Sprackles Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Hi. I have a Thomas Bland 10 bore hammer gun with 2 5/8" chambers, damascus barrels and in lovely condition. The last time I fired it was in Scotland at the geese with some old Eley paper cased rounds...pre lead shot ban. Does anyone have any idea on what sort of load I could come up with to stay within the law re shot and not damage my gun. I would add that at this moment in time, I have only a few bits of reloading equipment picked up from an old boy retiring from shooting and no 10 bore stuff with it. I dont as yet have any cases although I was thinking of having some brass ones turned if a suitable load is possible. My only other option is to take it off ticket as it falls within the Home Office 'obsolete' category. I do have one box of shells left for it but as they Eley 1 5/16th no 1 shot in an unopened and still sealed box with a price tag of £1-19s-6d, they will be staying that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cookoff013 Posted October 12, 2010 Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Hi. I have a Thomas Bland 10 bore hammer gun with 2 5/8" chambers, damascus barrels and in lovely condition. The last time I fired it was in Scotland at the geese with some old Eley paper cased rounds...pre lead shot ban. Does anyone have any idea on what sort of load I could come up with to stay within the law re shot and not damage my gun. I would add that at this moment in time, I have only a few bits of reloading equipment picked up from an old boy retiring from shooting and no 10 bore stuff with it. I dont as yet have any cases although I was thinking of having some brass ones turned if a suitable load is possible. My only other option is to take it off ticket as it falls within the Home Office 'obsolete' category. I do have one box of shells left for it but as they Eley 1 5/16th no 1 shot in an unopened and still sealed box with a price tag of £1-19s-6d, they will be staying that way. you want some shot called bismuth (which i will try and steer you clear off)(not very helpful but imho its rubbish.) or some "niceshot" is choke and old gun friendly. itx, tmx would still be usable with a full shotcup. too. i`d buy hulls from ian at clay and game. wads and shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprackles Posted October 12, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2010 Thanks...will take a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDAV Posted October 13, 2010 Report Share Posted October 13, 2010 Try contacting these people http://www.johnforsey.co.uk/ammunition.html wildfowling specialists and wildfowl ammo specialists Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted October 13, 2010 Report Share Posted October 13, 2010 Or you could download it a bit and use it for pigeons with lead shot as a fun gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight32 Posted October 15, 2010 Report Share Posted October 15, 2010 (edited) Cut down some 3.5" cases and reload with Bismuth. If you dont have a press just get a Roll turn over and make your own overshot cards out of some card with a wad punch. If you cant get any loose bismuth buy a box or two of 12g Eley bismuth and recover the shot from them. The only only place a gun like yours should be is on the sea wall not the living room one!!!!!! Edited October 15, 2010 by starlight32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floating Chamber Posted October 15, 2010 Report Share Posted October 15, 2010 Cut down some 3.5" cases and reload with Bismuth. If you dont have a press just get a Roll turn over and make your own overshot cards out of some card with a wad punch. If you cant get any loose bismuth buy a box or two of 12g Eley bismuth and recover the shot from them. The only only place a gun like yours should be is on the sea wall not the living room one!!!!!! Nice one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shakin stevens Posted October 16, 2010 Report Share Posted October 16, 2010 Cut down some 3.5" cases and reload with Bismuth. If you dont have a press just get a Roll turn over and make your own overshot cards out of some card with a wad punch. If you cant get any loose bismuth buy a box or two of 12g Eley bismuth and recover the shot from them. The only only place a gun like yours should be is on the sea wall not the living room one!!!!!! Another good place to look for old 10bore reloading gear is on the united states ebay site a good few of roll turners and de cappers go up for sale with international postage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprackles Posted October 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2010 [q]The only only place a gun like yours should be is on the sea wall not the living room one!!!!!![/q] Couldn't agree more which is why I asked......been offered some Gamebore Tungsten....