.56 caliber is the T/C equivalent to the 28 gauge smoothbore( nominally, .550") What the Actual bore diameter is must be measured in each barrel.
The Advantage of a smoothbore is that you can shoot both RBs, and shot loads to have a gun that can be used to hunt a wider variety of species. The RB works fine on Whitetail deer, out to 75-100 yds. Since most deer are taken at less than 50 yards, you are not handicapped by the "small" Round Ball. Its still weighs slightly more than 1/2 oz!( 230-235 grains) With shot loads of 1/2-3/4 oz., its a great small game gun, such as squirrel, rabbits, and varmints.
Disadvantages: You are still shooting a Rifle, with a rifle stock, so that it won't swing as well as a fowler or single barrel shotgun that is built on a shotgun style stock, and has the balance to allow you to swing on flying game birds.
This is not a gun to use to shoot either round balls or conicals at longer ranges than about 80-100 yds. Conicals have to be spinning, to fly right. Round balls don't shoot as well out of a smoothbore, compared to a rifled barrel, either. Shooting RBs out of a smoothbore reflects the fact that the gun is a:
1. muzzle loader;
2. it uses Black Powder, not smokeless powders as a propellant; and
3. the open sights used limit the practical range of the gun to the distances that the shooter can shoot open sights well. That happens to be between 50, and 100 yds for most of us.
I personally don't consider these all that much of a "disadvantage", provided the shooter practices a lot and learns his gun.
Welcome to the sport. :thumbsup:
--and PA was flintlock only for a long time.
