15/16" 28 ga

[rodwha]

I've become more enamored with turning a .50 cal Trade Rifle barrel into a 28 ga smoothbore for my Deerstalker. One of the interests would be a turkey barrel (after a screw-in choke is installed) as I figured I could come fairly close to replicating a 20 ga load as I'm not constrained to a shell.

Looking at Lyman's load data for a .54 cal with 3F is 90 grns with a 450 grn conical. That tells me I can likely go up to 75-80 grns of 3F with 1 1/4 oz of shot or so.

Looking at a site I noted old British service charges which was 55 grns of BP with 3/4 oz shot for a 28 ga, 68 grns BP with 7/8 oz shot, and 82 grns BP with 1 1/8 oz shot for a 14 ga. These loads were said to travel at 1050 fps and produce the best pattern (yardage?). It seems modern loads travel well over 1100 fps and often over 1200 fps. I'm guessing the BP charges are 2F as it seems much more common.

Is there any reason why one would think a 70-80 grn charge of 3F Olde Eynsford pushing 1 1/4 oz of #6 wouldn't do more than well with a full choke beyond 25 yds? Kind of difficult to figure how the pressures change with a reduced powder charge with an increased payload, but I also wonder how a OPW sealing the bore pushing loose shot compares to a full bore conical of similar weight.

I've also been interested in jug choking but can't seem to find anyone who does it.

 

[TomADC]

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=773894

 

[rodwha]

I thought I had posted here on THR. Didn't realize it was moved. Thanks!

 

[Loyalist Dave]

There seems to be a "standard" upland bird load of 2 Drams with 3/4 ounce of shot, and a few with 7/8 ounce of shot, in modern shotshells for the 28 gauge. So your 55 grain powder load would do fine. 70 gains is 2.5 drams and is about as "hot" as I'd go. 80 grains is just at the 3 dram mark, and is pushing the limit.

It's more than just velocity & pellets...you have to worry about the shot-column twisting as it travels down the barrel, which will cause your pattern to open, fighting your choking efforts. Large powder loads tend to accelerate any twisting and fight your choke. You also increase the deformation of the pellets by adding powder, and adding shot, for the "push" by the powder goes up, while the inertia of the added shot weight resists this...so the pellets may squish a bit...which will cause them to not be spheres, and thus give erratic flight upon exiting the muzzle, again fighting your choking efforts.

Why do larger lead loads and faster speeds work in modern shotguns then? They use the modern, "cushion" or "piston" wads to resist twist and deformation of the shot. Look at a spent shotshell wad/cup, and you will notice the indentations of the pellets on the interior of the wad/cup. The plastic deformed, instead of the pellets.

IF I might suggest... have the barrel reamed to 28 gauge. Then experiment with loads to see what sort of pattern that you can get from your cylinder bore barrel first. Not only check the pattern, but put an empty, steel, tuna can, bottom facing you, at your desired range, and see if the pellets penetrate. If they don't, your charge is too weak, OR you need to get your bird in closer.

There are tricks to tightening a pattern w/o a choke. Not only did they use thick, paper cartridges to hold the shot akin to a modern shot cup, they also loaded shot in silk bags.

Another method was to put the shot in molds, and poured in melted lard, or combinations of lard and beeswax. These candle cartridges were then wrapped in paper, and loaded on top of a 1/8" fiber card, which was between the shot cartridge and the powder. The trick was to make a mold that when the shot column had hardened, it could be wrapped in a thin layer of paper...and still just fit inside the muzzle without deforming. The more beeswax you use the harder the cartridge when done, and the more it will resist melting. The idea was to cause the shot to cling to each other for a split second after exiting the muzzle, thus tightening the group, BUT not using such a stiff preparation that the shot broke into chunks instead of coming apart as pellets.

The above is of course, a bit time consuming, as you have to experiment. IF you go the quick route, and have a choke installed, be sure you get a Full choke and an Cylinder Bore choke tube. That way you can hunt turkeys, and fire a round ball by swapping choke tubes.

LD

 

[plumberroy]

Thompson Center made a renegade in 56 smooth bore which is basically a 28 ga. I haven't had mine long but traditional 28 ga wads work and it is showing promise to be a 25 yard small game gun with shot

 

[4v50 Gary]

What plumberroy suggested. Get a new smoothbore TC bbl. If you can't, then find a barrel that fits and fit it with a breech hooked plug that fits the existing tang.

 

[StrawHat]

...I've also been interested in jug choking but can't seem to find anyone who does it...

Caywood Gunmakers might be able to help you.

http://www.caywoodguns.com/Jug Choking.htm

Kevin

 

[PapaG]

I picked up a 56 smoothbore Renegade that some kind individual had spent a couple of C notes to add Biley tubes. Has a cylinder for ball, a full and an I.c.
Patterned it, looks good but I have not found a use for it.

 

[kituwa]

Loyalist Dave gave you the quick high points on BP shotguns.I will add that you cant really compare BP shotgunning to modern ones, its a whole other ball game.Trying to get high velocity loads with black powder does not usually work well.Every shotgun has its own preferences too, when it comes to the wad type used.Not many have good luck with plastic shot cups and black powder, it often leaves a mess of melted plastic in your bore.I have great luck with home made shot cups from heavy brown paper and there are several ways people make those.There are heavy cardboard or nitro cards that you can use over the powder and some use felt wads or fiber wads, some lubed some dry.Then there are the old traditional wadding like tow,spanish moss,a wad of paper and my favorite,,,wasp nests.Dont discount those, they can work very well.Remember when ordering any ready made wads or cards that ones made for loading in hulls will be too small for a muzzle loader. Muzzle loading shotguns are notorious for having a donut hole in the shot pattern.There are several reasons thought for this and the most common one is that the wad is busting through the shot after it leaves the barrel.I dont find that idea likely though because everything leaves the barrel at the same speed and a light less air resistant wad can not catch up and go through the shot. Loyalist Daves idea about shot cup rotation is much more likely in my mind.Could be some from powder gasses going around over powder wads too.Most people do not have good luck with screw in choke tubes because you are trying to load wads and cards through a choke and then into the larger bore of the barrel.I would think a jug choke would be the best thing if you wanted a choke. I like cyl bore though and just get my pattern with shot paper shot cups and by playing with the powder charge and shot weight.No matter what you do though,,,a BP shotgun will never be a long range gun. To me that does not matter, you just get a little closer,lol.I have an original 14 ga. double barrel and it is sweet!