Proper Shotgun Load?

[HB]

I have a an old .54 cal/28 gauge Dixie smoothbore that is more of a shotgun than a musket (half length stock, so sights etc). I have fired roundball with pretty good accuracy over a 60 grain charge. Here is a link to a similar gun.

http://www.gunauction.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=7762053

However, I am lost when it comes to shotgun loads for it. I have tried 50 grains of powder under a small volume of shot using newspaper as wadding but obviously this leads to severe leading and fouling despite printing nice patterns. Traditionally these guns take an equal volume of shot and powder but I don't want to blow the old smokepole to pieces. What is an appropriate shot charge and powder charge? It seems it will be about as effective as a 28 gauge with light loads, perfect for small game.

Also, does anybody have any recommendations for homemade wads and over the shot cards? I'd like to use this gun as a backpacking rifle as it has the accuracy to kill a deer or hog at 25-40 yards with prb but also pot a few squirrels within reasonable distances. Of course I'd prefer not to buy anything to feed this gun aside from caps so all homemade recipes are appreciated.

Thanks,
HB

 

[arcticap]

I have what looks to be the same Spanish 28 gauge as in the Auction Arms listing and I've fired full house loads in it up to 90 grains of powder and shot.
I've tried it with plastic 28 gauge wads to help concentrate the pattern which produced the best results. The light weight gun recoils a little bit but doesn't hurt with a slip on rubber butt pad installed on it.
All I've used is compressed newspaper wadding along with some triple thick cotton balls at times.
Mine has a fixed modified choke and the more shot, the more full the pattern.
Loading more powder gives it more lethal range, but the powder charge can always be adjusted downward.
Because the barrel has been proof tested, I never really worried about the gun blowing apart. Maybe 80 grains of powder and shot would be just as sufficient. It depends on personal preference, the distance to the game and amount of lethal energy that needs to be delivered with the resulting pattern.
On the other hand, I shoot lighter PRB loads with it using .520 balls and about 30 - 40 grains of powder for good accuracy at 25 yards. The hits spread out at 50 yards no matter what powder charge is loaded mostly due to the modified choke and smooth bore.

 

[Pete D.]

Bp 28

Figure on equal volumes of shot and powder. Modern 28 ga. shells are two dram equivalent. A common shot load for a 28 gauge is 3/4 oz. A measure that throws that amount of shot will throw just about 54 grains of FFg Goex BP - a two dram load, which is also normal for a 28. You don't need any wads except for overshot cards. Use five of them between the shot and the powder and one over the shot. You may find that a 9/16ths wad cutter will give you cards that will work, though they are actually 24 gauge.
Pete

 

[arcticap]

There's a wide range of loads listed in this thread Post: 28 ga. squirrel loads?.

http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/fusionbb/showtopic.php?tid/249545/post/last/m/..

Two loads that are mentioned include:

GM 32" Flint smoothbore - Cylinder bore

70grns Goes 3F
2 Oxyoke prelubed wads
90grns #5's
Circle Fly OS card

Good on squirrels to 30 yards

75 gr Goex FFFg
2 Home made wads (felt from laminate flooring project)Lubricated with olive oil and murphys oil soap,dried
90 gr #5 or #6 shot
3 over shot wads made from cereal boxes

Got 4 yesterday with the Renegade SB longest was about 30 yds

1 ounce loads for the smokeless 28 gauge are not unusual, with velocities for the 7/8's - 1 oz. loads running between 1200 - 1300 f.p.s..
IMHO the lower pressures of muzzle loaders offer a little more leeway when it comes to loading longer range 28 gauge loads. Those posting above are loading with 3F powder which could translate into loading ~10% more if using 2F.