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View Full Version : "The LADY goes out" - 28 gauge testing



Hubertus
10-19-2012, 03:34 PM
The 28 Gauge had a little outing this week, in fact the second one. I posted this already on the Traditional ML forum but I wanted to share it here, too.

The setup was different – since it was not an official rifle range but rather a closed trap range of a very small local club I could spend some time alone and could load from the bag and horn. Usually at the shooting houses you have to bring in your powder premeasured in little vials. To top this little trip off I decided to wear my leather britches and Bavarian wool garments – not traditional in the sense of North America but traditional. I had a lot of fun.

I have the tendency to shoot to the right – my cheek weld is not good but it will hopefully improve with more practice. After the “Flash in the Pan party” last time I reread the Boerranchers sticky and decided to deburr the touch hole– my thinking was there might have been a tiny ridge from the draw filing and I used a drill a tad wider than the hole and very carefully turned it by hand. There is a barely noticeable bevel now. Then I used less prime (two touches with the charger – about 6 grains). BIG improvement – I was able to get off 5 shots without wiping before I got the first Flash in the Pan – which might be due to little less picking than the shots before. She went off with the second pan full. I know it’s not much but a big improvement since the last time the trouble started after the first shot. I used the pick with every shot and wiped the pan, frizzen and flint. When loading got hard I swabbed the bore with moose milk, usually after every 3rd or 4th shot.
For the RB shooting I tried a different patch material (muslin) and cut at the muzzle. It is a little thinner than the ticking and the loading worked better. It was possible to press the RB in with the handle of the patch knife and then cut off at the muzzle. For lube I had a little tin with my homebrew.

Lessons learned:
- maybe more lube in the felt wads because those didn’t really help in terms of fouling (used simple Olive oil)
- good to have some cordage to aid in pulling when you are content to join the honorable society of “dry-patch swabbers” and get your ramrod stuck

All shot patterns are done from 25 meters that is about 27.5 yards, offhand.
The target with RB was shot from about 46 yards off hand.
For shot measure I used an English shotpouch set to 1¼ (closer to 1 1/8 tested this at home).

Shot loads: 60 and 70 grains of Swiss 1 1/5 varying wadding over powder card (OPC), tow, over shot card (OSC), over shot card from milk carton (OSC milk).

1
http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz157/Hubertus_album/Smoothie/IMG00868-20121017-1105.jpg


2
http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz157/Hubertus_album/Smoothie/IMG00869-20121017-1118.jpg

3
http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz157/Hubertus_album/Smoothie/IMG00871-20121017-1146.jpg


4
http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz157/Hubertus_album/Smoothie/IMG00867-20121017-1103.jpg


5
http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz157/Hubertus_album/Smoothie/IMG00870-20121017-1136.jpg

What do you say?




RB load: 85 grains Swiss 1 1.5/over powder card/ felt /patched RB

http://i823.photobucket.com/albums/zz157/Hubertus_album/Smoothie/IMG00872-20121017-1255.jpg

Was aiming fort the top bullseye – so it’s pretty much to the right, as mentioned before.


Hubertus

DIRT Farmer
10-20-2012, 12:39 AM
Mike looks like you are having fun, nice avatar design. It looks like usable patterns. Nice touch on the tradational target stand.

I have used many things for wad lube, as long as you get enough on you should be able to shoot all day. 50/50 olive oil and bees wax makes a good hunting lube.

I don't remember any issues with pan flashes while you were at Friendship, but coning the outer face has helped on some guns I have.

Alan

Boerrancher
10-21-2012, 04:43 PM
Nice patterns, one of the things that I have found in my trade gun is that for the shot loads it is hard to beat a large wad of spit on top of the shot column before the over the shot wad is placed on top of the shot and the entire load rammed home. I can shoot all day long with shot loads and never have to swab the bore just by simply adding a bit of spit to the shot.

As far as the PRB, Mine likes to shoot to the right as well if I keep the front site centered over the tang screw, but if I line the right edge of the front site up with the left edge of the tang screw, it brings those round ball groups back to the POI like they should be.

Best wishes,

Joe

Hubertus
10-22-2012, 04:15 PM
Alan, Joe,

Thanks for the encouragement!
I'll cook up a batch of lube and lube some felt wads and I'll try the spit method, too.
So far I haven't really shot her from sandbags so that is up for the next range trip and then I'll hopefully be able to determine the hold for RB trying your trick with holding differently with the tang screw. Before I'm not really confident I won't be carrying her for hunting deer. Well, the hare season just opened and dove will open first of November ... :smile:

Hubertus

PS: Thank you for the comments on the avatar - I thought something new is needed - something to reflect the latest purchase. Believe it or not I haven't touched one of my modern rifles since she's in the house - is that good or bad?

Boerrancher
10-23-2012, 06:04 AM
Believe it or not I haven't touched one of my modern rifles since she's in the house - is that good or bad?

There is nothing wrong with not playing with your other toys. The only reason why I started playing with the 308 and the 303 was because the 308 was dad's last build, and had never been shot, and the 303 I put together from pieces he had laying around. Now that I have both of them shooting, and as soon as I get over this case of pneumonia I will be back in the woods with the trade gun, seeing what kind of fresh meat I can put on the table. I had been fighting a cold for the past week and a half, and by Sunday I was down bad. The Doc told me yesterday, that a few more days and it would have been the hospital for me.

I should be on the mend by the weekend, if not sooner and I can go back to burning the Holy Black once more. I can see from your avatar photo why you called the trade gun The Lady. She is definitely an elegant piece of workmanship. I can say this with all sincerity, there is no reason why with a bit of practice to learn your hold that you won't be able to shoot with rifles out to at least 50 yards. I proved that at the last Rendezvous/Match I was at, and I will be the first to admit that I need more practice with my trade gun when it comes to shooting the PRB. You have a great looking gun that seems like it is going to be a great shooter as well. Have fun and enjoy her.

Best wishes,

Joe

Hubertus
10-25-2012, 03:21 PM
Thanks Joe!

I will keep on playing - that's part of the fun anyway.
Let's see what the next range session brings - I'll try to hold differently.

Get well soon!
We are waiting for reports on your hunting :mrgreen:.

As we say over here: Waidmannsheil! (That's the wish to have a good hunt to somebody but is used as well to congratulate after game was taken.)

Mike