28 gauge ammo

[re-enactor]

I was just checking to see what you would recommend for the size of patched round balls in 28 gauge. Would .535 be the right choice or would .530 be better? The bore is .540 plus a few thousandths. I just got a French trade gun in the white and haven't shot it yet.

 

[jethro224]

Mine has a .550 bore and a .530 ball with .018 ticking fits real good. Yours being a little tighter might take a .015 or .012 patch. Try 'em and see. :thumbsup:

 

[re-enactor]

Thanks. I am new to shooting a smoothbore and looking forward to it.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I use a 530 ball, or 3/4 ounce of shot over 55 grain FF. :idunno: :idunno:

 

[re-enactor]

Thanks. I appreciate the advice.

 

[Lonegun1894]

Depending on what I am trying to do, I use .515", .526", and .527", with the .526" getting the vast majority of use and being most accurate so far. I have tried .530" but I had to go down to a OP wad and T-shirt for the patch, and the .535" had to be a bare ball. My bore measures exactly .540" though. You said ".540 plus a few thousandths", and you may want to measure those "few thousandths" cause they can make the difference between you being able to get a cheap and current production Lee .530" mold or having to track down a out of production mold and paying collector prices like I did when I finally found a Lyman .526" that mine likes. Now with that .526" I just load it like it was a rifle, powder with a PRB on it, and get good performance.

I forgot to add. My .526" and .527" get equal accuracy, but the .526" loads much easier, and I use pillow ticking with both. The .515" I have tried denim and canvas, but still playing with that mold.

 

[re-enactor]

Using my calipers again my bore is probably as much as .550. This conversation has been quite helpful so far in terms of learning about the ability to adjust for things. Thank you!

 

[re-enactor]

:grin:

 

[garra]

Measuring the bore is a must. My 28 gauge Fusil requires a smaller ball than my 54 cal rifled. It takes a .520 ball vs a .530 ball for the other.

 

[nwtradegun]

if the bore is 540 use a 520 ball and 15-18 th. patch.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

the sparse nature of fodder for the 28 ga, is why I recommend potential buyers consider a 24 ga. Much easier to find items for loading. little if any difference in recoil, range or weight.

I recently ended up with a 56 caliber pistol in a trade. PIA to find proper fitting items. The fellow I got it from was rolling 570 caliber swaged balls down to about 550 and shooting the resulting "footballs" with a patch

 

[azmntman]

the sparse nature of fodder for the 28 ga, is why I recommend potential buyers consider a 24 ga. Much easier to find items for loading. little if any difference in recoil, range or weight.

I recently ended up with a 56 caliber pistol in a trade. PIA to find proper fitting items. The fellow I got it from was rolling 570 caliber swaged balls down to about 550 and shooting the resulting "footballs" with a patch

:rotf: :rotf:

 

[Lonegun1894]

A .56 is a bit of an oddball, and TC is the only one I know of that put out a bunch of them--along with .550 RB molds. The only source I know of for them today is ordering one from Jeff Tanner. Now the .54/28ga is one of the most common things out there, with the only two I that are more common being the 12ga and the 20ga. I can see why you have trouble finding stuff for your .56, but the .54 doesn't present that problem. And ragerdless of how odd our chosen firearms are, we all only have to find the proper mold for RB and the proper punch (if you want shot loads) for wads once, so not a real big deal in the long run. I know my search for mine would have been much easier if I had known about Jeff Tanner and his molds instead of searching under every rock I could think of to find a used one.

 

[bryon knapp]

something i learned with my first smoothie. You ahve a have a little more clearance down the bore. I shot a .535 in my .54 and it went down just fine. When I bought my .58 I shot a .575 ball...it was super accurate but you couldnt get get it started without a hammer and I broke a couple of ramrods....switched to a .565 mould from jeff tanner and it still shot great and was easy on the arms too....

 

[re-enactor]

Thanks everyone. Your feedback will certainly motivate me to finish the French Trade Gun and then get it out for practice.