56 smoothie load recommendations (shot)

[WVAED]

I just bought a 56 caliber TC on the sale page here. Thought i would be ahead of the curve and ask a few questions.
#1 Load recommendations
#2 Do i make the shot cards, wadding, etc. If so, what do you make them out of?
#3 What do you guys use for loading your guns? 2f, 3f?
#4How much powder to shot ratio?
Thanks

 

[tenngun]

Start out with 70 grains 3 f and a patched .535 ball. Pick up several sizes of ball to try.
For shot try 65 grains 2f, a card wad, an equal volume of shot and a card wad.
From there on there are endless combinations to try.... bare ball, paper cartridge, increased shot loads, tow wadding blanket wadding. It’s the chess of guns,64 squares endless combinations.

 

[Britsmoothy]

3f and somewhere between 3/4 Oz to 1&1/8 Oz of shot.
No more than equal volume for powder.
I would be wanting a .550" ball sat on some wadding be it cards, felt or leather and err something to hold it all in of course, like a card etc.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Roundball loads in a 56-cal smoothie I used 0.550” RBs in a pillow ticking patch w/ bore butter. Shot amazingly well for a smoothie.

 

[Cruzatte]

I just bought a 56 caliber TC on the sale page here. Thought i would be ahead of the curve and ask a few questions.
#1 Load recommendations
#2 Do i make the shot cards, wadding, etc. If so, what do you make them out of?
#3 What do you guys use for loading your guns? 2f, 3f?
#4How much powder to shot ratio?
Thanks

#1. Best thing is to take it out to the range, and try out several. Experiment!
#2. You could. Paper, leather, paste board, tow, wasp nest....Again, experiment.
#3. Personally, I use 2Fg. Keep in mind that's my gun. Yours may prefer something else.

Nothing beats getting your hands dirty, so to speak, and testing all the variables one at a time out at the range.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I'd start the patterning at an age old load for the 28 gauge (.56 caliber)..., whether it's #9 down to #6. I took a look at a bunch of vintage shotshell boxes, different brands, and they were universal in the load, 2¼ dram with ¾ of an ounce of lead shot. It should be pretty close, but an adjustable measure set at 60 grains may be used to measure out the shot. Start at 20 yards and check the pattern, AND put an empty steel tuna can on the target, bottom facing you, and check penetration. If it's good, reload, back up five yards, and try it again, and repeat until you find the pattern or penetration is no longer acceptable. Also note that while #9 might not penetrate at 25 yards, just switching to #6 might allow you to extend to 30 yards.

LD

 

[WVAED]

Thanks guys

 

[WVAED]

I'd start the patterning at an age old load for the 28 gauge (.56 caliber)..., whether it's #9 down to #6. I took a look at a bunch of vintage shotshell boxes, different brands, and they were universal in the load, 2¼ dram with ¾ of an ounce of lead shot. It should be pretty close, but an adjustable measure set at 60 grains may be used to measure out the shot. Start at 20 yards and check the pattern, AND put an empty steel tuna can on the target, bottom facing you, and check penetration. If it's good, reload, back up five yards, and try it again, and repeat until you find the pattern or penetration is no longer acceptable. Also note that while #9 might not penetrate at 25 yards, just switching to #6 might allow you to extend to 30 yards.

LD

So are you saying, 60 gr. measure for powder and shot? Also 2f or 3f?

 

[Eterry]

I'd start the patterning at an age old load for the 28 gauge (.56 caliber)..., whether it's #9 down to #6. I took a look at a bunch of vintage shotshell boxes, different brands, and they were universal in the load, 2¼ dram with ¾ of an ounce of lead shot. It should be pretty close, but an adjustable measure set at 60 grains may be used to measure out the shot. Start at 20 yards and check the pattern, AND put an empty steel tuna can on the target, bottom facing you, and check penetration. If it's good, reload, back up five yards, and try it again, and repeat until you find the pattern or penetration is no longer acceptable. Also note that while #9 might not penetrate at 25 yards, just switching to #6 might allow you to extend to 30 yards.

LD

LD, not to muddy the waters...but my data...and what Claude has here, shows a 60 grs measure of shot to weigh 7/8 oz, a 50 gr charge of shot would weigh 3/4 oz.

