54 smoothbore shot loads

[Dennis Glazener]

I had never used shot in my .54 smoothbore until today. I wanted to try it on Dove so this morning I shot it a couple of times to see how it would pattern with 8 1/2 shot (yes 8 1/2, had them for years never seen any since).

I used 70 gr of 2 f with over powder card, lubed wad 3/4 oz of 8 1/2 shot and a over shot card. Tried that load at 25 yards and it shoots to point of aim and from the pattern it looks like a dove could not escaped if within the 24" X 18" paper I aimed at. So I was happy with that.

What surprised me was each target had a .54 cal hole through it about 5 inches above the point of aim. I am sure this was the lubed wad and it cut through the heavy plasticized/board that I was using for a target backer. I believe that would have but a heck of a hole in a dove if it had hit one. Is this normal? What else can I use for wadding?
Dennis

[Dennis Glazener]

Oh, meant to ask another question. The second shot was horrible to ram home! I doubt I could have gotten a third shot seated without wiping the bore. Should I plan to wipe between each shot or use a different wadding? The one I am using are pre-lubed and it appears to be a beeswax lube mixed with something. Very sticky. I got them in a "hunter pack" from Muzzleloading Supply.
Dennis

[roundball]

Does sound like the lubed wad is a bit heavy, acting like a slug...surprised it didn't disrupt the pattern.

I've used Circle Fly 1/2" pre-lubed fiber cushion wads for things where I don't want to bother or have time to wipe between shots and they do fine in my .54cal GM cylinder bore barrel for things like clay targets without wiping between shots.

For a tighter pattern using fewer, larger size #5 pellets for squirrels I use two Oxyoke 1/8" prelubed wool wads (1/4" total instead of 1/2") and they've done well in that regard but when squirrel or deer hunting I always wipe the bore after a shot anyway.   

[Leatherbelly]

Hi Dennis,
  Here's a suggestion. If you are using one of those 1/2" fiber cushion wads,split it in half. Also,you could back off the charge some,say to 60 grains of 2f. That way your wads won't punch through the shot column. My 20's like 60g 2f, 7/8 to 1 oz of shot. Patterns great with lots of punch.

[James Rogers]

Hi Dennis,
  Here's a suggestion. If you are using one of those 1/2" fiber cushion wads,split it in half. Also,you could back off the charge some,say to 60 grains of 2f. That way your wads won't punch through the shot column. My 20's like 60g 2f, 7/8 to 1 oz of shot. Patterns great with lots of punch.

Ditto!! 

[Dennis Glazener]

Thanks will try that. That way I save on wads and powder
Dennis

[Leatherbelly]

Dennis, I just guessed at the above charge volume. Might want to try 50grs. first,then move up in 5 gr increments. My next smoothie will be a 28 gauge also.

[northmn]

If you are going to be shooting several shots in a row before cleaning a fiber wad soaked in a good liquid lube like Hoppes #9+, etc works quite well.  When trap shooting I used water but I do not think it is all that great out in the field.  The lubed wad do not have to be that thick, maybe 1/8  to 3/6 inch.  I had a percussion 54 (28) ga I hunted and shot grouse with, and liked about 1 oz which I think was a little heavy for it.  Being percussion I actually could shoot grouse flying with it. Reflexes were a little quicker also. I used 60 grains and 1 oz.  and got a few grouse but they were close.  One of the problems using a smoothbore on flying game is that too much shot does not help.  Many have reported that the 1/2 oz loads in the 410 will get as much game wing shooting as the 3" 11/16 load.  The 3/4 oz loads in the modern 28 ga shells have been shown to be efficient.   Ground swatting loads can be heavier.  The 8 1/2 shot is a size used by trap or skeet shooters that want more breaking energy than a 9 and more pattern than an 8.  7 1/2 came about that way and replaced the far better #7 for field loads which  is too bad as 7's work very well on grouse and 7 1/2's give me more cripples.  Nickel 7's even work on pheasants.  Each shotgun is kind of a law onto itself so you may still have to pattern.  I have heard of birds gettin hit bu wads, but it is rare and usually not disasterous.

DP

[The Professor]

Oh, meant to ask another question. The second shot was horrible to ram home! I doubt I could have gotten a third shot seated without wiping the bore. Should I plan to wipe between each shot or use a different wadding? The one I am using are pre-lubed and it appears to be a beeswax lube mixed with something. Very sticky. I got them in a "hunter pack" from Muzzleloading Supply.
Dennis

I use circle fly over powder wads with no lube.  But after putting in the shot, I squirt a little olive oil down the sides of the barrel before pushing down the over shot wad.  Have gone up to 10 shots in a row that way without trouble getting the overpowder wad down.  I also have a .54 smoothbore.  Works for that and for my .62 fowler.

[Dennis Glazener]

All the wads I currently have are pre-lubed but I might try that to see if it helps. Got to work better than how I did it.
Dennis

[northmn]

I don't know about Circle Fly but I have heard form others that the waxes in prelubed wads may be petroleum based and actually work similar to some bullet lubes and harden the fouling.  

DP

[roundball]

These are the ones I was referring to, and they work as advertised...from the Circle Fly website:

".....Pre-Lubed Wads, 500 count bag. Shotgun sizes, We use the standard ½” fiber cushion coated with our own lube for these wads, and they are designed to keep black powder fouling softer, and your gun cleaner.
We are able to coat the outside of the wad, and keep the centers dry. This puts the lube where it is needed, and keeps the wad as light as possible for the best patterns possible....."

[northmn]

The Circle Fly then are made for BP, which makes sense as they are available for about any gauge made.  I have some waxed wads that are not Circle fly, but have never really tried them in a muzzle loader as I use them for fillers in modern loads.  I have plain cards for my BPC and use a lubed felt wad. 

DP

[jim meili]

Dennis, I have a 28 guage, .550 bore, fowler and shoot 55 grains of 3F with an overpowder card and 1/2 of a cushion wad, about 1/4 inch, under the shot.  I lube my own by melting some lard in a pan and throw the wads right in there. When they are soaked full I let them dry on a paper towel and then split them in half. They seem to keep enough lube in the barrel to ease pushing down the next overpowder card. Can shoot a round of 15 birds without wiping out the bore. If you carry these wads in your shooting bag they have to go in a container of some kind or the lard soaks up your bag.

If you are using true 28 gauge wads in a 54 they might be a bit large and cause some problem with subsequent shots. The gentleman at Circle Fly would give some good advice with that. He knows his stuff when it comes to bore sizes and the correct wads and cards.

Good luck...
Jim