muzzle loading shotguns

[MLRowland]

Any body shotting a muzzle loading shotgun for turkeys?I am looking for a sidelock style.

[crow_feather]

Are you looking for a double or single?  I personally have never hunted turkey, but I would believe that a quick second shot might be necessary sometimes.

If you are looking for a traditional double, then I would suggest checking out the auction houses for a quality double that has choke tubes or the Navy Arms Turkey and Trap shotgun

C F

[MLRowland]

Thanks Crow Feather.

[momsworry]

Last winter, I purchased a side by side double 12 ga made by Pedersoli. I have shot it some at paper, just to try to figure things out.  I have concluded that these guns give new meaning to the word "scattergun".  I have more work to do so far as coming up with just the right recipe to achieve the best patterns.  I have found one thing out, at least with my gun, forget the card over powder wads.  My gun is choked, Mod and Imp Cyl and especially with the mod barrel, you end up distorting the card wads trying to ram them down the barrel.  I have since switched to just using two of the felt pre-lubed wonder wads, then going with the thinner card over shot wad to seal up the whole thing.  This has improved my patterns some, as has cutting the powder charge.  That being said, the patterns I have achieved thus far are not two bad within maybe 25 yards, beyond that, things get a little sketchy.  Until I find a way to improve patterns out to 30 yards or so, I'll limit any turkey or other game shots to about 20 yards.  It is a riot to shoot this gun though.  I tried shooting some trap about a week ago and didn't do too bad and had a blast.

[crow_feather]

momsworry,

I have a pedersoli 10 guage and have found that if you fold the overpowder card in almost half, then insert, the card will unfold on the way down.  I use half of a prelubed felt wad and an overshot wad.  Mine shoots really tight that way.

Also, if you have a wooden range rod close to the size of the bore, be careful if you place it in the barrel that you are not loading when loading the opposite barrel.  If you spill shot into the barrel with the range rod in it, the shot can cause the range rod to be jammed.  The way to clear this is to turn the shotgun upside down push the range rod up, toward the locks and shake the lead out.  If you try to shoot the ramrod out, there is a good possibility of causing a dimple in the barrel.
(just read that somewhere)

C F

[maddmaxx]

I've got a pedersoli 12 db w/ cyl bores. Wouldn't probably hunt turkey w/it, but in order to get a better pattern out of it, I've made some paper tubes w/shot and grits (for buffer). Pouring them down the barrels didn't work too well, but making the buffered loads was more effective, although a hassle. So now if I want a better pattern, I just shoot both bbls. To keep track in loading, a clothespin in the loaded one reminds me to keep it straight. But  if both triggers get pulled, I don't have to do that either.

[filmokentucky]

The only turkey gun I have right now is my 20 bore flintlock fowler. I use a 3 dram charge under one and a quarter ounces of #5 shot. I use a buffer wad between the powder and the shot and a lubed wad between that and the shot. A card wad goes over the shot to keep everything where it belongs. Naturally, it has a cylinder bore. Patterns are very good out to 30 yards and that is far as I'd ever try a shot anyhow.
  I am thinking about a 10 or 12 bore fowler--maybe one of Jim Chambers
kits. It would make a good project for next winter. I have a friend who does all his uplands gunning with a first model Brown Bess. Has for years.
Always gets his bird too. I have to admit that lugging a ten pound musket around is more than I'd care to do, but I  can't argue with success.

[crow_feather]

Black powder shotgunning is such a great sport.  I would like to see it become more popular but I fear that the cost of black powder shotguns prohibits many people from participating.  

C F