28 guage question

[J.M.]

I jus t got into flinters, my first is a TVM 62 cal fowler. I had a good time hunting squirrels and pheasant with it. Being a newbie, I have had some issues with consistent results on the squirrels, still trying to figure out range and pattern variables. Anyway, I got to thinking that a smoothbore with a rear sight and a jug choke would be a nice addition to the arsenal, probably more effective for stationary targets in the treetops, and able to shoot roundball more accurately (right now I can usually hit a pieplate at 40 yards, but thats about it). In your experience, how effective is the 28 guage for this type of setup,? What is the actual caliber of a 28 guage, and what size roundballs are a good fit? I'm still mulling this over, so maybe you all can convince me I need a new gun! Thanks for the advice.

 

[roundball]

I jus t got into flinters, my first is a TVM 62 cal fowler. I had a good time hunting squirrels and pheasant with it. Being a newbie, I have had some issues with consistent results on the squirrels, still trying to figure out range and pattern variables. Anyway, I got to thinking that a smoothbore with a rear sight and a jug choke would be a nice addition to the arsenal, probably more effective for stationary targets in the treetops, and able to shoot roundball more accurately (right now I can usually hit a pieplate at 40 yards, but thats about it). In your experience, how effective is the 28 guage for this type of setup,? What is the actual caliber of a 28 guage, and what size roundballs are a good fit? I'm still mulling this over, so maybe you all can convince me I need a new gun! Thanks for the advice.

.28ga is .54cal...I just bought a .54cal/.28ga GM Flint Smoothbore drop-in barrel for a TC Hawken stock last fall...it's 15/16" x 33" with adjustable rear and post/bead front sights...and it's outstanding...took a couple bucks with it in November with the following:

ROUND BALL LOAD
70grns Goex 3F
.54cal Oxyoke prelubed wad
.015" Oxyoke prelubed cotton patch
Hornady .530
Shoots the center of the target out at 50yds.

SHOT LOAD RESULTS
70grns Goex 3F
Two .54cal Oxyoke prelubed wads
1+1/8oz #6's
Circle Fly .28ga overshot card
Throws a dense, even pattern of #6's at 25yds:

If I could only keep one muzzleloader, this would be it.

 

[mikelange]

I can't help you with any of the rest of what you want to know, but according to Dixie Gun Works' chart of English Bore Sizes, a 28 gauge is .55 caliber.

Of course you need another gun. Who doesn't?

 

[Mike Brooks]

You won't need jug choke in a 28 bore to kill squirrels, as long as you have a fairly long barrel and do your work at the pattern board. 28ga is a .55 caliber, and will shoot either a .530 or .535 ball, depending on what you want to use for patches.

 

[taylorh]

So does the Renegade .56 smoothbore.
Taylor in Texas

 

[J.M.]

Guys, thanks for the information. I got confused about the caliber /guage measurement as I have seen some guns advertised as .54cal/28ga and thought that was not the correct conversion. I guess it doesnt matter as much as I thought. Any ideas or thoughts on how to set up a gun for hunting and some informal target shooting? The smooth gun vs smoothrifle? I would like a very light gun for carrying, something plain suits me better than something I'm afraid to scratch up.

 

If you are having problems killing squirrels with a 20 gauge, I don't see how going smaller is a help? Of course any excuse is a good one for getting a new gun! On the other hand .410s work on squirrels around here, so a properly loaded 28 gauge ought to. Maybe you need to find a better pattern load for your 20? [and get the 28 anyway...just because]

 

[roundball]

Guys, thanks for the information. I got confused about the caliber /guage measurement as I have seen some guns advertised as .54cal/28ga and thought that was not the correct conversion. I guess it doesnt matter as much as I thought. Any ideas or thoughts on how to set up a gun for hunting and some informal target shooting? The smooth gun vs smoothrifle? I would like a very light gun for carrying, something plain suits me better than something I'm afraid to scratch up.

