gauge of 50 caliber

[Walks with fire]

I have some questions about a smooth bore barrel. I have seen a barrel blank that is 15/16" and .50 caliber that is smoothbore and was wondering what gauge that would be. Would this be suitable for small game or would it be too small? Are standard shotgun load components available for this or would it just be for roundball?

 

[poordevil]

It should do as well or better as a .410. Would it be a 36 - 42 ga?

 

[Deadeye]

WWF, A .50 is about 39 ga. but in ordering wads
I think you'll find them listed as .50 rather than by guage. I built a .50 smoothie about a yr. ago and since then it has become my favorite. I have three 20 guage that I hardly shoot any more. The 50 has been excellent on rabbits, chuckers, phesants, etc. with shot and would also be excellent on deer with a RB. Mine is 1/2 rnd 1/2
oct. and very lightweight. Track of the Wolf has wads.
Deadeye

 

I have seen a barrel blank that is 15/16" and .50 caliber that is smoothbore and was wondering what gauge that would be.

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/197045/

 

[nkbj]

Hey Deadeye/
With the experience of using the 50 smoothie to go on what barrel length would you deem most useful?

 

[flatrock]

I also have a 50cal smooth rifle and have been told it is a 37 gauge. I know I bought 37 gauge wads for it at Friendshio and they fit perfect. I have since quit using the fiber wads and only use the over powder wads. I tear one in half to use for the over shot card. It shoots patched round balls very good and have even tried bare ball with just as good results.

 

[Walks with fire]

What shot size and amount would be used for small game and how much powder would be used? How far could rabbits and squirrel shots be taken. Anyone know for sure what the actual diameter the GM 15/16" 50 smoothbore would be?

 

[bwhoffman]

Guage= amount of lead balls cast from 1 pound of lead that will fit the bore.

works for most all smoothbore guns except the .410!

.50 smoothie, should be about a 36 guage, maybe 37.

 

[CoyoteJoe]

Original recommended loads for shot was about the same weight as a roundball. Shot loads were generally rounded off to the nearest 1/8 ounce. For large bores they rounded down to the nearest 1/8 and for small bores they rounded up. A .50 caliber ball weighs about 4/10 ounce so 1/2 ounce would be the proper shot load. Not to say you can't load heavier, I generally shot 3/4 ounce out of my 32 gauge, but 1/2 ounce over 30-35 grains of powder would be the standard load.

 

[123.DieselBenz]

Found here . . . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauge_(bore_diameter)

A table showing the various gauge sizes with weights. The bores marked * are found in punt guns and rare weapons only.

 

[flatrock]

I usually use # 5 or #6 shot ahead of about 50 grains of FFF. Equal volume of shot to powder. I usually try to keep my shots under 20 yds as my pattern opens up quite a bit after that

 

[curator]

35-.500 round balls (200 grains each) equals one pound of lead. Therefore they are 35 gauge as gauge refers to the number of round balls that make up one pound of lead.

 

[Deadeye]

WWF, My barrel is 36" and that seems adequate for my uses. My barrels bore is slightly over 1/2" but I shoot .490 balls with a denim patch (.490 balls is where I got the 39 ga.)for shot I use 7/8 oz. of #6 with 50 grs. 3F. this barrel patterns well enough with this load to put as many
shot in a turkey head target as any of my 20s do at the same distance ( 20-25 yds.) It's not how much shot you shoot but how many go into your point of aim.
Deadeye

 

[paulvallandigham]

In most states, its illegal to use a smoothbore that is smaller than 20 gauge for hunting turkey.

I have no doubt that even a .410, in the hands of a good shooter, can take turkeys out to 25 yards. The Game departments don't have any means to insure that the shooter is any good with any gun, much less with such a small bore. That is why they write the regulations the way they are. :shocked2: :hmm: :hatsoff:

 

[Walks with fire]

In PA we have no gauge limits on muzzleloading shotguns for either small game or turkey. The only stocks I have are 15/16" so 28 gauge is as big as I could go but I have not seen any smooth bores that size yet. The GM .50 caliber barrel in smoothbore would probably do just fine for what I want it for.