Is A 28 ga Enough?

[rodwha]

I would like a smoothbore barrel for my Lyman's Deerstalker. The largest I can find for the 15/16 is a 28 ga.

I see on one chart that 100 grns of 2F will push a 435 grn Maxi to ~1459 fps from a .54 cal, which should be more than enough up close.

Is a 28 ga using 1 oz of #4 or 5 shot be enough for turkey? It's legal here, but sounds minimal at best.

I've not seen any load data for muzzleloading shotguns. How far can one take it with shot charges? I realize if I went heavier on the shot I'd need to reduce the powder charge charge, but by how much?

 

[alsask]

Rodwa,
I can't answer your question but I would like to know where you found the smooth bore barrel. I am interested in one.

 

[rodwha]

Oregon Barrel will definitely make one. But I think Rice will make them. Maybe even Colerain.

 

[alsask]

Thanks!

 

[rodwha]

I know that a 28 ga can do it if you are close enough, but I don't want to need him to sit right in front of me for it to be effective enough. I was hoping for it do do well beyond 25 yds, 30 yds if possible.

The way I understand it is that a shot pattern through a smoothie can be tightened by increasing the shot weight. There's certainly a point at which it wouldn't be safe though unless you dropped the powder charge a bit to compensate for the pressures.

 

[rodwha]

It's been a while since I first began looking for alternate barrels for my Lyman. It could have even been Green Mountain, but I hear they aren't making muzzleloader barrels anymore.

Bobby Hoyt will always bore out a barrel too. He's reasonable in price, though it takes time as he's quite busy with orders it seems.

 

[Busyhands94]

I've taken to the .410 for most applications. Yeah, it's only a half ounce of shot. But I can put down just about any small critters I need to with it and it's low recoil, and saves me powder and lead. The .410 isn't throwing as much shot as a 28 gauge, so I'd say you're better off.

If I were you, I'd load it with some buckshot and get close to the bird. I'm assuming your gun isn't choked, so be sure that you'll get enough lead on that turkey to kill it.

 

[Patocazador]

If you read the shooting accounts of the old-timers in the 1800s, they seemed to prefer 10 ga. for their blackpowder wing shooting.

 

[Busyhands94]

By the way, I've killed more critters with a .410 than anything else. That's throwing 2/3rds of what a 28 gauge throws.

 

[rodwha]

I know that 25 yds can be a short distance in some situations, and using a side lock I'd want as much distance as my hammer is fairly noisy! I think under 20 yds I'd be given away easily.

 

[J-Bar]

"By the way, I've killed more critters with a .410 than anything else. That's throwing 2/3rds of what a 28 gauge throws."


My man!

I have killed more pheasants with a .410 than any other shotgun.

Count me among the fans of the much maligned .410.

 

[Pulp]

I'd start patterning with a square load, then increase shot charge only until I got the pattern I wanted at the range I wanted. I'd also use #6 shot. When you get a pattern that will put 8 or 10 shot into the head neck area you've got your load for whatever range you decide is your max range. I tried this with a 16 gauge once, worked up to 2 ounces of shot over a 1oz dipper of Goex FFg. It would pattern very well at 40 yards.

Buckshot is illegal in Oklahoma for any kind of hunting, check the laws in your state before trying Busyhands advice.

 

[Patocazador]

"By the way, I've killed more critters with a .410 than anything else. That's throwing 2/3rds of what a 28 gauge throws."


My man!

I have killed more pheasants with a .410 than any other shotgun.

Count me among the fans of the much maligned .410.

I assume that the thread concerns a Black Powder shotgun barrel since this is the black powder shooting forum.

The efficiency of a modern gun shooting a shotgun shell isn't the same as muzzleloader techniques and propellants.
Apples and oranges.

 

[J-Bar]

I assume that the thread concerns a Black Powder shotgun barrel since this is the black powder shooting forum.

The efficiency of a modern gun shooting a shotgun shell isn't the same as muzzleloader techniques and propellants.
Apples and oranges.