The only things I've seen for sale have been designated as .54cal/.28ga...through some sort of mathmatical conversion formula it may technically be a .55cal, but I've never seen components listed as .55cal, etc...if they are, I've definitely missed them...always been .54cal/.28ga

 

[Mike Brooks]

That's odd, most custom barrels are .55/28ga.
I've built guns from both .54 smooth and .55 smooth, and prefer the .55 as you can use a thicker patch and the same ball size.
Not that any of it makes much difference anyway, they are all close enough to be practically the same thing.

 

[Roy]

I have allways wanted to build a SxS 28. :hmm: Maybe one day.

 

[paulvallandigham]

As to getting a tighter pattern, use the loads listed above by Mike Brooks. Then, if they don't pattern well, drop the charge, first to 2 1/4 drams( 62. grains) and pattern the load, then down to 2 drams( 55 grains) and pattern. A two dram load with 7/8 oz. of shot should make a fine load, that patterns tight. Using #6 or #5 shot, you should be able to kill tree rats out to 30-35 yds. That is 60-75 feet, which is a long distance for killing squirrels for most hunters. Most squirrels are shot at a much shorter distance. Be sure to use a card wad on top of the powder, and a cushion wad on top of that. I put an overshot card( wafer) on top of the cushion wad so shot does not stick to the cushion wad, and the surface is smooth and flat when the shot leaves the barrel. That seems to improve patterns, too, over not using them.

I differ from Mike about using only soft prelubed wads between the powder and shot. I get more consistent ( and higher) velocities, and more consistent patterns using the 1/8 card wads on top of the powder. All you can do is try these various ideas out, and see how your gun patterns them. Dropping the velocity by reducing the powder charge behind a given load of shot has long been understood to improve the density of patterns. Then you have to determine the center of the point of Impact for a given load, as opposed to where your sights are aimed, to make the load work for hunting. Best wishes.

 

[ronrryan]

I dont shoot shot at present, but in the course of working up a roundball load for 20 gauge 62 cal, have been trying a lubed wonderwad over the charge before putting down the patched ball. This seems to tighten groups up quite a bit at 25 yards. You might want to try this on your pieplate before giving up on the 62 cal (if you haven't tried it already). I would suspect you would have a pretty dead pieplate. Good smoke, ron in FL

 

[J.M.]

I'm definately going to spend some more time working up patterns this summer. I was using 65gr fffg, 2 1/8" overpowder cards, 1oz chilled #6, and 1 overshot card. I did buy soem prelubed cushion wads to try, and am going to order some oxyoke wonderwads to try too. I notice a tendency to shoot low if I dont keep my head up, so need to work on that. I killed some squirrels with the gun, but had a few instances where I knocked them out of a tree and they ran off, so I need a more consistent load, might try #5 shot too. My thought on a new gun was to see if a rear sight helped my aim, and a jug choke might tighten up a pattern. I also want to get a gun to shoot roundball, so thought this set up might kill 2 birds with one stone. I have to say that hunting with the flinter was the most fun I had all season, its addicting!

 

[roundball]

That's odd, most custom barrels are .55/28ga.
I've built guns from both .54 smooth and .55 smooth, and prefer the .55 as you can use a thicker patch and the same ball size.
Not that any of it makes much difference anyway, they are all close enough to be practically the same thing.

Mike, let me qualify what I said...my perspective is from mass produced barrels and the off the shelf products used in them...TC, GM, Oxyoke, Hornady, etc...nothing I've ever bought in that realm has been marked ".55cal"...not operating in the custom gun world I wouldn't know if things there are marked .55cal...I'm just going to have to enter that world some day and see what it's all about...
:grin:

 

[rudy parnell]

The 56cal. is referred to as a 28 guage also. So there must be some overlap on products and useage. I do know that the .550 ball is served up for the 56cal. and it is reported that the .535 ball is served up for the 54cal. One thing is for sure...you can patch the smaller round ball up to shoot in the larger bore but the larger ball simply won't work at the closer tolerance or in the smaller caliber barrel. :winking: