The Forgotten Smoothbore

[musketman]

Remember the .56 caliber smoothbore?

T/C use to make one with the Renegade hardware, almost bought one when they first came out...

Who has one of these and what do you think of it?

 

[cayugad]

Not only do I remember them, I came real close to buying one, but had a .54 caliber and did not see the need. What guage would that be approx?

 

[roundball]

I have a TC .56cal SB barrel...was very surprised at how accurate it was at 50yds (3-4") using 70grns Goex FFFg, .015" Oxyoke prelubed cotton, and Warren .550 spruless balls.

But it's laid on the shelf for 2-3 years since I got into flintlocks, as I haven't spent any time with percussions...and particularly since I later got a .62cal flint smoothbore, I've played with it as a smoothbore instead.

Was hoping to play with some .56cal shot loads this summer and figured if 1+5/8ozs is outstanding in my .62cal, then I'd estimate 1 to 1+1/8ozs may be outstanding in the .56cal

 

[SquirrelsaurusR]

What guage would that be approx?

.56 would be between 26 and 27 guage.

 

[Liver eatin’ Johnson]

From:

Bob's Black Powder Notebook

28 gauge = 55 caliber

 

[rabjr]

I remember the .56, our State was smoothbore up till 1983. For a few years afterward some diehards were still using the .56 till balls became hard to come by. I remember one range session with a friend who had one and being surprised that his gun with no rifling could hit a coffee can at 50 yards almost everytime.

 

[roundball]

.28gauge accessories are specified for it

 

[Deadeye]

I have one of those but have never fired it. I think I'll try it with some .530 balls as i just read that small balls shoot about as well. I"m in the process of remodeling the stock as that stock was the straightest stock TC ever made.
You either have to cut the stock or have your cheekbone removed to shoot it.

 

[roundball]

When I bought mine, I found the Renegade stock physically too small and short for me in general...so I sold the stock and lock, and just drop the 1" .56cal barrel into a .54cal TC Hawken stock when I want to use it

 

[sebago]

I bought one of these T/Cs used a few years ago. The gunshop had seven of them all in a row in varying stages of decay and all the same price, around $170. each. I'd always been kind of curious about them so I picked out one of the two that were shiney and clean. I haven't shot it in years now but 3"-4" groups at 50 yds. were common. The pre cast .550 rbs that I bought were such a tight fit with an .010 patch (.015 wouldn't even start) that I tried .530s double patched with an .010 and an .015. With 70 grs. of 2f it still shot 3"-4" and was much easier to load. I always intended to try .535 balls someday to see if that would be any better but just never got around to it.

 

[roundball]

I also had a very tight fit with the .550's + .015" cotton patches...couldn't thumb start them, but they would punch in with a healthly palm of the hand on a short starter.

I'll try some .530's + .018" prelubed pillow ticking too, as I have both on hand, see how they do...if they don't do any worse than the .550's & .015", at a minimum they'll be easier to load.

And it'll make shooting the .56cal more convenient from a supplies point of view, not having to find and special order .550's, etc

 

[sebago]

It'll be interesting to see how the .530 ball/.018 patch works for you. After my problems loading the .550 ball/.010 combo I tried .530's with a prelubed .015 since I had both with me at the time. They started very easily with only thumb pressure but I only fired one group. It measured about 5 inches and the patches were totally shredded. That's what made me try double patching using the .015 and .010. Someday I'm going to try a .535 with .020 or .018's. If it works it'll be a lot simpler than using two different patches.

 

[roundball]

sebago....FYI, 58cal OxYoke prelubed wonderwads should completely seal off the fire and stop that shredding/buring patch problem

 

I bought a .56 Renegade smoothie from autctio arms in near new condition for 127 bucks less shipping. Never fired the thing. Sent the barrel out and had it reamed and rifle 1:48 in .58. Stinking thing never has shot good! :curse:

 

[sebago]

Roundball, I agree that would definitely solve that problem but it would add one more step in the loading process. In a hunting arm I like to keep it as simple as possible.