28ga Early Virginia took the Dove challenge

Made its debut on the dove field this morning and did just fine.
Since my last trip a week ago all the tobacco had been picked and the fields bush-hogged.
Completely changed their fly pattern, got very little action in the spot I’d used before but was able to put down 6, found 5.
So the dove hunting monkey is off my back with the 20ga & 28ga Flintlock smoothbores…they performed perfectly in every respect.

Yes, sure is...built by Matt Avance & company

It's not in the white...it may be the sun is making the metal look brighter...it's actually a light-medium gray aged steel

Sure...I've never been a fan of the heavy rust brown finish on some guns I've seen...or even true aged steel...so in the case of the barrel in the photo, it was completely 'finished mechanically' as part of the build...BUT...'not colored' in any way.

I wiped it off with Acetone as a degreaser, then simply used a piece of an old washcloth to thoroughly plaster the barrel with Birchwood Casey's Perma-Blue paste from a tube until the entire barrel was black...about 15 minutes.

Then using '0000' fine steel wool wet with WD40, gently started rubbing it back out..the more you rub it out the lighter gray it gets and you just stop wherever you want it at some particular degree of gray color...also about 15 minutes...reinstall the sights, put the barrel back in the stock, done.

It's quick, easy, completely under your control...if you get it lighter than you want, just wipe it down with Acetone, reapply more Perma-Blue paste, and rub it back out to a darker or lighter end result.

A used Dickert I picked up a few years ago already had a heavy rust brown finish so in that case I first had to rub off the rust coating with sandpaper, then followed the steps above....this is how that one finished up:

DOVE LOAD I TESTED WAS:

70grn measure Goex 3F
1/2” Circle Fly cushion wad
1 Circle Fly OS Card
90grn measure #7.5s
1 Circle Fly OS cards

This was the 25yd pattern density / penetration test on a strong 'tuna can' with only 60grns Goex 3F.....bumped up to 70grns 3F for Dove to open the pattern some

And KBob, just for the heck of it, let me clarify about sharing my load data...you asked about it and I replied.
This load data is what I was testing /using in MY equipment, my components, my methods, etc, etc...for the record, I don't "recommend" that anybody should use my load data...just their own manufacturers load data of course.

But I'm old and retired...can you cut me a LITTLE bit of slack due to age??
LOL.

Really just have the 2.....the 20 & 28 Early Virginias.

(That 1878 - 12ga SxS double is pretty much a family heirloom / safe queen)