checking on a load for .54 smooth

[Darkgael]

I have a .54 smoothbore barrel for my GPR coming from TotW.
I'll be patterning it after it arrives. I'm thinking of starting with 70grains of FFg and 7/8 oz. of shot, looking for a load that won't blow the pattern. I intend to use one OP wad and a wonder wad under the shot and a single OS wad.
Does that sound like a good starting point?
I'll probably try the multiple OS wad idea also.
Pete

 

[paulvallandigham]

How about backing those loads down a bit? Try 50 grains with 5/8 oz shot, and 55 grains with 5/8 and 3/4 oz shot. These are basic 28 gauge loads, and that is about as close to that smoothbore as you are going to get. The OP wad will give the highest velocities. A Felt wad will also work well, but is more likely to drop away from the shot when they leave the barrel, sooner. Try using only OS cards , 2 or 3 for the OP wad, and 1 over the shot itself. That should give you better patterns. Also, tryGreasing the barrel with a lubed cleaning patch on the jag when you push the OS card down on the shot. That greases the barrel which helps keep lead from rubbing off the sides of the shot next to the bore. The grease is also there to help keep the residue from sticking hard to the barrel for easy cleaning and reloading. It also keeps the shot from deforming ( flats rubbed on the sides) which cause the shot to drop out of the pattern quickly. The bore diameter is small enough. You don't need to be losing shot from your load before it gets to 20 yards. The 28 ga./.54 caliber smoothrifle is a terrific gun as long as shots are limited to about 25 yards. At that distance, there is no point to loading up the gun to try to immitate 20 ga. performance. :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

Loads that do well in my GM .54cal Flint smoothbore cylinder barrel are:

70grns Goex 3F

Two .58cal Oxyoke prelubed wads, or, half of a 1/2" Circle Fly lubed cushion wad gives a well balanced 30yd pattern for flying targets like doves/crows.

A single 1/8" Oxyoke wad tightens up the pattern for small targets like squirrels;

A single 'full' 1/2" CF cushion wad opens the pattern a lot, but shortens its effective range;

Shot charge volume adjustments as pellet size increases and pellet count decreases:
70grns #8 or #9s for skeet targets
80grns #7.5s for doves
90grns #5s or #6's for squirrels / crows

One over shot card

Penetration:
#7.5s shot through a fairly heavy metal tuna can at 30yds and dented one behind it.

 

[Croppy Boy]

If you are greasing the barrel after loading, be sure not to use too tight a patch. When using the ramrod, it is almost impossible to pull it back with the suction of the vacuum between it and the load.

 

[paulvallandigham]

I have never had that problem using a greased cleaning patch. A flannel cotton or T-shirt cotton cleaning patch is substantially thinner than the patch you use around the lead ball. Even with a greased shooting patch, I have never had any problem with a vacuum being created behind the jag holding the patch in the barrel, in either a rifle or my smoothbores.

 

[Croppy Boy]

I was using a cleaning patch soaked with Wonder Lube, this had thickened up and was probably the cause. In future I'll use a liquid lube like Ballistol.

 

[roundball]

CB, why do you lube your bore after seating a load down?
With an OS card so tight it air tight, when the shot is taken and the air tight OS card travels back up bore, wouldn't it wipe the lube right back off the bore walls?

 

[tg]

"CB, why do you lube your bore after seating a load down"

Probably just following the advise of the resident expert....

 

[Croppy Boy]

When I was patterning the gun, a 12 bore fowler with a 0.035 jug choke, I found that when the bore was lubed after loading, the patterns were more even.

I understand what you're saying about the OS card rubbing the barrel before the shot passes through. All that I can say is that after loading, passing down four OS cards over the powder and one over the shot, the lubed patch will come out black i.e. the five cards didn't scrape off all the fowling, I can only assume the one card over the shot doesn't take off all the lube.

 

[roundball]

"...passing down four OS cards over the powder and one over the shot, the lubed patch will come out black i.e. the five cards didn't scrape off all the fowling..."

Right, the lubed patch is simply cleaning some fouling out of the bore...wiping between shots maintains a consistent bore condition as well

 

[PreglerD]

Hi Pete,

do you also plan to use RB's in the smoothbore barrel?

Regards

Kirrmeister

 

[Darkgael]

Kirrmeister: Yes, I do plan on using RBs, in addition to shot. I cast a bunch of .530 RBs last weekend.
The barrel (GM 32") arrived today. Shooting will have to wait until the weekend.
Pete

 

[roundball]

Kirrmeister: Yes, I do plan on using RBs, in addition to shot. I cast a bunch of .530 RBs last weekend.
The barrel (GM 32") arrived today. Shooting will have to wait until the weekend.
Pete

For what its worth, the most accurate PRB combination in my GM .54cal Flint smoothbore barrel turned out to be 70/80/90 grns Goex 3F, .018" pillow ticking, and Hornady .520" balls, not .530's.

 

[Darkgael]

RB: Thanks for that info. I was/am going to order some Hornady RBs in any case. I have .530 nominal Lee mould and cast just a few so I'd have them on hand.
Pete

 

[PreglerD]

Hi Pete,

i'm using in my original .54 longgun smoothie .525 RB with an borebutton over the powder and anotherone over the ball. The load is 90 grs of WANO PP. This load is able to hit a within a handsquare at 50 meters.

Regards

Kirrmeister

 

[Darkgael]

Kirrmeister: Thanks for that info. What is your patch like or do you use only the bore buttons?
Do you have a sense of what Wano PP is in "F" designation? FFg? FFFg?
Pete

 

[PreglerD]

Hi Pete,

I don't use a patch at all, only as described. WANO PP is similar to Graf's or Schuetzen FFg.

Regards

Kirrmeister

 

[Darkgael]

Kirrmeister: Thanks. I'll give that load a try.

Pete

 

[Darkgael]

Where are you fellows getting those .520/.525 RBs?
Buy? Cast? (mould?)
Pete

 

[PreglerD]

Hi Pete,

the .525 RB I got from Log Cabin Shop. They are casted and pretty accurate. They are delivered in packets of 100.

Regards

Kirrmeister