smoothbore 28 gauge for grouse....paper patched preloads

[sonny]

anybody ever go grouse hunting with a 28 gauge using paper patched preloads for the charge?.....wondering if the 28 smoothie would have a chance at knocking down ol ruff on the wing.......sonny

[g.pennell]

Center him up in a pattern of 6's or 7 1/2's and he'll flutter right down.  Though most of my grouse hunting has been done with a 12, I've seen a fair number killed with smaller bores, 20's and 28's...modern guns though.

Greg

[Buzzard]

I use a 1oz load of 7.5s in my 28ga. Works just fine, helps to have a good dog though. Gives me a little heads-up before the flush.

[northmn]

I had a percussion 28 that Dixie used to sell.  The ramrod wad steel and must have went into the buttstock as it did not fit under the barrel like most.  A 535 ball was a pretty tight fit with out patch.  No choke.  Killed a few grouse with it on the wing with about 1oz of 6's.  45-70 case   Equal powder and shot charge using 2f.  Worked well up close and especially early season with a lot of leaves on and the young birds.  Never liked 7 1/2 for grouse for a modern shotgun and like them even less with a BP with its reduced velocity.  I use either 6's or 7's (I had to special order the 7's through Ballistic Products, but a 25 pound bag lasts a long time).  Used to get a few feathers only with 7 1/2 on straight aways, and do not with 6 and 7's.  Dogs had to run down more cripples also.  I ahve hunted grouse for about 40+ years.  One of my most memorable goofs was with that little gun.  I swung on a grouse and cut of a sapling right in front of me.  The sapling was almost perfect bore diameter and was centerd better than I could have done on purpose.

DP

[sonny]

wow! cool...........how about putting the shot into a paper tube an folded over the edges,like a peanut bag.with the wad inside the bag an shot on top you could just drop the bag down the bore after powder charge.paper would make a good wad also!!!! what do ya think???....sonny