My first smooth bore

[don hepler]

I picked up a 20 gauge Armi-Sport barrel at the flea market last year, but never got around to shooting it. With a tiny bit of work, it fit on my Renegade stock.
Finally got all the stuff, needed to shoot, and took it for a test run yesterday. I never had time to shoot any real patterns, but eat up some tin cans at 25 yards. My load was 65 grains 2f, with 1/8 card, and 1/2 of a fiber wad, 7/8 oz. #7 shoot, and thin card on top.
First shot was high, due to high comb on the Renegade stock. I placed the bead at the bottom of a tall sports drink can, and it eat it up.
I got the fiber wads at a yard sale, and they were dried out and swelled at the top. Would it be possible to lube the wads? Or throw away, and buy new ones?
I forgot to mention, the barrel was unfired, and cost me a whopping $10. dollars. It has choke bored into the barrel, and all indications are, that it will shoot a tight group, at 25-30 yards.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Congrats but no pictures!

:hatsoff:

 

[don hepler]

Okay, I'll try.

 

[don hepler]

Didn't get ram rod finished. I need to order a tip to install. This is a 15/16 barrel in a 1 inch stock. The other barrel for this gun is also a 15/16 GM barrel. I have 1/32 shim on bottom and sides. Works well.

 

[don hepler]

The barrel actually says Armsport.

 

[BrownBear]

I got the fiber wads at a yard sale, and they were dried out and swelled at the top. Would it be possible to lube the wads? Or throw away, and buy new ones?

Sure. For ease,I lube mine with an overnight soak in olive oil. But there are lots of worthy lubes out there. In fact I buy mine dry, then do the lubing myself.

BTW- That's approximately the same load I use in my 20's (60 grains of 3f rather than 65, or 70 grains of 1f). It's a fer sure killer if you respect its range with an CYL bore.

 

[don hepler]

I measured the barrel with a telescoping gauge, and after checking with micrometer, it turns out it has a lot of choke in the barrel. It makes it harder to get the OP cards and wads started down the barrel, but I don't need to shoot RB's out of it. I have several rifled barrels for that.

Thanks, I try the olive oil. Which is better over the shot, a card or thick piece of fiber wad?

 

[Grenadier1758]

You may have to answer that by trial and error. There are several accounts of dense patterns with the cushion wad loaded over the shot. Classic use is the stack of powder, over powder card, lubricated wad, shot and over shot card.