleaning to the extent it affects a muzzleloading rifle, but regardless, Pyrodex still cuts back on the amount of mess you have to deal with at the end of the day. Less mess is a much-appreciated benefit when you consider cleanup involves two barrels with a side-by-side.
     At the center of both the load and its performance is the wad column. In most cases it will include an over-powder card and a cushion wad to protect the shot from being damaged by the hot, expanding gases produced by the powder upon ignition. There are dozens of components that can be used to build the wad column—cardboard discs as well as wool, fiber and synthetic cushion wads of various thickness, and even modern, plastic designs that serve as both a cushion wad and a shot cup. MidwayUSA carries a broad selection of over-powder cards and wads, and Cabela’s offers kits that include enough over-powder cards and plastic wads for 25 loads.
     Combinations of these components are endless, but spending some time on the range with a patterning board will demonstrate what works and what doesn’t. While two scatterguns may give different results with the same wad column, some generalizations hold true. First, it is important to use components that are correctly sized to the bore. Gases will leak around undersized over-powder cards, causing large holes in the pattern. Cushion wads that are too tight won’t correctly seat on the powder and will lead to the same problem, or worse, will become stuck mid-bore during loading. The diameter of a 10-gauge over-powder card is only .026 inch larger than that of one sized for an 11-gauge bore, but it can make a big difference. Second, a plastic shot cup is mandatory when shooting steel shot to protect the bores from damage, and it can improve patterns by up to 15 percent when used with lead pellets. If the shot cup is too large for the load of shot you wish to use, shorten it by cutting the petals until the shot is even with the top. Finally, one of the best wad columns I have found simply consists of two, .125-inch-thick over-powder cards.
     The amount of shot poured on top the wad column goes hand in hand with the size of the powder charge beneath it. Blackpowder and its substitutes are always measured by volume, and the neat thing about muzzleloading shotguns is you can get away with a volumetric measurement of shot as well. Oftentimes, good performance will come from a load that uses equal volumes of powder and shot, and it is a worthwhile combination with which to start. One of my favorite 12-gauge loads for small game is also the first one I ever fired from smokepole. It calls for 75 grains of Pyrodex RS and the same amount by volume of No. 7 1/2 shot, which a volumetric shot measure will dip nicely when it’s set on 1 ounce. At a little more than 1,100 feet per second, the load has rolled many a hightailing bunny in mid-bound.
     From the volume-to-volume starting point, the amount of powder and shot can be increased or decreased as necessary, within the limitations set by the gun’s manufacturer, to control performance. When working up loads for a muzzleloading shotgun, there are three performance-related criteria to think about: pattern density, velocity and pellet energy, each of which can have an effect on the other two. All other things remaining the same, decreasing the amount of shot will lead to an increase in velocity, but it could also result in a thinner pattern. In contrast, a load carrying 11⁄4 ounces of shot by volume could produce a denser pattern than one having 11⁄8 ounces, but with the same powder charge, each pellet will have less energy upon impact due to the lower velocity.

In the Details

     Many aspects of hunting with a muzzleloading scattergun require a certain attention to detail. Paramount, of course, is safety, and a focused mind will keep you out of trouble, especially when loading the gun. Loading is a strict sequence, and each component should go down the barrel separately. Make sure the over-powder wad is seated firmly on the charge before adding the cushion wad or shot cup. Never try to ram both home at once, no matter how birdy the dog is acting.
     If you have fired one barrel of a caplock double gun, remove the percussion cap from the nipple of the other and lower its hammer before you fill the empty. Keep the loaded barrel pointed away from you during the entire process. When both barrels are empty, finish loading one before starting on the other, and place the ramrod in the barrel you are not working on to prevent double charging. After you reload one barrel, check the other to ensure all its components are firmly stacked in the bottom of the bore.
     It’s a good idea to carry pre-measured charges of powder and shot in the field. Empty pill bottles make perfect containers. A bitterly cold day last winter spent hunting pheasants on the grounds managed by Tom Crawford of Hillendale Hunt Club drove this point home. The wind whipping across the frozen landscape outside of Altoona, PA, made the temperature feel like it was 15 below zero. Not the type of conditions where I wanted my fingers exposed to air any longer than necessary, especially if any dexterity was to be required. With pre-measured amounts of powder and shot in each vest pocket, over-powder wads and over-shot cards easily retrieved from a zip-close plastic bag, I could load a barrel in less than three minutes.
     Over-powder and cushion wads, and especially plastic shot cups, sometimes need to be persuaded they belong in the bore. It’s easier to apply the pressure with a short starter than a wavering ramrod. Even with a short starter, though, in bores that are constricted by interchangeable choke tubes, wads and shot cups will often not load without first removing the choke tube.
     The lock time of a side-hammer muzzleloader is slower than that of a modern breechloader and, combined with the lower velocities generated by a smokepole, it is enough to require a slightly longer lead on some targets. Following through is even more important with a muzzleloading shotgun, because where that bird is when you hit the trigger will be yards behind its location when the shot leaves the barrel. Practice and experience will help overcome this and all the challenges associated with the smokepole scattergun, and you may find yourself reaching for a muzzleloader classified by gauge rather than caliber the next time you want to light some powder.