The HuntingPA.com Outdoor Community banner

28 ga. shotgun wads

3K views 9 replies 4 participants last post by  mus42tang 
#1 ·
Has anyone used 28 ga. shotgun wads as a sabot in a 50 cal. muzzleloading rifle.
I'd be interesting in using the wads for practice sessions. Round ball in .490 with 70-80 grs. of black powder. Nothing ultra fast.

If you use the shotgun wads, I'd like to hear your experience and loads.
 
#2 ·
I use 24 ga shotgun wads in my smooth bore trade gun under shot.

28 ga are about 55 caliber. Might be to big for a 50 cal. May do in a 54 cal.

Check out the web site for Circle Fly Wads

As I recall a 32 ga would probably be closer to a 50 caliber. Or use a half inch hole punch and punch yer own.
 
#4 ·
some shooters feel that their accuracy improves with a wad under their patched round [censored]. Certainly, if their patch ball combination isn't sealing the bore, accuracy may improve.

Whether the patch ball combo is proper depends on alot of things, especially rifling depth and shape.

Some barrels do better with a tight combination and densely woven patch. I have good results with plain cotton flannel patching in several rifles. One thing, normally, it should not be a palm bruising tight combination.
 
#6 ·
No plastic goes in any of my muzzys.Especially the rifles!It a chore to clean out.
A co-worker right now has major group problems with his TC.I asked what projectile he was shooting.He said sabots.He now has allot of work to do.
 
#8 ·
Why would you even want to do that?

Well I've used commercial sabots, off and on, for over thirty years. I could find numerous sabots commercially, that used bullets in the sabot, but I was having little luck finding sabots for round lead ball.

Well after much searching I found a supplier and the now manufacturing supplier.

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/6864

Starting using one like this in the mid 70's. I've been using a homemade mix for "greasing" up the cloth patches.
For awhile I thought the plastic patches for round ball were discontinued. Good to see they are on the market.

Question:
"Anybody who can stuff a 28 ga plastic wad in a 50 cal rifle with bare hands and a ball starter has my attention."

I lot of people ran into trouble loading the plastic sabot and the ball at the same time. Our practice, started by my mentor, was to load the powder; put in the sabot, ALONE, and push that very easily down the barrel, to the powder, with the ramrod. Then we would take the round ball and drop that down barrel. We would insert the ramrod in the gun and tap the bullet into the sabot. Worked for us. Never had trouble forcing a sabot and a round ball down a slightly fouled barrel. Or breaking the old wooden ramrods.
 
#9 ·
Trying to put a 55 cal (28 ga) plastic shotgun wad down a 50 caliber bore has it's special challenges. Just too big.

There was a company called Butler Creek that sold similar plastic sabots back in the 1970's. They were cupped both ways so it didn't matter which way they went down. The hollow against the powder helped seal the bore. they brought their products out about the same time as the accelerator ammo came out.

Having melted plastic fused to the bore was a big PIA to remove.
 
#10 ·
The old brain just the other day remembered Butler Creek. Used those in the 70's in PA. Before the internet, recalled buying them by mail. Then they were discontinued. Some products I don't find locally and get some from PA companies, like an old broadhead I've used for some twenty years.

I still think I have some old scope covers on an old Marlin that came from the same company.

I sure liked using those old sabots, especially in the cold weather. I know I have a few of those left in my muzzleloading box and possibles bag.

You might then understand my searching around for options for the old round ball.

I just saw that there is a bullet/sabot company that makes their bullets for the 1:48 rifle twist and other twists. Might be an option just for hunting. For now I have the homemade "grease" I have for cloth patches. And a few plastic patches they use to make some forty years ago.
 
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top