.56 Cal. smooth bore Renegade ?

[Ruger4Me]

A gun shop in my area has a T/C Renegade with the .56 Cal. smooth bore barrel. Looks like it's never been fired. he's asking around $200 for it.

Wondering if anyone has one, what do you hunt with it? What kind of loads would you use.

I was talking to a friend he was telling me that one of the guys he hunts with uses 2 patched round balls at a time.

[filmokentucky]

There's an old story that goes something like this: when Massachusetts first opened a black powder season, the guns had to be smooth bores. T/C created the Renegade smooth bore to cash in on this. The guns are very strong, but  I believe a number of states only allow one projectile during deer season. With the right ball and patch combination they're good shooters.

[tony212]

The Massachusetts story is exactly correct.  Back in the early days of black powder hunting in Masachusetts you had to use a smoothbore gun designed before 1865 with only one functioning barrel.  The .56 caliber Rennegade was very popular here in Berkshire County.  Basicaly they were very good guns. However, Today for $200 I think you could get something much better.  If you like traditional guns check out Traditions, CVA, and Cabella's lines of black powder guns. They make some rifles for around and a little above $200. They also make some nice inlines for under $200. Check out the CVA Hunterbolt.
Hope this helps;
Tony212

[Ruger4Me]

I have a .54Cal T/C Renegade and a .58 Cal Hawkens.

Was just looking for something different.

[Ramrod]

I read somewhere that they called the double ball "loaded for bear" back in the old days. The .56 bore size is about a 28 gauge, so it would seem to have limited use as a shotgun. Historically it was not an uncommon size for a trade gun.

[Kurt]

I only have three things to say, buy it, buy it, buy it!!!

[jrdavis]

you can find .56 ball molds on e-bay from time to time for around $20 .
the neatest thing about the 56 is you can load her up as a shot gun it thakes standard .28 guage wads or shot cups with an over shot wad ...real fun for the bushtail

[Super Rat]

I had fairly good results years ago shooting double balls out of a rifled .58, that had slow and shallow minnie rifling. They still held together well out to about 70 yards as I remember.

I should think that it would work well in a smooth bore. I aways thought that putting a half of a shotgun wad between the balls might reduce deformation and improve accuracy. I've never tried it in my Brown Bess, because the ball is so damn big that I don't think two will make much difference! If something gets hit by one 585 grain ball, it's gonna be a train wreck! Also, two balls would be well over 1000 grains of lead, which might raise some pretty high pressures.  :shock:

Does that barrel have front and rear sights? With rifle sights, and a tightly patched ball, a smooth bore will really shoot. I have traditional full buckhorn rifle sights on my Bess, and she'll eaisly stay on a paper plate at 85 yards, and it will shoot 3" groups at 50. By the way, in a smoothbore, seat the ball with the sprue DOWN.

If you experiment with this be very sure that both balls are touching each other, or seated one on the other, for obvious reasons.

[whitecloud]

there are a couple up on an auction site for Alot more than that.BUY BUY BUY

[KING]

If you dont buy it.............oneof these reprobates that hang around here might attempt to beat ya to it..........buy it!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......then RUN.............stay safe......King

[Ruger4Me]

I'm heading to the gun shop today.

I hope it's still there. I saw it the week before Christmas.

[MAINER1234]

I have one NIB that i would sell for $225 shipped if anybody is interested .
maxwell@pivot.net
sold!

[Ruger4Me]

Well, the gun shop still has the rifle, he tried to sell me everything but the SB.  

Before Christmas he was interested in making a trade now I don't think he wants to sell it.

I finally just left.