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.
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.