Shotgun loads for LeMat

[Alabama]

I aint afraid to say this , but I have zero experience loading BP shotguns 
I want to load this LeMat proper like and have the charge stay in place with all 9 rounds of pistol ball , loaded , fired , then shoot the shotgun barrel if I want to . I am a bit concerend about the shock factor of 9 rounds of .44 loosening up the shotgun charge for the underbarrel shotgun barrel ? Is there a proper card , or shot cup available that will keep the load set and not rattle loose from the 9 rounds of pistol ball going off ?
Remember , novice to this shotgun thing , I only shoot pre-loaded 12 guage shells from my Stoeger Coach Gun . 
I am figuring it may go like this , powder , card , shot , card , lots of praying , set percussion cap , fire , lots of fire .
Ideally I would like to find a carboard shot cup or something to keep the shot contained till it leaves the barrel a few inches or so so it doesn't screw up the end of my revolver barrel or the blueing since it protrudes two inches past the shotgun underbarrel of this revolver .

This may sound petty , but I want to keep this thing as nice as I can for as long as I can , but I am not williing to NOT shoot the shotgun barrel to do it , its gonna get shot reguardless 
So how is this load in the shotgun barrel going to stay in place while I fire the 9 revolver loads prior to it ? 
Does anyone make a cardboard shotcup ? I hate plastic if can stay away from that , not very authentic .
Any good ideas

Thanks , Alabama

[Roosterman]

I am figuring it may go like this , powder , card , shot , card

You got the idea. Make sure that the overshot card is good and tight and you won't have any problem with movement. I don't when shooting double guns.  Don't go too crazy with the amount of powder and shot, probably nothing over 5/8 to 3/4oz and equal volume of powder. Don't worry about the shot hurting the 2" of barrel sticking out, it won't start to spread in that distance. It is going to get awful sooty though!

[Alabama]

Thanks Roosterman ,

But does anyone make shot cups too ?

Sincerely, Alabama

[Roosterman]

Not that I'm aware of, unless you go with plastic. You really don't need to worry about shot hitting the pistol barrel, seriously.
Check out Circle Fly for BP components.

[Adirondack Jack]

Ya don't NEED a shot cup, but ya could make em.  Find a dowel or any cylindrical object a hair smaller than the bore, wrap ordinary computer paper around it with the end of the paper sticking past the end of the dowel maybe 3/8".  Wind the paper two full turns, use a dab of glue stick to keep the paper wrap from un-rolling, (or use a post-it note for the paper, cutting it before hand so the rolled paper comes out with the glue strip in the right place) fold the end of the paper over like ya do with a roll of dimes, creating a "cup base".  Slide the paper off the dowel and cut to length with scissors, creating a cup just tall enough to contain the charge.  Now, load as you suggest, inserting the cup just before ya add shot.  A cup like that will tighten the pattern a bunch, especially out of such a short pipe.

[Alabama]

There you go Adirondcak Jack ,  that sounds do-able and a tighter shot pattern will be much better anyway I am sure of it .
Thanks everyone for the ideas , look forward to putting them to use now .

Sincerely, Alabama

[Alabama]

I was reading some article from Mike Cumpston , you know the gun writer , and he did a good review of this LeMat . He wasn't impressed with the recommended 25 gr. shotgun loads he shot out of it , so he upped the Annie Oakley a good fair bit to 60 grs. of powder  He figured that to be nearly 7/8's ounce load for a 20 ga . 
Yowzzzzaaaa !!!!! Well boys , that would certainly knock your , in the dirt wouldn't it 
He said it had no ill effects on the revolver but it did have mighty ill effects on his targets 
That would just be awsome , I may try that but just a bit lower powder measures than that 60 gr. am sure .  Good God Almighty ! I am sure it can handle it , not only is it just a shotgun barrel permanantly fixed to the frame , but it is screwed and pinned to the revolvers barrel too when it goes together . Now that's gotta be strong . Throw a big load of #4 buckshot in there and that would be a mighty nasty revolver to be on the wrong side of back in the day , or today for that matter . I pitty the rabbits around my place , they have finally met their match ! 

Alabama

[WV Scrounger]

I tried that load...it aint bad!!!! you will find that the weight of the gun keeps recoil down and the target gets pertty torn up !

[1860]

Use a dime wrapper for the shot, twist one end, add the shot and twist it closed.  It does not have to be packed tight in the wrapper, just make sure the diameter ends up less than the bore.  Ussually there is enough wrapper left that when you seat it with the ram rod the excess is enough to hold it in, if not crumple some newspaper and stuff it in on top, or put a card on top.
I believe I used 30-40 grains of 2f with 5/8s #5or6 shot, the book says 30grs of powder I think.  Don't think you are going to knock clay birds out of the air with that thing, the patterns pretty wide at close range.  It does not mess up the end of the barrel.

They are nice guns and very unique to shoot but mine was not as accurate as my Colts, the charges were lighter and the shotgun barrel was kind of useless.  It functioned good but it was meant to spray a foot soldier at very close range, tins cans were pretty safe.  Watch that loading lever, it's kind of fragile.

60

[madcratebuilder]

I have used shot, .285 buck and patched rb in my shot barrel.  For me, 50grs of 3F is the sweet spot.  The buck seems to be the most effective for short range uses.  I guess I should try some shot cups, can't hurt.