Edmelott...using your powder measure at the same setting for shot and powder is what's known as a "Square Load". I have no experience in a 28 gauge, but I would assume 3f would work. You may try both see which patterns best.
I remember the chart by using 70 grains as the base; it is 1 0z of shot, and every 10 grains up or down changes shot charge 1/8 of an oz., ie 90 gr setting= 1 1/4 oz. There is a chart in the reference section of this site.

I learned the hard way using a Square load of 3f in my 10 gauge causes bruises...

 

[8 BORE]

All sizes of wads from circle fly wads

 

[Carbon 6]

It's essentially a 28 gauge, load it like one. 55 grains of 2ff or 3fff powder and 3/4 ounce of shot. use whatever wadding fits your fancy.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I'm putting nearly 3/4 Oz in my .45!

 

[Carbon 6]

And 3/4 of an ounce in a 12 gauge is just as effective as 3/4 of an ounce in a 28 gauge. Neither would make a good goose gun, and overloading a 28 gauge won't either.
I like efficient loads, If I can kill it with 3/4 of an ounce vs. 1.5 ounces then I will. If I can't then I'll choose a larger gauge as opposed to overloading a smaller one. This was an important factor in the age of light fowlers with Damascus barrels.

If his smooth bore were a rifle a round ball would weigh 251 grains. 3/4 of an ounce of shot weighs 328 grains. So that charge would already be heavier than a round ball.

 

[WVAED]

3/4 ounce would be great with me. I'm probably going to just shoot squirrels with it, although I may try my hand at turkeys in the spring. From earlier posts, 50 grain powder measure will give me about 3/4 of an ounce. About 50 to 55 grains of 2f?

 

[Eterry]

I dug up my second edition black powder Digest from 1977 and in it is an old listing of weights and charges for the 28 gauge. It starts with 55 grain of 2f and 5/8 ounce of shot for a light load, 60 grains 2f 5/8 ounce of shot for a medium load, and 65 grain 2f, 7/8 of an ounce of shot for a heavy load. I hope that helps.

 

[WVAED]

I dug up my second edition black powder Digest from 1977 and in it is an old listing of weights and charges for the 28 gauge. It starts with 55 grain of 2f and 5/8 ounce of shot for a light load, 60 grains 2f 5/8 ounce of shot for a medium load, and 65 grain 2f, 7/8 of an ounce of shot for a heavy load. I hope that helps.

Thanks, this is the exact information I needed.

 

[Bill from NJ]

edmelott,

I have two of these great rifles.

They are a very accurate .56 cal with Patch & Ball.

And also as a great little 28 Gauge shotgun.

Below I posted the manual you need for your new American made Rifle.

The manual will answer most of your questions about proper loading and charges recommended.

Make copies of this manual and tuck away someplace as not to be lost.

http://www.dakotaskipper.net/ebay/Shooting_TC_Side_Lock_Black_Powder_Guns.pdf

Best of Luck.

Regards,

Bill

 

[Huntschool]

Remember the taller the shot load (over 5/8-3/4) the more stringing you are likely to have and I think that is regardless of powder charge.

I did not see any charges listed in the above post by "Bill" that indicate 28 ga. I would not try those 12 ga loads in your gun.... Just sayin.....

JMHO

 

[Bill from NJ]

I did not see any charges listed in the above post by "Bill" that indicate 28 ga. I would not try those 12 ga loads in your gun.... Just sayin.....

JMHO


Please Read all the way through the Manual....

Pages 76 & 77 for example.

I cannot post all of the .56 Cal data here. Just look it up.

Everything you need is in the Manual I posted.

Again, copy the manual for future reference.





For Use With .56 Caliber Rifles
Patches Lubricated with Bore Butter
Use No.11 Percussion Cap, Musket Cap or T/C Flint with 4F (FFFFG) Priming Powder

.56 Caliber RifleBlack Powder & Round Ball Loads

.550" Diameter Lead Ball Weight (Grains)

Black Powder Charge (Grains)

Muzzle Velocity (Feet Per Second)

Muzzle Energy (Foot Pounds)

265 Grain Lead Ball

80 grs. FFG

1195 F.P.S.

840 Ft. Lbs.

90 grs. FFG

1285 F.P.S.

972 Ft. Lbs.

100 grs. FFG

1300 F.P.S.

995 Ft. Lbs.

Load Shown in Red is Maximum



Suggested Loads Cont’d...

For Use With .56 Caliber Smoothbore T/C Renegade
Use Two Wads - one over the powder, one over the shot.

