Blackpowder Turkey hunting options.....

[jp]

I am applying for Spring Turkey... Ok, thats neat.  But what are my options on using a 32 or 50 caliber for these big birds?  ND rules note that blackpowder long guns are allowed.  So who out there uses the rifle for them?  Also where do you shoot for, neck to body connection point?  I want to have a bird or majority of the bird left for eating........   round ball would be my choice of projectile.   Do you use a smaller charge?  Surfing the web I just am not finding alot of information...   Any thoughts...

[flintlock]

I killed my first turkey in '79 using a .45 caliber Bobb Watts longrifle...I called him in using a wingbone call that I had made...My load was 40 grains FFF, and I held for where the wing meets the body, didn't tear up too much meat....Since then I made me a .54 flinter for deer and rebarreled the .45 to a .40 which should be a dandy turkey caliber, but, I moved back to NC and they won't let us use rifles of any type...

I assume you have a .50 and a .32...I'd go with the .50 and use half you regular charge...That's how I usually set up my deer calibers, I want them to shoot flat to 25-30 yards for squirrels with half a charge and then 1-2 inches high at 50 yards, with a full charge, this puts them dead on at 75 and about and inch low at 100....

Guess I'm saying I'd use about 50 grains in the .50 for turkey...If facing, hit where the neck meets the body, broadside, where the wing meets the body....

Or I could just bring my .40 and show you how its done...

[DakotaJeff]

Something to consider is buying a smooth bore barrel for your gun, then you can use #4 or #6 shot.  Plus you could use it for pheasants in the fall. 

[jp]

Thankyou Flintlock.....
I appreciate your reply....
Once this 20 below weather leaves, I will be out with the targets and smaller powder loads.  Actually getting a bit excited for the Spring turkey season to start now...

From an article I found.....
Although .32- and .36-caliber rifles are typically recommended for turkey hunting, .45- and .50-caliber guns may also be used. I have taken turkeys with all of these, as well as with a .54-caliber round-ball gun. None of these low-velocity projectiles "blew the turkey up," or spoiled significant amounts of meat.  In all of these guns, I use one load for everything. A load of 20 grains of FFFg with patched round balls usually gives excellent results on both turkeys and squirrels in .32- and .36-caliber guns. In .45- to .54-calibers, I load from 85 to 110 grains of FFg for patched round-ball turkey and deer loads. Accuracy is more important than power, and different combinations are required for each gun.
jP

[TrenchMud]

A 100 grain Maxi-ball (if you can find them) backed by about 40 grains of powder in that .32 will do the trick.

[Hoyt]

I use to use .22 rim-fire to hunt gobblers in spring gobbler season and have killed quiet a few thay way. I never lost a bird, had one run off or fly off and I always only shot them in the wingbutt.  That's right where the wing goes into the body.

If I was going to hunt them with a muzzleloading rifle..(which I may one day) (I use .20ga. flintlock shotguns now)..I would build a .36, .40 or .32cal...in that order and have complete confidence in any of them shooting the bird in the wingbutt.