.56 smoothbore for turkey?

[rusticbob]

Do you fellows think a T/C Renegade barrel in .56 smoothbore would make a good turkey gun?
I found one this week in excellent shape, bright and shiny bore. I was going to sell it, but the more I think about it, it might make a pretty nice turkey, rabbit, squirrel and possibly even deer size game with the .55 patched round balls that came with it. Am I wrong and is the .56 just not big enough for a turkey shotgun?

 

[Britsmoothy]

Drop an ounce and a quarter in it an pattern it.
It'll be fine.

 

[Grenadier1758]

As far as being a turkey gun, the 56 caliber smooth bore can be loaded up to be an effective turkey gun and it will be effective for all the other game you mentioned.
There are lots of threads on the Forum extolling the effectiveness of the 56 caliber smoothbore. It's an effective 28 gauge.

The question to be answered is what is the minimum gauge allowed by your game department for hunting turkeys. In some states and game areas the minimum is a 20 gauge.

 

[rusticbob]

I had not thought about minimum gauge! Good question for Vermont f&g . I just checked the regulations, all it says are shotguns, now and arrow and crossbow are allowed. No mention of gauge, but it does specify no shot larger than #2.
Looks like I’m good to test fire it on some paper.

 

[Zutt-man]

I mean, I’ve killed multiple long beards with a break open unmentionable .410 Can’t imagine a .56 couldn’t solve Thanksgiving day’s meal

 

[Wyogoat]

Do it. I'm having a smooth rifle .58 caliber built and wont hesitate to hunt turkeys with it. I've shot a few birds with a 20 gauge with 7.5 and 5 shot inside 20. If regs allow work up a load and dont look back.

 

[bluemule66]

Used mine last spring. 1oz of #6 shot, 70gr fffg goex, 58cal felt wad over powder and shot. It was dead before the smoke cleared. It shoots patched round balls real nice to.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Drop an ounce and a quarter in it an pattern it.
It'll be fine.

Yeah the modern guys are shooting .80 of an ounce of #9 shot from their choked .410's, vs. turkey ...which is all the rage right now..., so shooting 1.25 ounces like @Britsmoothy suggests in a .56 (I'd try using #6 shot) should work just fine. If it was me I'd use 80 grains of 3Fg and pattern it. I'd put an empty, steel tuna can taped to the target paper as an aiming point. So that way you see the pattern AND you can judge the penetration. IF the pellets don't go through the steel in the can, shorten the range or up the powder.

LD

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Do you fellows think a T/C Renegade barrel in .56 smoothbore would make a good turkey gun?
I found one this week in excellent shape, bright and shiny bore. I was going to sell it, but the more I think about it, it might make a pretty nice turkey, rabbit, squirrel and possibly even deer size game with the .55 patched round balls that came with it. Am I wrong and is the .56 just not big enough for a turkey shotgun?

My dad bought one of these, quite a while ago. I shoot my Brown Bess, and Fusil a lot…this little .56 smoothbore really rocks as a shotgun…real tight hard hitting groups on rabbits out to 35 & 40 yards. Recoil is noticeably more than with my other smoothbores….

 

[Rob M.]

Gauge isn't an issue , you can load just as much shot in a 28 ga. as you can a 12 ga., but barrel length can be an issue for shot patterns . Shot cups help with keeping patterns tighter .....

 

[Zutt-man]

Gauge isn't an issue , you can load just as much shot in a 28 ga. as you can a 12 ga., but barrel length can be an issue for shot patterns . Shot cups help with keeping patterns tighter .....

Can you elaborate? I’m just genuinely curious