Use No.11 Percussion Cap or Musket Cap

.56 CaliberBlack Powder & Bird Shot Loads

Lead Shot #6 or 7 1/2 Weight (Grains)

Black Powder Charge (Grains)

.56 Cal 1/2” Thick Fiber Wads

Muzzle Energy (Foot Pounds)

7/8 oz. (approx) Lead Shot

80 grs. FFG

Two Are Used

1116 Ft. Lbs.

Load Shown in Red is Maximum

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SHOT LOAD

This load was developed for the .56 Cal Renegade Smooth- bore and must be used as described. STEP ONE: Set your powder measure for 80 grains of FFG. Fill the measure with powder and pour it into the muzzle. STEP TWO: Seat one .56 Cal T/C wad firmly against the powder charge. STEP THREE: Reset your powder measure for 60 grains of powder. At this setting the measure will hold approximately 7/8 ounc- es of shot. Fill the measure with #6 or #7 1/2 shot and pour it into the muzzle. STEP FOUR: Seat one .56 Cal T/C wad firmly against the shot charge. Follow all of the loading and safety precautions listed in this booklet. USE THIS LOAD WITH SPECIAL .56 CALIBER T/C WADS ONLY. SEE DRAWING ON RIGHT!

1/2" Fiber Wads

Wad

Shot

Wad

Powder

NOTE:

SPECIAL .56 CAL. T/C WADS MUST BE SEATED FIRMLY AGAINST POWDER CHARGE AND OVER SHOT CHARGE AS SHOWN.

 

[WVAED]

I did not see any charges listed in the above post by "Bill" that indicate 28 ga. I would not try those 12 ga loads in your gun.... Just sayin.....

JMHO


Please Read all the way through the Manual....

Pages 76 & 77 for example.

I cannot post all of the .56 Cal data here. Just look it up.

Everything you need is in the Manual I posted.

Again, copy the manual for future reference.





For Use With .56 Caliber Rifles
Patches Lubricated with Bore Butter
Use No.11 Percussion Cap, Musket Cap or T/C Flint with 4F (FFFFG) Priming Powder

.56 Caliber RifleBlack Powder & Round Ball Loads

.550" Diameter Lead Ball Weight (Grains)

Black Powder Charge (Grains)

Muzzle Velocity (Feet Per Second)

Muzzle Energy (Foot Pounds)

265 Grain Lead Ball

80 grs. FFG

1195 F.P.S.

840 Ft. Lbs.

90 grs. FFG

1285 F.P.S.

972 Ft. Lbs.

100 grs. FFG

1300 F.P.S.

995 Ft. Lbs.

Load Shown in Red is Maximum



Suggested Loads Cont’d...

For Use With .56 Caliber Smoothbore T/C Renegade
Use Two Wads - one over the powder, one over the shot.

Use No.11 Percussion Cap or Musket Cap

.56 CaliberBlack Powder & Bird Shot Loads

Lead Shot #6 or 7 1/2 Weight (Grains)

Black Powder Charge (Grains)

.56 Cal 1/2” Thick Fiber Wads

Muzzle Energy (Foot Pounds)

7/8 oz. (approx) Lead Shot

80 grs. FFG

Two Are Used

1116 Ft. Lbs.

Load Shown in Red is Maximum

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SHOT LOAD

This load was developed for the .56 Cal Renegade Smooth- bore and must be used as described. STEP ONE: Set your powder measure for 80 grains of FFG. Fill the measure with powder and pour it into the muzzle. STEP TWO: Seat one .56 Cal T/C wad firmly against the powder charge. STEP THREE: Reset your powder measure for 60 grains of powder. At this setting the measure will hold approximately 7/8 ounc- es of shot. Fill the measure with #6 or #7 1/2 shot and pour it into the muzzle. STEP FOUR: Seat one .56 Cal T/C wad firmly against the shot charge. Follow all of the loading and safety precautions listed in this booklet. USE THIS LOAD WITH SPECIAL .56 CALIBER T/C WADS ONLY. SEE DRAWING ON RIGHT!

1/2" Fiber Wads

Wad

Shot

Wad

Powder

NOTE:

SPECIAL .56 CAL. T/C WADS MUST BE SEATED FIRMLY AGAINST POWDER CHARGE AND OVER SHOT CHARGE AS SHOWN.

Thanks, this is very helpful.