Fowlers

Hi guys. Mabe a dumb thing to ask, but are all fowlers flintlocks? Tommy.

Just the pretty ones!

There are percussion fowlers and those that were flint but made into percussion guns later on.

Fowlers in today's parlance are usually flintlocks. 100 yrs ago, "fowler" referred to really any bird gun, whether flint, percussion or the suppository variety. In W.W. Greener's book about the development of the gun, he makes frequent reference to large bore fowlers and talks breifly about the merits of paper or full brass shells in the fowlers.

Dnepr 750 said:

Hi guys. Mabe a dumb thing to ask, but are all fowlers flintlocks? Tommy.

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For ML purposes they can be flint, percussion, wheel lock, etc.
What really makes a fowling piece a fowling piece is that it is either designed and/or used for fowling (the the taking of birds). The fowler (one who hunts birds) uses the fowling piece as a tool to that end.

A standard modern shotgun is also a fowling piece.

Good response and it's nice to see some one using correct terminology ie. a fowler using a fowling piece for taking fowls.Also fowling pieces were made in percussion although I remember having seen an early nineteenth century estate inventory wherein the term "shot gun" was used. :hmm: :v
Tom Patton

I have seen "shot gun" used as early as 1780's in Virginia as well.

Just an observation... Most of the people I have conversed with across the pond think of double barreled percussion guns when the subject of fowling pieces was brought up.

It really comes down denotation and connotation. The term "fowler" denotes exactly what has been stated above but the term is also used to connote a variety of smoothbore types. To me trying to split hairs with changing terminology is confusing and frustrating. :idunno:

It is much harder for me to accept modern, accepted but incorrect terminology where a Tulle is a specific type of gun, any ml rifle is a musket, an English sporting gun is a Hawken and a Hawken is a Hawkins.

I think it is good when someone shares the correct terminology especially in threads like these where an OP with possible limited knowledge desires to actually learn.

There is of course no penalty for those who choose not to use it but they might sometimes get confused or frustrated when reading or conversing on a subject.

In the newspapers of the 18th century the term fowler is restricted to the hunter after fowl, whether by gun, net or snare. I find not a single instance of the gun being called a fowler, it is invariably a fowling piece. The term shotgun as the blended term we use is not present in the database, and only one use of the term "shot gun", in 1734. The database covers 1728-1800.

Spence

George said:

In the newspapers of the 18th century the term fowler is restricted to the hunter after fowl, whether by gun, net or snare. I find not a single instance of the gun being called a fowler, it is invariably a fowling piece. The term shotgun as the blended term we use is not present in the database, and only one use of the term "shot gun", in 1734. The database covers 1728-1800.

Spence

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What kind of database did they use in 1728? Just kidding. Couldn't resist.

Very interesting information. I do lots of reading and I tend to agree that I have yet to find any references to "fowlers" when referring to the guns themselves, at least in period writings. Not saying it didn't happen; just saying I have yet to read it.
Dan
Dan

In 1910, WW Greener wrote about a "Wildfowler's oval muzzle" page 513 of the Gun and it's development, but I suppose that the reference is equivocal as to wehther it refers to the gun's muzzle or the muzzle used by the hunter.