20 gauge fowler - help me decide

[htredneck]

I have decided I need to own a .62 smoothbore / 20 gauge fowler. I have two readily available to me but don't know enough to decide on which one, so I am throwing it out there.
The two I have to choose from is a Ken Netting or Caywood Type C fusil. If'n you had your druthers, which would you druther to own? And of even more help would be why...

 

[gunmaker43]

Those roman nosed French guns bite a lot of people, If your able to handle both---pick the one that fits you the best...Tom :stir:

 

[htredneck]

The Netting is what I am going to say is actually a smootbore rifle since it has a rear sight. The Caywood currently only has the front sight but a rear can be added. Unfortunately, they are not where I can handle them. I have never handled a fowler so I am new to this part of the muzzleloading world. I will say that from whatbI have seen, there are some American fowlers that I really like the profile of. So far though, none are available to had that are not dedicated turkey guns. I will do my best to take a turkey with it, but it will primarily be a small game gun.

I will also say that I am actively looking to purchase now so if someone has one they are thinking of parting with, I will certainly entertain the idea...

 

[Spikebuck]

If the Caywood was built by Danny, see if it has a vent liner installed. I say this because it's my understanding, from what others have said, that Danny does not install them and is not a proponent of them.

I recently purchased my first muzzleloader with a direct-drilled hole (coned on the outside). Actually I'm quite impressed with the ignition time, but there is a difference between the ignition in that rifle and all the others I have with vent liners. Also, in my case, the direct hole was "perfectly" drilled right at the face of the breech plug, so installing a vent liner would not be an easy task...well, it would be but the hole would then be forward in the pan.

Net...if a vent liner is an important feature to you...ask about it. It's one of those little things that you may take for granted, then find out it's not there.

 

[htredneck]

According to his website, and my conversations with Danny, no - there is no liner. In fact, he is so much against them he says the installation of one immediately voids any warranty on his guns.

 

[Bear64]

The netting gun is a custom gun and a far better gun and will increase in value. The caywood not so much.

 

[roundball]

Good advice

 

[roundball]

According to his website, and my conversations with Danny, no - there is no liner. In fact, he is so much against them he says the installation of one immediately voids any warranty on his guns.

Speaking only for myself, I wouldn't own a muzzleloader that didn't have the following:
A patent breech design breechplug;
A removable vent liner;

Others mileage may vary

 

[roundball]

The netting gun is a custom gun and a far better gun and will increase in value. The caywood not so much.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[htredneck]

I wish you all had posted this information a couple of days ago. I spent a fair amount of time on the phone with Danny Caywood and have committed to a fowler from him. As it turned out, his son and I have quite a bit in common thanks to our military service. By the time it was all said and done, he made me an offer I couldn't refuse!

It is amazing how many of Netting's firearms have come out of the woodwork. I think I am up to three fowlers and two rifles I have had to turn down since committing with Danny. In about three weeks, I am going to his shop to pick up my new fowler, followed by a trip to his house to shoot it in.

 

[Okwaho]

The netting gun is a custom gun and a far better gun and will increase in value. The caywood not so much.

I agree totally and although it may be a moot issue I would consider Mike Brooks whose fowling pieces are outstanding Also the presence of a rear sight on a fowling piece does not make the gun a rifle.This is true on some of the early De chasses. :hmm:

 

[htredneck]

I guess I am one of those guys that is stuck on the principle that shotguns don't have rear sights... Even though a fowler is not a shotgun in the normal sense. I normally have to have a vent rib to provide the correct plane to keep from shooting high, so I did opt for a rear sight to give me the correct reference on the fowler.

 

[Ron LaClair]

You don't need a rear sight on a fowler, as ya get older it becomes a blurry blob that just gets in the way. :idunno:

:stir:

I just ordered a fowler from Jessee Brennan who was featured in the Jan/Feb issue of ML magazine. I have an English Fowler that his dad Jud built for me back in 1984. Keep yer eye on him, Jesse is an up and comer with more talent then you could cram into a boxcar.

 

[Ron LaClair]

http://jessebrennan.wix.com/artsmith#!__site

 

[Grumpa]

I am right handed, with a left master eye. My smoothbore shooting was much improved by the addition of a rear sight.