starting loads for 28 gauge

[joeboleo1]

I will be getting my first smoothbore in a couple months (28 gauge with 42" barrel)and hoping to get some ideas/suggestions on a roundball as well as a shot load. Mostly be shooting steel gongs with a few clay birds from time to time. Haven't had a smoothie before so not sure what size ball/patch combo to start with. I want to get a couple size balls to try out before buying a mold. Haven't done the shot before. Appreciate any info.

 

[roundball]

Appreciate any info.

Here's what I settled on in my GM 32" x .54cal Flint smoothbore:

DEER HUNTING
70/80/90grns Goex 3F (equally accurate)
.018" pillow ticking
Hornady .520" (five twenty)
Shoots like a rifle to the 50yds I zeroed it at

SMALL GAME - Squirrels, Rabbits, Crows
70grns Goex 3F
2 Oxyoke wads
100grns #5 shot (1+3/8oz)
Circle Fly OS card
Outstanding pattern to 30 yards

TRAP / SKEET TARGETS
70grns Goex 3F
Two Oxyoke prelubed wads
1oz #8's
Circle Fly OS card

 

[paulvallandigham]

Go to Track of the Wolf Site, and order their 28 gauge wads.
They are nominally .550, but the outside diameter will be .010" larger than that diameter.

Starting loads begin at 1 3/4 drams( 48 grains) and 5/8 oz. shot. Most go a bit more than that and use 2 drams( 55 grs.) of powder( FFg), and either 5/8 or 3/4 oz. of shot. The longer barrel is going to burn up a lot of powder, so I recommend starting with the 2 dram/ 3/4 oz. load and seeing how it patterns at 25 yards. It the pattern is ragged, then back the powder charge down first, to see if it tightens up.

I also recommend that you lube the bore with a greased cleaning patch after seating the OS card on the shot.

For Round ball loads, Start with 55 grains of FFg powder, a .530 RB, and a .015 lubed patch. Again, grease that long bore with lube after seating your ball. ( You can put the greased cleaning patch in front of the jag and both seat the ball and grease the barrel efficiently with ONE stroke.) Some people are shooting up to 70 grains from their 28 grain barrels, and I am sure your new gun will handles such a load. Whether you will get better groups out to 50 yards with a PRB and that much powder is for you to determine with the individual gun. ( And, I am sure that someone will recommend a lot heavier load than these just as soon as I post this, calling me all kinds of names. To each his own. I found out a long time ago with BP shotguns that more powder is rarely the answer to better patterns or accuracy with RB loads. You might check out the load information you can find at Bob Spenser's Website, " BlackPowderNotebook" ,
http://members.aye.net/~bspen/index.html

And Read the Article by V.M. Starr, listed at the bottom of the second list of articles in his opening page. Starr gives loads for a lot of different gauges, and good advice for all shooters, based on years of experience. )

 

[ohio ramrod]

For round balls I use 530 balls (54 caliber ) and a thick patch over 55 grain FF. For shot I use 7/8 ounce shot ,rolled into a paper cartridge, over 1 felt wad, and 55 grain FF. I haven't used to many round balls in mine, but I have been shooting rabbits and pigons since 1965 with mine using #6 shot.

 

[joeboleo1]

Thanks guys. It gives me somewhere to begin. Paul, I checked those sites you suggested and read them once. I will reread them and make some notes ---- good stuff.