Does anyone know of a loading reference which compares the pressures of the semi-smokless powders shotgun powders produced from the mid 1890's through the 1930 and standard smokeless powder. From what I've found semi-smokeless powder was basically smokeless powder with about 5% blackpowder.
The reason I ask is because I have my great grandfather's Belgian , 12 ga double. It has Belgian semi-smokeless proofs, "fluid steel" barrels.
Apparently my great grandfather originally used black powder rounds on advise of the gunsmith that sold him the gun new, and did so up until they were no longer available locally about the mid 1930's. My dad recalls being with his grandfather when the local gunsmith told him that he could no longer supply blackpowder rounds. The gunsmith recommended the use of "low brass" commerical one ounce loads of 3 dram equ. (ie,.Remington Shur Shot)The old man took the smiths' advice and thereafter did all his rabbit and bird hunting with that load .
The gun was passed to my dad & uncles , and now that they're all gone, it's my safe. I've never shot it much simply because it's just to darn long (32" barrels). From the old family photo's I've seen you could probably fill a box car with all the pheasant, rabbits and ducks taken with it. More than just couple of foxes never made it to the henhouse,
I'm just curious as to whether there was a substantial pressure differance between semi-smokeless and smokeless rounds. Morever I can't understand why semi-smokeless powder was even ever used in the first place. I HAVE NO INTENTION OF RELOADING FOR IT! THANKS
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