Shooting Smoothbore

[BRLMKR]

In the past I've shot .600 round ball and a shot load of approx. 415gr. (less than an ounce) out of the same gun. No problems. Now, I'm looking at a smoothbore .50-.52 caliber shooting a .490 ball (177-178gr). With a barrel of breach diameter of 1.0 inch, would it still be safe to shoot approximately that same load of shot (more than double the round ball weight)? This is strictly for convenience of using the same powder measure for powder (70gr) and shot.

Opinions?  Thanks, Terry

[Daryl]

With a .50 or 52 smoothbore, you should find 3/4oz. will cover your needs - ie: 328gr. of pellets.  I know this is contrary to what some people use.  If you use loads comparable to modern shot loads, ie: drams equivalence and shot charges you will not go wrong.  IE: 28 bore - 54 cal, 3/4ounce of shot.  With the 1" barrel, you should certainly be OK for that shot load.

[Hungry Horse]

Sorry to be a stickler, but, 28gauge is .56 caliber, not .54.

                     Hungry Horse

[LynnC]

Actually 28 Ga. is .550".....

[James Wilson Everett]

Guys,

My practice is to use the same measure for powder and shot, that is the same volume of both.  This seems to work well.  Also, I have found that a better pattern is obtained when a modest powder charge is used.  So, 70 grains of powder with the accompanying volume of shot (same measure) would be rather stout in a .50 barrel - at least to my old and skinny shoulder.  My suggestion is to make a powder measure of about 55 - 60 grains of powder and check the weight of the corresponding volume of shot using the same measure.  I think that this would give a good load while only using the single measure.

Jim

[Daryl]

Actually 28 Ga. is .550".....

Yes - that is correct Lynn.  Seems .54 is used today as a 28 guage smoothbore. I've never heard of a barrel maker today, making a true 28 bore at it's actual .550".  Pure lead 28 bore  ball weighing 250gr. 

It is easier for them to use the same tooling, boring and reamers for their 28's (.54's) as they do for .54 cal. rifles, except not to rifle them.  I was wondering, are the 'not having to rifle the bore' "savings" transferred to the smoothbore barrel purchaser?

[LynnC]

I think Track is?was recently offering their Trade Gun barrel (by Colerain?) in a true .550" bore.  It's a pretty heavy barrel as they do not reduce the exteior dimensions.

I was looking over Charlie Burtons price list and it"ll save some money to order smooth............Lynn

[Hungry Horse]

O.K. smart guys. I have a 30" barrel I got from Dixie Gun Works, many moons ago, that old Turner salvaged from some defunct company in Belgium. It is OTR, and the bore is .470. Any idea what gauge this thing is? I have been tempted several time to stock it up as a French petite fusil, but haven't gotten around to it. I have three little great nieces now, so it might be the time to do it up.

                     Hungry Horse

[SCLoyalist]

the bore is .470. Any idea what gauge this thing is?

A .470 bore ought to take a solid roundball of about 155 grains,  and 7000/155 =>  45 gauge.   

[BRLMKR]

Guys,

 Thanks for all the responses. As Jim Everett mentions my idea was to use the same measure for both powder and shot. Daryl suggested a safe load would be 3/4oz. load of shot.  I measured (several times) to find out an equivalent VOLUME of black powder to that 3/4oz. of shot (#7 1/2). That turned out to be somewhere around 55-58 grains. So, if I decide to build a .50-.52 that's what I'll use - maybe stretch it to 60gr. of powder and the equivalent volume of shot. It's either that or go all the way and build a 10 gauge. Maybe one of Chambers New England kits.  Haven't completely decided yet.  Thanks to all, Terry.

[Daryl]

A 16 bore is a VERY good compromise.  Years ago, the 14 bore smoothbore was VERY popular in muzzleloading & ctg. guns.  If made of decent weight, a 12 bore doesn't kick to much, however many people are prone to overloading muzzleloaders these days and  if so, then recoil will tell - especially in a 10 bore.

[Hungry Horse]

For hunting loads, and in this case I am referring to pheasant hunting, my old buddy Tall Pine always shot what he called 4fer8's which was about and ounce of mixed shot. I thought he was crazy, but he was getting more birds than I was, so I decided to give it a try. Son of a gun, that old buzzard was on to something. Works pretty good on clays as well. Just barely dipping the ragged end of the compression wad in a hot mix of bear grease, and venison tallow, heated in a shoe polish tin, on top of a candle lantern, makes them load easy and still come apart without blowing a hole in your pattern.

                               Hungry Horse

[Daryl]

On clays, 8's or 9's will give more hits, normally.  I've always used 8's for grouse or ducks over decoys. Heads and necks are usual, with normally no pellets through the feathers.
I once got 27 snipe (sitting on a small clump of mud sticking out of the water) with one shot from my double 10 bore - with 2ounces of 8 1/2's -  1,100 pellets in that 'cloud'. They were terrific for crips sitting on the water, as well.(from the days of lead shot on waterfowl)

[Hungry Horse]

I gave away two bags of #8's because I couldn't get them to break a bird past about 15 yards. The only thing I use 7 1/2's for is quail in tight cover. I use a lot of sixes, and fours, but none works as well as the 4fer8's.


                        Hungry Horse

[Vomitus]

....

 
It is easier for them to use the same tooling, boring and reamers for their 28's (.54's) as they do for .54 cal. rifles, except not to rifle them.  I was wondering, are the 'not having to rifle the bore' "savings" transferred to the smoothbore barrel purchaser?

Nope!

[Daryl]

I gave away two bags of #8's because I couldn't get them to break a bird past about 15 yards. The only thing I use 7 1/2's for is quail in tight cover. I use a lot of sixes, and fours, but none works as well as the 4fer8's.


                        Hungry Horse

Interesting, I had no problem shooting clays from the 16 yard line with a 20 bore side by side using factory #9's, nor with an IMP cyl. single bl. on any station for skeet. I always liked the fine shot, but the gun must like it too.

[Eric Smith]

Smoothbores sometimes facinate me. I must make a memo to learn more about them.

[BRLMKR]

I also really had no trouble shooting clays from the 16 yd line with either 8's or 9's. I used whatever I had. But now another question (maybe this should be another topic - but it's still smoothbore shooting), what about a jug choke? This will be on a 10 gauge.  In the searches I've done online it seems to be a good thing. Good, bad, indifferent with shot? Does it have any detrimental effect on round ball shooting?  Thanks, Terry.

[smallpatch]

I built two 10ga Chamber's NE fowlers a couple of years ago.

I had both barrels jug choked.  The attached targets are the result.

Hope this helps.  First shot is first three round ball shots out of the barrel.  Next is a 50yard shot with #6 shot.  At 50 yards, 16 hits, 11 kill zone shots.
It do shoot both very well.