I'm sure you are correct, it's just so rare to hear anyone compliment the .410 that I had to respond.

I have reloaded .410 shells with black powder and they have enough juice to knock down the targets in cowboy action shooting. The kids like the smoke!

 

[Noz]

Missouri will not allow .410 for turkeys.

 

[rodwha]

They do in Texas, but I feel it's a bit too small for me. I question the 28 ga!

But being a muzzleloader I'm not stuck to a specific shot weight. I figure I can load up 1 1/4 oz or more as long as I reduce the powder charge a little to compensate for the increased pressure. And I've read before that loads such as that seem to pattern tighter vs higher velocity loads. But then how low will my velocity drop? I'm guessing I'll need over 1200 fps for them to still be useful beyond 25 yds using #6 or 7 1/2.

Looking at it from the other perspective of the head/neck being nothing more than small game I'd feel OK with 7 1/2 shot I suppose.

A smoothie is on the back burner, but it's certainly something I want.

 

[Patocazador]

I have both a .410 modern shotgun and a 32 ga. modern shotgun (no 28 ga.) but would not consider either of them for anything larger than a grouse.

The smallest I would personally use for black powder hunting would be 12 gauge .. but that's me. I wouldn't want to waste the money a 10 or 12 ga. would cost by buying something sub-standard for my needs.

 

[rodwha]

I think a 20 ga is more than up to the task. A 28 ga just seems quite marginal (modern). But since it's a BP smoothbore it can certainly be loaded with a heavier charge of shot. So in essence I can use as much shot as a 20 ga, but I'd likely need to give up some of the powder charge to make it function safely.

 

[CraigC]

I really have no idea how it applies to blackpowder but I've had tremendous success with a cartridge 28ga. It puts down partridge and pheasant as easily as the 12ga does.

 

[rodwha]

I've greatly enjoyed hunting dove and quail, but it seems almost ridiculous to try to do so with a single shot muzzleloader. I likely wouldn't have very many dove to take home. I have a difficult enough time limiting out with a semiautomatic.

Doesn't mean I wouldn't give it a go over a weekend. Hopefully I'd have enough for a good meal for the family.

 

[Busyhands94]

"By the way, I've killed more critters with a .410 than anything else. That's throwing 2/3rds of what a 28 gauge throws."


My man!

I have killed more pheasants with a .410 than any other shotgun.

Count me among the fans of the much maligned .410.

J-Bar, most of my .410 has been blackpowder shells. Up until probably three weeks ago FFFG was all I loaded. The .410 I got is a Rossi single shot with a 28" ribbed barrel. I also have a Rossi Matched Pair barrel I fitted to the gun, I cut the coke off that one and mounted rifle sights. Right now I'm lobbing 135 grain slugs from a DIY mold over two drams of BP or 10 grains of Lilgun. And I also made a .32 S&W Long barrel for the gun from an AK-47 barrel blank. It's 18", open sights, 1/9" twist, where .32 Long revolvers are 1/10". That makes for a really accurate and easy carrying little carbine! I load those rounds with BP too, because if I'm going to shoot .32 I am going to do it the RIGHT way!

 

[fdf]

I've greatly enjoyed hunting dove and quail, but it seems almost ridiculous to try to do so with a single shot muzzleloader. I likely wouldn't have very many dove to take home. I have a difficult enough time limiting out with a semiautomatic.



You seem to have found your own answer, but you keep going from site to site asking the same question and then posting you own answer on what to do.

 

[rodwha]

I'm not sure I follow you on that.

I've read that a heavier shot charge can help tighten the pattern, and so I've asked. I've been looking for experience with this.

What I've gathered is that it's not likely to work well beyond maybe 25 yds, and that jug choking could help a little. As the other forum where the conversation has built is a traditional forum I decided not to mention that what I'd likely do is have a smith install a screw in choke that I can remove to load easily. It's the only way I see to make it work, and it would still be far more inexpensive than a 20 or 12 ga muzzleloading shotgun.