Any opinions on a .54 smoothie?

[Lonegun1894]

Have been offered a .54 caliber smoothbore to try a build on and i was wondering how useful this would be and what its capabilities would be. I'm thinking small game, some birds, and maybe some clays. What do y'all think? :hmm: Thanks.

Paul

 

[KHickam]

should be good.


Keith

 

[roundball]

I have a .54cal GM Flint smoothbore barrel on sa TC Hawken stock.....technically speaking I think it's supposed to be referred to as a "smooth rifle" barrel with it's rear sight.

It is extremely accurate with 80 & 90grns Goex 3F, .018" pillow ticking, and Hornady .520s...filled all my deer tags with it the first year I got it.

Then started playing with shot loads and it's excellent for that as well...cylinder bore makes it a good small game / bird / skeet gun...very versatile...70grns Goex 3F, Oxyoke wad, 1+1/8oz #7.5s, OS card...won't be letting go of it any time soon.

 

[buck1]

Hey Mr. Roundball,Have you shot any turkeys with that gun? Thanks Buck

 

[roundball]

Not yet but I'm sneaking up on it...

I have the same barrel in a .62cal that I had Jug Choked 'Full' for Turkey, that'll reach out 40yds.

I've patterned tested the .54 and can get turkey head shots to 25yds out of the cylinder bore...and from what I'm learning, the majority of toms are taken between 20-30yds

 

[Swampman]

About like a modern .410.

 

[roundball]

Hey Mr. Roundball,Have you shot any turkeys with that gun? Thanks Buck

PS: Here's a pic of the .54 Flint smoothie

 

[roundball]

Have been offered a .54 caliber smoothbore to try a build on and i was wondering how useful this would be and what its capabilities would be. I'm thinking small game, some birds, and maybe some clays. What do y'all think? :hmm: Thanks.

Paul

To correct an inaccurate comment made to your thread claiming that the .54cal is like a .410, it is not...the .410 is just that, a .410 bore.

The .54cal's larger .540 bore is a .28ga, significantly larger than a .410" and is actually the most accurate and favored gauge for skeet shooting, typically producing higher scores than .20's and .12's.

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

The 28 gage smoothbore is the best caliber for round ball and not too bad on shot. I am not much of a shot shooter so I am not a good judge on shot! It is impossibe to get better round ball barrel in my opinion.

:thumbsup:

 

[Lonegun1894]

Roundball,
I appreciate that clarification, i already knew that, but others may not. To take it one step further, the .54 is a 28 gauge like you said. While the modern .410 is a 67 gauge, if i remember correctly. Now i didnt know it was so effective as to be a favorite for competition over either the 12 or the 20. Now that is something i wouldnt have expected. Gonna have to look up more on the 28ga now. There you go making me learn something again. :bow: Geez. Thank you and everyone who has helped so far. And if anyone has any other input, it is very appreciated so throw your 2 cents in. We all know it is worth much more than that. :thumbsup:

Paul

 

[MikeC]

Actually it is said that 16 and 28 gauge shotguns pattern the best. Square load theory.

28 is favored among professional skeet shooters.

 

[KHickam]

When will I get to see this wonderful gun at the range?

 

[roundball]

"...i didnt know it was so effective as to be a favorite for competition over either the 12 or the 20..."

Yes, seems to be a combination of things...kind of like the .40cal muzzleloader is often used in competitions...the .28ga skeet load is often referred to as a "square laod"...the physical height & width of the shot charge being basically the same allegedly result in enhanced performance (no idea) and then there's the reduced recoil with the smaller gauges like the .28ga & .410, which result in less fatique during a day long shoot usually resulting in better accuracy, etc.
You have to be on your game for every shot with a .410 but the .28ga is a little more forgiving....28ga scores are always way up there.

 

Paul,
What everyone said has a lot of validity but one thing was overlooked, unless I missed it. In NMLRA cometition the 54 is the smallest caliber sighted smoothbore accepted. Just my 2 cents.
Mark

 

[Lonegun1894]

the good news is, i'm supposed to be getting it in a few days when the friend that has it gets back in town. The bad news, it will have to be built into a gun, which i'm hoping wont be too long. It is 15/16", 32 inches long, and has rifle sights, so it just might end up on my GPR as a "smooth rifle". It would be easier than having to aquire all the parts for a separate build. Then again... :hmm: well, either way, been itching for a smoothie, so either way, hope to have it shooting soon.

Paul

 

[Swampman]

If blackpower smoothbores were more efficent, it would equal a 28.

 

[Lonegun1894]

Mark,
I'm not sure what has got you wanting to correct and criticise everyone and everything lately, but i cant seem to recall having seen anything you've posted that was positive recently. Your way is not the only way, no matter how convinced you are of it. I'm not sure what you mean by efficient, or what you're comparing MLs to, but if i wanted the latest and greatest, i work at a range, i could go get a Benelli semi-auto and be done with it. I have my modern firearms, and they serve a purpose. But when i want to hunt, or just go relax, i grab one of these inefficient, slow, dirty, smelly thingamabobs and go relax and have some fun. I also hunt with a bow, in case you decide that MLs are efficient after all, after reading my post. I really hope i didnt just start a war, but I have seen too much criticism about everything and it has all seemed to come from the same source recently.

Claude,and moderators, feel free to delete this if i have overstepped my bounds.

Paul

 

[Lonegun1894]

Roundball,

Now that is a good lookin gun.

Paul

 

[KHickam]

Probably gonna be at the range tomorrow in the afternoon. I have decided to have B. Christian build a .54 cal virginia smooth rifle for me. But, don't tell my wife.

:thumbsup: Keith

 

[Dphar]

Have been offered a .54 caliber smoothbore to try a build on and i was wondering how useful this would be and what its capabilities would be. I'm thinking small game, some birds, and maybe some clays. What do y'all think? :hmm: Thanks.

Paul

Its a small bore shotgun. For small game it uses too much powder and shot to be economical for squirrel and rabbits etc.
ML shotguns can be very good.
If VERY CAREFULLY bored by someone that worked for Manton or some other high grade English shotgun makers in the days before chokes who KNEW how to make a ML shotgun pattern. But most modern bores are not that good. Jug chokes are not HC for those who take such things into consideration.
If it patterns well it will likely do OK if the range is close.
If I could find a low priced 1"X 42" 50-58 Green Mountain SB I would put it on my 54 as a test piece.

Dan