T/C Smoothbore 56 cal?

[roundball]

I was thinking of possibly using the .56 SB for some pack-in deer hunts where I may be in a wilderness area for a week or more at a time. If I tagged out early or have no luck with deer, I could use it for grouse, squirrel and bunnies.

I zeroed mine at 50yds using:

70grns Goex 3F
.58cal Oxyoke wonderwad
.015" prelubed patch
.550 balls

A real tight combo requiring a sharp rap on the short starter but very accurate...but I've since decided if I ever had one again I'd use .535 balls with thick or double patches

 

[pab1]

Roundball, have you used a 56 for turkey? What size shot do you recommend?

 

[Rebel]

Check your state hunting regs. We have to have a shotgun at least .20 ga here in Oregon and a .56 is a .28 ga.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Pab1: You are going to be shooting a 1/4 oz. of lead out of that .56 smoothie, and at 1300 fps, it is plenty to kill deer, provided you understand that accuracy drops off rather quickly after 50-60 yards, depending on the load, sights, and barrel length. After all, you would not hesitate to use a .45 Colt Revolver to kill a deer inside 50 yards, and you put a lot less powder and get less velocity out of that revolver round than what you are expecting here.

The gun should primarily be used for small game, however. A 28 gauge shotgun is .550 in bore diameter. Sound familiar? What ever you can use a BP 28 gauge shotgun to kill you can use your new barrel to kill. Just remember that you are shooting a cylinder bore shotgun, with BP ballistics. That means its a 30 yard gun at most with most shot loads. Read V.M. Starr's article in Bob Spenser's website, " Black Powder Notebook", for loading data, and don't try to push it. For better patterns with these guns, less powder usually gives better patterns. Go to heavier shot to provide the extra pellet energy to kill small game cleanly.

Have fun.

 

[pab1]

Rebel, Colorado does not have a minimum gauge for turkey hunting. They have a 10-gauge maximum and shot must be #2 or smaller.

Paul, thanks for the information on Mr. Spencers site. There is some great information there.

 

[roundball]

Roundball, have you used a 56 for turkey? What size shot do you recommend?

I use 80grns Goex 3F & 1+5/8oz #6s in a .62cal flint smoothbore for turkey.
I also have a .54cal flint smoothbore...70grns Goex 3F & 1+3/8oz #6s is the load I've settled on for it...and would use the same in the .56 if I still had it.
Copper plated #6s from Midway should add a few more yards effective pattern

 

[pab1]

I have a .62 on the way now, so I think that will be the turkey barrel.

 

[KLH2632]

I use 80grns Goex 3F & 1+5/8oz #6s in a .62cal flint smoothbore for turkey.
I also have a .54cal flint smoothbore...70grns Goex 3F & 1+3/8oz #6s is the load I've settled on for it...and would use the same in the .56 if I still had it.
Copper plated #6s from Midway should add a few more yards effective pattern

Over 50 caliber, why not 2F for rifle?

 

[excess650]

14 year old thread back from the dead....

 

[KLH2632]

A former employee gifted the TC .56 S.B. to Camp Resolute, BSA God only knows how long ago and I just finished cleaning the rust from the bore. Will scope it and if I find no major defects, we’ll fire it with supplies I received from the Track of the Wolf website.
: .550 PrB rounds, start with 45 grains of Triple 7 RS (2F BP equivalent) and .05 lubed ball patch.

My advice?

Photo was first pass, two more cleaning sessions got to nearly clean patches. Bore now shines like a modern shotgun barrel.

Shooting stick or bench rest good n for Scouts.

 

[nkbj]

About time!
Cynthialee loves hers.

 

[Mousegunguy]

Now I get it!
Thank you for this info.
Do you think anyone will be pleased to win this gun?

I currently own 3 & have repaired a few and given them to friends.
I think they are a wonderfully versatile firearm.
……& make great big fireballs!!

 

[hunter thompson]

When Massachusetts and Rhode Island first established their separate muzzleloading seasons,it seemed that the game department people were anti rifled barrel. Both of our states have been shotgun only for deer for probably one hundred years or more. So with the suspicion of anything rifled, they mandated that the only legal muzzleloader for deer would have to be a smoothbore. So TC took their .54 caliber Renegade and took out the rifling, thus the 56 was born. Many people in this state and RI bought them to take advantage of the newly created season back in the early 1970's. After a while, the fish and game departments allowed rifling so they fell out of favor and out of production.

and it was A way to not have to register them in that anti-gun mass.

 

[planefixer da50]

Have 2, one converted to flint. both locks drop right in. squirrels dont like it 60gr. 3f,1oz. #6. .535 patched ball not tight over 65gr 3f. , hard card over powder. deer droped quick max 50-70yd.

 

[rusticbob]

14 year old thread back from the dead....

Maybe you should go back to sleep!

 

[tom_in_vt]

When Massachusetts and Rhode Island first established their separate muzzleloading seasons,it seemed that the game department people were anti rifled barrel. Both of our states have been shotgun only for deer for probably one hundred years or more. So with the suspicion of anything rifled, they mandated that the only legal muzzleloader for deer would have to be a smoothbore. So TC took their .54 caliber Renegade and took out the rifling, thus the 56 was born. Many people in this state and RI bought them to take advantage of the newly created season back in the early 1970's. After a while, the fish and game departments allowed rifling so they fell out of favor and out of production.

Hit the nail on the head. That being said, I’ve heard many positive things about the way the smoothies shoot. I wouldn’t hesitate to pick one up for the right price.

 

[Cliffdweller]

I currently own 3 & have repaired a few and given them to friends.
I think they are a wonderfully versatile firearm.
……& make great big fireballs!!View attachment 155527

I agree they are a blast (pun intended) to shoot!! My favorite tc long gun.

 

[KLH2632]

Great pics and after 14 years of silence, the cult of the TC .56 S.B. Rises from the soil of the North American woods, not unlike the Cicada, it is ugly to some, thunderously noisy, but not going away.

 

[Cliffdweller]

Great pics and after 14 years of silence, the cult of the TC .56 S.B. Rises from the soil of the North American woods, not unlike the Cicada, it is ugly to some, thunderously noisy, but not going away.

Never!!!!!!

 

[Urban Coyote]

I've been curious about them, the T/C .56, for some time and now I get it. I'm understanding the attraction now, very cool.