New (to me) T/C .56cal. Smoothbore

[Maven]

I recently won a T/C .56cal. smoothbore in virtually new condition from one of the auction sites. I also picked up an almost new Lyman .550" RB mold* for it on fuBay for a song a few weeks prior to bidding on the T/C. (Isn't it odd how we first get a mold and then find a gun to go with it rather than the reverse?) Although I already have a 20ga. FL trade gun, I've been reluctant to alter it by adding a rear sight. The T/C solved that problem as it still wears the factory [fully adjustable] rear sight. I spent +1 hr. yesterday cleaning, polishing**, and oiling the lock and trigger components and readjusting the set trigger, as everything was bone dry and the trigger pull was rougher than I like. Although I can do a bit more polishing of the lock, it is now much improved and functions smoothly. I won't test fire it until next week, but I think the .550" RB + .014" pillow tick will be a tight fit and will have to search for something a bit thinner. My starting load will be 60gr. Diamondback FFFg, which I'll eventually increase to 70gr. Other than finding the right patch thickness, I'll need to see where this thing shoots. I've adjusted the rear sight to the center position and set the elevation as far down as it can go and will work from there. Btw, these guns were made to conform to Massachusetts' hunting regulations (mine came from MA) and are scarce and ~$100 pricier than they were last year.


*casts @ .550" with pure Pb. The mold had surface rust on both its inner & outer faces, but the cavity was fine: stained, but otherwise perfect. A few minutes with WD-40, a brass wire brush and very fine emory cloth restored it to "like new" condition. It now casts perfectly too!

**Cratex wheel in my Dremel tool wi. a flexible drive shaft

[twotoescharlie]

try it with a over powder wad RB and overshot wad, sans patch. may do better. I bought a drop in barrel (62) cal. from green mtn. for mine. a little longer and also has sights on it, don;t know if they are still available or not. I have 4 barrels for mine 56 & 62 smoothbore and 54 and 58 rifled. just got the 58, haven;t shot it
yet.

TTC

[Doc Highwall]

Being a smooth bore you can load it like a shotgun also.

[Maven]

Thanks for the suggestions! If the PRB doesn't work out, I'll certainly consider using shot and/or twotoescharlie's recommendation of greased overpowder and over shot wads with a bare RB. However, after a bit of searching at Jo-Anne Fabrics earlier today, I found what I hope will be an appropriate patch material. It is white solid 100% cotton twill made by "SEW Classics" (sic) and compresses to .010" (took a micrometer & a .550" RB with me). As I mentioned in my first post, the .014" pillow tick appears to be a bit tight and .008" material, which I tried later, a bit loose so .010" should be almost perfect. We'll see....

[dualsport]

I'm looking forward to hearing how it shoots. Something about those smoothies really interests me although the closest thing I have is a New Englander 12 ga. One of these days I'll get me a trade rifle.

[downwind]

Hi,
Congrats on the 56 smoothbore.

Shot my first firearms deer with that same gun (8 pointer, Ma.), also shot some squirrels with a load of 6's.

They are a lot of fun and versitile!

I use to load 80 gr 2ff goex / .012 cotton patch lubed with olive oil or bear grease / and a .550 round ball (pure lead)
This was a tight fit but very accurate!

Hope this helps and good luck with your new acquisition!

THANKS
DOWNWIND

[Maven]

I hope to get out to the range with it later today. As I wrote earlier, the .014" patch + .550" RB seemed to be a tight fit, but I'll know for sure once I try to seat that combination. A .012" patch may be ideal, but I couldn't find that thickness when I went to JoAnn Fabrics on Sunday. The .010" twill I intend to use is a compromise to be sure, but I'm optimistic that it will work. Smoothies are odd in that thicker patches don't necessarily yield greater accuracy as they often do in rifles; or if they do, it is an indirect effect since they boost velocity.

[BLACK3]

Hey Mavin, I have a 56 T/C also. I shoot mine with 80 frain 0f fff with a patch. I have never had an issue loading or shooting it. Sometimes I will even run up to 100 grains depending where I plan to hunt. If you wqant to shoot it as a shotgun you will need 28 gauge shotgun materials to do so. Been there done that. I prefer a round ball.

[Hang Fire]

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Blandet/ThisThreadIsUselessWithoutPictures.jpg

[dualsport]

No, it's not.

[Maven]

Hang Fire, I was more intent in finding out where the new gun would impact the target and how it performed with different patching than photographing the results. A camera is just one more thing I don't need to haul to the range, but your point is well taken: A good pic is really worth 1k words!

[Hang Fire]

Hang Fire, I was more intent in finding out where the new gun would impact the target and how it performed with different patching than photographing the results. A camera is just one more thing I don't need to haul to the range, but your point is well taken: A good pic is really worth 1k words!


I wanted to see this new gun of yours and the post was in jest, but sorry you did not take it that way.

[Maven]

"...but your point is well taken: A good pic is really worth 1k words!"

Hang Fire, Didn't you see this or the "smiley" in the reply? Btw, found these pics of another T/C SB (kit gun). Mine isn't a kit gun, but is also in excellent condition:
http://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/pp-classifieds/showproduct.php/product/9211