£3 a shell which I suppose is the price I have to live with to enjoy my gun. Homeloading would make things easier though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted October 17, 2010 Report Share Posted October 17, 2010 Is it nitro proof though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprackles Posted October 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2010 Hi Vince......it was nitro proofed in 1974 and when I had it checked recently, the barrel dimensions were exactly the same as then....good enough for me. Might be tempted to shell out the £40 or so to the company that owns Bland now to find out its history. From what I have gleaned already, the numbers and original proof indicate it was made in the late 1800s with a date no later than 1894 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pestcontrol1 Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 6 years on did you get some cartridges sorted out an I hope your still using the old girl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 That's one old post resurrection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pestcontrol1 Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 That's one old post resurrection. we was only talking to each other last week about the self an same 10 g then i googled something last night and thiis thread popped up lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishop Posted August 13, 2017 Report Share Posted August 13, 2017 im in the throws of tempting myself to buy a 2 5/8 damascus 10 bore.im interested to see how he got on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impala59 Posted August 14, 2017 Report Share Posted August 14, 2017 An option i am looking at is "Little Skeeters" 10 to 12 bore or 10 to 20 bore chamber reducers. Everything I have read is positive, the 12 bore shot column is shortened by passing through an "overbored" barrel, recoil is minimal and shot patterns are equal to or better than the original. They are marketed and approved by Browning in the states. They are available from Brownells UK (10g to order only) quite expensive at a little over £50, but not when you consider the cost of 10g cartridges. Also using light 21 or 24gm 12's will not stress your beloved 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FatFreddysCat Posted August 15, 2017 Report Share Posted August 15, 2017 I use the 10 to 12g adapters. Lets you go and get some practice in at the clay ground with your 10. Also, when decoying, I often put a 12g adapter in the right hand barrel and use 32gm No.4 shot but keep a 10g, No.3 shot in the left hand barrel for the second, usually longer range shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted August 15, 2017 Report Share Posted August 15, 2017 (edited) Use some soft lead alternatives for fowling and lead for everything else. Using 12bore reducing set will cut your costs a lot. I did first put to use nice shot but it's not available when I checked. Edited August 15, 2017 by figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B525 LIGHT Posted August 15, 2017 Report Share Posted August 15, 2017 Don't you find the gases from the propellant escape past the wad column whilst traveling up the larger bored barrel resulting in reduced velocity and potentialy a disrupted pattern? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FatFreddysCat Posted August 16, 2017 Report Share Posted August 16, 2017 Don't you find the gases from the propellant escape past the wad column whilst traveling up the larger bored barrel resulting in reduced velocity and potentialy a disrupted pattern? Nominal bore sizes are .775" for 10 and .729" for 12, so only .036" difference. I think the skirt on a plastic wad is flexible enough to expand to produce a good seal. I haven't measured velocity but haven't noticed any difference in killing performance in the field. Even using 30gm lead, fibre wad loads for pigeons seems to work fine in the 10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundodger Posted August 30, 2017 Report Share Posted August 30, 2017 (edited) You can use the recipes for the 2 7/8 chambered 10 gauge just have to cut down on the wads. If you give me your email I will send you some good recipes Sundodger Edited August 30, 2017 by Sundodger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishop Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 im after some 2 7/8 loads??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishop Posted November 14, 2020 Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 On 30/08/2017 at 20:31, Sundodger said: You can use the recipes for the 2 7/8 chambered 10 gauge just have to cut down on the wads. If you give me your email I will send you some good recipes Sundodger Could you send me some of those recipes for the 2 5/8 ten?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salmo Posted November 14, 2020 Report Share Posted November 14, 2020 On 12/10/2010 at 13:33, Sprackles said: Hi. I have a Thomas Bland 10 bore hammer gun with 2 5/8" chambers, damascus barrels and in lovely condition. The last time I fired it was in Scotland at the geese with some old Eley paper cased rounds...pre lead shot ban. Does anyone have any idea on what sort of load I could come up with to stay within the law re shot and not damage my gun. I would add that at this moment in time, I have only a few bits of reloading equipment picked up from an old boy retiring from shooting and no 10 bore stuff with it. I dont as yet have any cases although I was thinking of having some brass ones turned if a suitable load is possible. My only other option is to take it off ticket as it falls within the Home Office 'obsolete' category. I do have one box of shells left for it but as they Eley 1 5/16th no 1 shot in an unopened and still sealed box with a price tag of £1-19s-6d, they will be staying that way. There’s a chap on here ninja ferret whose brother has Remington cartridges the are what your looking for I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svdsniper Posted January 30, 2022 Report Share Posted January 30, 2022 On 30/08/2017 at 20:31, Sundodger said: You can use the recipes for the 2 7/8 chambered 10 gauge just have to cut down on the wads. If you give me your email I will send you some good recipes Sundodger Hi Sundodger I just bought a 10 bore 2 5/8 so I would be interested in your load data too if that's OK with you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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